Dufour 512 Grand Large Sailboats for Sale

Layouts on the Used Market

Owner three-cabin arrangements are the more common find, though other layouts appear. The signature interior moves the galley amidships ahead of the saloon, a step down so the cooking zone stays out of sight, with a U-shaped prep area and double-drawer refrigeration. Three en-suite doubles — a forward island-berth master with split bathroom and two staterooms off the companionway — define the cabin plan. The T-shaped cockpit with teak, electric opening transom, and outdoor cooking console carries over on every example, as does the fold-up port sun bed.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

Most used 512s carry a strong cruising inventory. Climate and power systems are commonly fitted: air conditioning, heating, electric winches, autopilot, bow thruster, inverter, and solar appear on the majority, with a chartplotter, radar, and AIS covering navigation. Canvas and sail handling commonly include a bimini, dodger, and furling main, while an asymmetrical spinnaker reflects the boat's fixed bowsprit. Often-seen additions are a watermaker, swim platform, liferaft, cockpit shower, freezer, and hot water. Less common owner upgrades include dinghy davits and a code zero for reaching. Buyers should confirm which of these were factory or added later.

What to Inspect

The 512's construction gives a clear inspection checklist. Her hand-laminated polyester hull with vacuum-bonded foam sandwich core and epoxy osmosis barrier should be checked for any blistering or core issues, and the stainless steel bow strip protector examined for impact damage. Keel bolts bear onto massive stainless steel backing plates, so survey the keel-hull joint and backing plates for corrosion or movement. Floors are laminated into the hull; a survey should confirm they remain bonded. The tested example's bow and stern jet thrusters and 110hp Volvo saildrive are options, so verify the actual engine — standard was 75hp Volvo diesel — and saildrive seal condition anchor.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

These yachts typically appear in Spain, Italy, Greece, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom. For a buyer, the shortlist is: confirm layout (three-cabin owner version vs other), verify engine and saildrive against standard 75hp diesel, inspect keel backing plates and osmosis barrier, and check which commonly fitted systems (AC, bow thruster, electric winches) are present versus owner-added.