Dufour 500 Grand Large Sailboats for Sale

Layouts on the Used Market

Owner three-cabin versions are the more common configuration encountered on the brokerage market, though four-cabin hulls do circulate. The three-cabin layout gives a full forward master with an island berth and a split head, two symmetrical aft guest cabins each with an ensuite, and a saloon large enough to seat a proper charter or family party. Four-cabin builds subdivide the forward area or modify the aft arrangement to add a fourth sleeping space, typically at some cost to the master's sense of seclusion. Both configurations share the signature athwartships galley position just aft of the mast step — a feature that genuinely separates the working zone from the saloon — and the enormous U-shaped settee to port that doubles as a sea berth when needed. A convertible saloon table and the sliding nav station on rails, which can face either forward or aft, appear consistently across all layouts.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

Most used GL500s on the market arrive comprehensively equipped, reflecting both the original options list and years of cruising ownership. A chartplotter, AIS, autopilot, VHF, and radar are commonly fitted as baseline electronics. Bow thrusters are widely present — the factory offered them as an option and the boat's size makes them a practical necessity for shorthanded docking. Electric winches are frequently found at both the primary positions and the mast, supporting the boat's strong suit for shorthanded sailing. The belowdeck Facnor headsail furler is standard; a furling main or full-batten main with lazy jacks is a frequent upgrade or later addition. Teak cockpit or deck sections appear on a significant portion of hulls.

For offshore-oriented passages, the addition of a watermaker is common, as is a life raft in a deck cradle. Biminis and dodgers are often fitted, ranging from factory-supplied canvas to aftermarket hard-top arrangements. Cockpit showers, swim platforms with steps, and hot water systems are essentially universal at this point in the model's life. Air conditioning and heating systems appear on a majority of hulls, particularly those that spent time in the Mediterranean or the Caribbean. A gennaker or Code Zero is often found aboard, typically paired with the factory-retractable carbon bowsprit; standalone spinnakers and asymmetric kites appear on the more performance-minded examples. Solar panels and an inverter are common additions from owners who spent extended time at anchor. Satellite communications equipment, including newer systems added in recent years, occasionally appears on ocean-passage boats.

What to Inspect

The hull's vacuum-bonded foam-core construction is generally considered sound, but any boat of this era warrants a thorough moisture survey, paying particular attention to the cored deck sections around fittings and the large flush hatches that define the GL500's clean deck aesthetic. The mast is deck-stepped, which is an efficient arrangement for interior headroom but means the mast partners and associated deck reinforcement should be inspected carefully for any signs of compression cracking or water ingress at the step. The single-piece panoramic window above the galley and saloon is a distinctive feature; check its seal perimeter and the surrounding gelcoat for crazing or delamination.

Below the waterline, both keel configurations — the shoal draft and the deep draft — use an L-shaped bulb keel. The keel bolts and the hull-keel joint deserve close attention during haulout, as this is a high-stress area on any modern performance cruiser with a fin-and-bulb arrangement. The semi-elliptical rudder is filled with closed-cell foam around a stainless steel stock; probe for delamination between the foam and the skin, and check the bearings for play. The saildrive leg, standard with the 75 hp Volvo Penta, should have its bellows and seals inspected — saildrive bellows are a known maintenance item on any Volvo-equipped hull of this vintage, and replacement is straightforward but consequential if neglected. Fuel tankage runs to around 130 gallons across two tanks; check for microbial contamination and any signs of tank corrosion if the boat sat idle for extended periods.

Electrically, these boats left the factory with a meaningful house bank and dedicated engine battery, but many hulls will have had the bank expanded or reconfigured by successive owners. Verify that wiring changes have been done to a professional standard, particularly around the inverter, shore power inlet, and any solar additions. The cockpit electronics towers and twin helm stations have numerous cable penetrations; look for chafe and moisture at each.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

The GL500 circulates most actively in European waters — Italy, France, Greece, and Turkey are the primary markets, and hulls frequently appear in Martinique and Singapore as well. North American inventory is thinner, which can complicate survey logistics but also suggests that hulls imported from Europe have often been properly equipped for offshore passages. The model's limited production window means the overall pool is not enormous, so buyers should be prepared to wait for the right example rather than settling on the first available hull.

Before making an offer, work through the following:

• Commission a full out-of-water survey including moisture testing of the deck and hull laminate
• Inspect keel bolts and hull-keel joint at haulout
• Check saildrive bellows and seals for age and condition
• Test the belowdeck Facnor headsail furler under load
• Verify the deck-stepped mast partners and compression post for cracking
• Confirm the large panoramic window is fully sealed with no signs of leaking
• Review the electrical system for any non-factory wiring additions
• Confirm bow thruster and electric winch function
• Sea trial in at least 12 knots of true wind to assess helm balance and autopilot tracking
• Verify air conditioning and watermaker function if the boat carries them