Used Dufour Yachts For Sale

Founded in 1964 by avid sailor Michel Dufour a naval architect and engineer who became interested in the polyester and glass fiber material as early as 1957. He designed and built a transportable yacht, “Sylphe” in 1964 which led to 20 orders the following year and eventually increased to industrial scale manufacturing of over 300 boats in 1971. New models were introduced as Dufour focused on performance and expanding his sales network to new markets throughout Europe and to the US. The company’s success was recognized with the Export Prize in 1973. The Dufour factory, located on the Atlantic coast of France in La Rochelle, implemented a co-branding strategy in the 1980s with the famous French tennis star René Lacoste’s brand to produce the luxury Dufour Lacoste 42 that is still recognized today for its timeless elegance. In 1988, sail height was raised, challenging the global sailing industry with the luxurious and contemporary Prestige models.

The “Ready-to-Sail” concept was introduced in the 1990s with the Dufour Classic range offering fully equipped, provision and go yachts to make cruising easy and fun. The new millennium began with Dufour Yachts’ collaboration with the famous Italian naval architect, Umberto Felci and a focus on a performance range (2002) and the Grand Large cruising models (2003) that have been continually refined over the years. Another major event occurred in 2020 with the purchase of Dufour Yachts by Fountaine Pajot, the French catamaran giant. Dufour has been kept a separate and distinct brand with 3 new Felci Yacht Designs launched, including the new flagship, Dufour 61. Also new for Dufour is the introduction of a sailing catamaran, the Dufour Sailing Catamarans 48, ideal for exploring in the shallow waters around islands without compromise of the Dufour sailing experience.