Dufour F39 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used Dufour F39 means weighing a genuinely quick Frers-designed 39-footer against a belowdecks package that period reviewers treated as the boat's soft spot. Built from 1984 with a solid fiberglass hull, lead-ballasted fin keel, and spade rudder, she remains a recognizable performance cruiser on the brokerage scene.
Layouts on the Used Market
Owner three-cabin layouts are the more common on the used market, but both are available, and ex-charter examples are common. The design could be arranged with as many as 11 berths, including two spacious double aftercabins and a forward heads, which explains its appeal to fleet operators. Buyers should note that the pilotberths seen across other Dufours from this period are often converted to shelves or lockers, so the practical berth count is usually lower than the headline figure suggests.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
The F39 on today's market commonly carries a chartplotter, autopilot, bimini, and AIS, which cover core navigation and cockpit shelter. Often-seen additions include solar panels and hot water, along with teak decks, radar, and an EPIRB — the solar and hot water pair speaking to boats set up for extended anchoring. A life raft appears less commonly, typically as an owner upgrade. The consequential clusters for a buyer are power and energy (solar, autopilot load) and navigation (chartplotter, AIS, radar).
What to Inspect
Yachting Monthly identified the downmarket interior as her Achilles' heel anchor, so inspect joinery, locker fronts, and sole for wear from that original specification. Stowage was scarcely adequate for a yacht this size anchor, meaning locker volume and access are worth checking against your gear. Confirm whether pilotberths remain berths or built-in shelves; hull and rig drew no criticism.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats turn up across Spain, Portugal, France, Denmark, Panama, and Italy. For the shopper, seek a three-cabin owner version for private use, expect ex-charter examples to show heavier interior wear, verify the autopilot and solar setup, and budget for stowage upgrades given the known shortfall.
- Prefer owner three-cabin layouts over ex-charter for condition
- Confirm pilotberth status — shelf conversion reduces berths
- Check stowage against your needs; it was never ample
- Verify AIS, autopilot, and solar on often-upgraded boats
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Dufour F39. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 7 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | 2 | $85,825 | — |
| Oct 25 | 2 | $51,154 | -40.4% |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $51,154 | 0.0% |
| Apr 26 | 5 | $67,069 | +31.1% |
| Jun 26 | 2 | $73,889 | +10.2% |
| Jul 26 | 1 | $51,154 | -30.8% |
| Aug 26 | 1 | $45,470 | -11.1% |
Where they're listed
Dufour F39 listings appear across 5 countries. Portugal has the most listings with 4 (33.3%), followed by Spain and Denmark.
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
8 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dufour Classic 38 | 37.58' | $ 76,731 | 42 | 11 |
| Performance 40 | 40.42' | $ 112,539 | 35 | 3 |
| Beneteau First 38 | 40.2' | $ 34,044 | 32 | 6 |
| Dehler 39 | 39' | $ 124,253 | 16 | 1 |
| Dufour F39You are here | — | $ 51,154 | 12 | 2 |
| CAL 39 | 38.67' | $ 35,500 | 10 | 8 |
| Baltic 39 | 38.76' | $ 74,914 | 8 | 1 |
| Swan 39 | 39.3' | $ 102,308 | 6 | 0 |