Felci’s influence is clear in the low, aerodynamic cabin, which blends cleanly into the modern hull. The 512 was produced from 2016 through 2017, making it one of the later Dufour cruisers developed in partnership with Felci before Fountaine Pajot acquired the brand in 2018.
Design and Construction
The 512 Grand Large is a 15.20m monohull with a 13.67m waterline. Its straight-edge bow and stern are intended to maximise waterline length and therefore speed.
Displacement is 15,245kg, including 4,042kg of iron ballast in a bulb keel. The resulting ballast-displacement ratio is 26.51, while the capsize ratio is 1.95—figures that sit comfortably for a bluewater-minded family cruiser.
The hull is hand-laminated polyester/GRP with a vacuum-bonded foam sandwich core. All floors are laminated into the hull, and the keel bolts bear on massive stainless steel backing plates. Dufour also fitted an epoxy barrier against osmosis and a stainless steel bow strip protector to guard the stem.
Dufour’s two-part mold forms an inward-facing hull-to-deck flange, while a one-piece structural grid is chemically fused to the hull. These construction details are consistent with the builder’s sub-50-foot solid-fiberglass practice of the period.
Rig and Handling
Solo around-the-world racing had a strong influence on the 512’s deck plan. A fixed bowsprit carries an asymmetrical spinnaker, while the boom angles upward from a low gooseneck to make the mainsail easier to reach. A removable inner forestay accommodates a storm sail, and a self-tacking headsail was optional.
The German-style, double-ended mainsheet allows the helm to trim either the headsail or mainsail without leaving the wheel. A tape-drive headsail furling line is intended to avoid the jamming associated with conventional rope systems.
Test sailors found the boat easy to manage using the electric T45 halyard and T55 sheet winches. A second pair of cockpit sheet winches handled the large asymmetrical spinnaker. On the test boat, bow and stern jet thrusters turned the 512 around in seconds while leaving the berth.
The standard auxiliary engine was a 75hp Volvo diesel. The tested boat had a 110hp Volvo saildrive diesel. Fuel capacity is 500 litres.
Cockpit and Deck
The large T-shaped cockpit can accommodate 12 guests under way and has real teak decking. A flap in the port-side seat folds up to create a wind-sheltered sun bed.
An electrically opening transom eases Mediterranean-style stern docking or swimming. The cockpit-table console incorporates a fridge and sink, while a gas BBQ in the rear seat completes the outdoor cooking centre. A transom locker can hold a folded inflatable and a 9.9hp outboard.
To starboard, the navigation table and seat have a large house instrument panel mounted outboard.
Accommodations
Below, the 512 departs from convention with an open-plan, galley-forward layout. The galley sits amidships, ahead of the saloon dining area, and its sole is one step lower so cooking mess stays out of guests’ faces.
The galley extends across the boat. It includes a U-shaped preparation area, a large sink, a Corian worktop and a three-burner stove. To starboard are a double-drawer fridge/freezer and an espresso machine.
The saloon combines modern oak with coral upholstery. It has a settee lounge to starboard and a dinette to port with outboard seating. A 32-inch slide-away television is fitted to starboard.
There are three luxury-sized en-suite double cabins. The forward master has an island berth and a bathroom divided into two compartments. Two further double staterooms sit on either side of the companionway. Rounded furniture corners, electric-flush toilets, and attractive oak paneling with matched upholstery complete the interior.
Verdict
The Dufour 512 Grand Large is a thoroughly modern 50-foot cruiser that brings ideas influenced by solo racing into a social, well-built family boat. Felci’s styling and Dufour’s laminated construction give it a genuine offshore posture without sacrificing the open, galley-forward interior that distinguishes the Grand Large line.
Pros
- Straight-edge bow and stern maximise waterline length for speed, with a 13.67m LWL
- Solo-racing influences include a fixed bowsprit, angled boom, tape-drive furling system and removable inner forestay
- Open-plan interior places the U-shaped galley amidships and keeps cooking separate from the saloon
- Three en-suite double cabins, including a forward master with a two-compartment bathroom
- Epoxy osmosis barrier, stainless steel stem protector and massive keel-bolt backing plates
Cons
- Production lasted only from 2016 through 2017, shortly before the Fountaine Pajot takeover
- The tested 110hp saildrive and jet thrusters were options, not standard fit
