Design and Construction
The defining structural idea is the centreboard arrangement: a galvanised steel, wedge-shaped centreplate that lowers for 1.1 meters of draft and raises to 0.5 meters, letting the boat wander thin water or sit a trailer behind a large family car or 4x4 anchor. That plate case organises the whole interior, and the lead in the bilges makes her reassuringly stiff for a boat of this size. Above the waterline the classy feel comes from teak decks and varnished mahogany trim, the latter so well finished on one eight-year-old example that the owner reported it had not been touched since the boat was built. The hull itself is solid fiberglass, a straightforward interpretation of the 1929 wooden ancestor rather than a modern cored sandwich.
Rig and Handling
She is simple to sail single-handed, which is part of the design brief rather than a happy accident. A 2:1 purchase makes the mainsail easy to hoist, while the jib runs on 2:1 sheets that remove any need for a winch, and the jib itself rolls away on Bartels furling gear anchor. At the mast foot a cluster of belaying pins sits next to a stainless steel Andersen winch for whatever light trimming is required. Tofinous normally race four-up, so the cockpit and deck are laid out for a small crew working in harmony rather than for solo minimalism alone. The sail area of 24.4 square meters on a 7-meter hull gives a lively but manageable platform, and the inboard Yanmar single-cylinder 9hp diesel with a two-bladed fixed propeller provides quiet harbour power.
Accommodations
Writing in Practical Boat Owner, the reviewer found the cockpit large, and indeed the open plan is the boat's living space: there is room to sleep on the sole boards either side of the centreplate case, turning a dayboat into a minimal weekender anchor. Dry kit stows in the compartment beneath the foredeck, while the locker under the aft deck reveals the fuel tank, battery, and further stowage. The fiddled, teak-covered engine-box top doubles as a handy table or a foot-brace for the helmsman, a small detail that shows how every cubic inch is pressed into service. This is a dayboat-cum-weekender, not a cruiser with standing headroom, and the elegance is in the restraint.
Equipment and Deck Furniture
On the foredeck a chunky Samson post carries a bow-roller and a couple of fairleads, giving secure ground-tackle handling without clutter. The inboard engine is a Yanmar 9hp diesel, and the two-bladed fixed prop is best lined up behind the deadwood when sailing to reduce drag. The RCD Category C rating places her in sheltered-to-coastal waters, consistent with a boat of this length and rig.
The Verdict
The Tofinou 7 is a stylish, practical, nicely built and well-established dayboat-cum-weekender that wears its 1929 lineage lightly while delivering modern trailability and solo-friendly rigging. The centreboard and lead-ballast combination make her both stiff and shallow-water capable, and the finish details reward an owner who values tradition without wanting a wooden boat's upkeep.
Pros
- Centreplate raises draft from 1.1m to 0.5m for trailer and thin-water use
- 380kg lead ballast in the bilges gives reassuring stiffness
- Winch-free jib sheeting and 2:1 mainsail hoist suit single-handed sailing
- Teak decks and mahogany trim deliver a classic feel with low maintenance
- Large cockpit with sole-board sleeping and smart stowage
Cons
- RCD Category C limits her to sheltered and coastal waters
- Minimal accommodation is weekender-only, not true cruising
