Design & Construction
The hull is a hand-laminated, vacuum-bonded polyester-and-foam sandwich, switching to solid glass below the waterline and molded as a single piece. An inward flange at the hull-to-deck joint creates a stout bulwark while also helping to relieve stress during demolding, and an integral structural grid is fused to the hull and over-laminated in high-load areas to help distribute structural loads. The appendages follow the same performance-minded philosophy: an L-shaped cast-iron keel with a high-volume bulb is offered in two depths—7 ft 2 in shoal or 8 ft 2 in standard—while a balanced elliptical rudder is shaped to cut drag and maintain grip even when the boat is heeled well over. Up forward, a distinctive integrated bowsprit called the Delphinere combines a stainless-steel skeleton with a fiberglass overlay, providing a robust anchor-roller platform and a tack point for a gennaker.
Rig & Handling
Felci’s sail plan is built around a deck-stepped Z-Spars mast placed well forward, which opens up room for a large, easily managed mainsail. The standard configuration is a 7/8ths fractional rig with double aft-swept spreaders carrying 1,400 square feet of sail area, split between an 87-percent self-tacking jib and either a traditional or furling Elvstrom mainsail. The little jib can also be swapped for a full overlapping genoa on deck-mounted tracks, and an optional inner forestay allows a hank-on or furling staysail to be flown. The cockpit layout supports genuinely short-handed sailing: twin helms put Lewmar primary winches within easy reach, a double-ended mainsheet can be trimmed from either side, and the jib sheets lead to cabintop winches while genoa sheets run aft to the primaries or secondaries. One tester found the steering “one-finger light” and reported that tacks were quick and hassle-free.
Performance Under Power & Sail
Auxiliary power comes from a 110 hp Volvo Penta diesel driving through a V-drive that lets the engine sit farther aft, paired with a four-blade folding propeller; a 150 hp upgrade brings a five-blade feathering Max-Prop. During a test with the larger engine on flat water, the boat motored at 9.4 knots at 2,800 rpm. Under sail, the same test outing showed the 560 pointing well—8.5 knots at roughly 40 degrees apparent wind angle in just 8 to 10 knots of breeze—and adding about a knot off the wind under a slightly undersized A-sail. A retractable Side-Power bow thruster makes close-quarters work easier, and the reviewer noted that the thruster was surprisingly quiet even while moving a substantial volume of water.
Accommodations & Livability
The cockpit is divided into distinct working and lounging zones: forward, twin settees seat up to eight around a table that can house an optional sink and Isotherm fridge, while the broadened transom top forms a sun lounge well separated from the sailing action. The drop-down transom itself conceals an Eno plancha grill, a sink, and a prep surface, letting owners cook right at the transom while under way. Below, the saloon offers 6 ft 7 in of headroom, a U-shaped settee with a convertible table to port, and an L-shaped settee to starboard alongside a fixed, forward-facing nav station. The galley runs athwartships ahead of the saloon, separated by two half bulkheads that double as cabinets—one for dishes, the other hiding an aft-facing pop-up flatscreen TV—and the sink has been shifted to port, closer to the Eno stove compared with the 500 layout. Forward of the saloon, the builder offers at least four sleeping-quarter configurations, ranging from a centerline island berth with split head and shower compartments to a Pullman berth to port, an offset island berth that lets both occupants exit on their own side while creating space for an outboard lounge, and even a two-cabin division of the owner’s stateroom. A small crew cabin tucked into the forepeak with its own deck-access hatch rounds out the accommodation options. Storage details lean into the pleasures of cruising: the signature below-sole wine rack holds 15 bottles lying down and 10 standing up, a drawer under the settee stows another eight, and six more can be secreted in the galley divider.
Known Considerations
No owner-reported issues appear in the source material, but a few design choices are worth weighing based on the specs alone. The V-drive layout lets the engine sit farther aft to free up saloon space, at the cost of a more involved shaft/transmission arrangement than a straight-shaft boat—worth discussing with a surveyor. The deep-draft keel option (8 ft 2 in) sits noticeably deeper than the 7 ft 2 in shoal version, so shallow-water sailors should confirm which keel a given boat carries. The standard self-tacking jib suits short-handed work, and the optional genoa tracks and overlapping headsail—a factory option, not confirmed as a common used-market upgrade—give sailors who want more sail area a way to add it.
The Verdict
The Dufour 56-2 generation takes the proven Grand Large formula and stretches it into a size bracket where comfort and crew-friendliness often overshadow sailing manners—yet this boat retains a nimble, short-handed character that the reviewer found surprisingly nimble for its length. It backs that up with a hand-laminated, structurally reinforced build and a layout flexibility that can suit everything from a couple with occasional guests to a charter-oriented configuration. The cockpit and transom arrangement, in particular, strikes a rare balance between a secure working space and a genuinely inviting leisure area.
Pros
- Surprisingly nimble and well-configured for short-handed sailing despite a 56-foot LOA
- Robust, hand-laminated hull with an integrated structural grid and solid glass below the waterline
- Flexible rig options: self-tacking jib standard, with a factory-optional upgrade to genoa and staysail
- Thoughtful cockpit zoning with twin helms, accessible winches, and a double-ended mainsheet
- Extensive forward-cabin layout choices, from centerline island berths to a charter-friendly two-cabin split
- Well-integrated outdoor living features, including the transom grill station and separate sun lounge
Cons
- V-drive configuration frees up saloon space but is mechanically more involved to service than a straight shaft
- Standard deep-draft keel (8 ft 2 in) restricts access to shallow cruising grounds versus the shoal option
- Self-tacking jib is smaller than a full genoa; sailors chasing maximum light-air sail area will need the optional overlapping genoa and deck tracks
