A powerful modern cruiser, the new Dufour 45 Classic offers a family plenty of living space in a boat that can really knock off the miles.

The Dufour brand has been in the world sailing market for 30 years. Founded by Michel Dufour, the company has been known for modern, efficient cruising boats built to a high standard. Although the company has been through several iterations and Michel Dufour is no longer owner, the brand is still strong. Some 6,000 Dufours have been built over the years. The company, based in La Rochelle, France, is now one of the largest builders of fiberglass boats in the world. They have more than 30 models of monohulls and multihulls currently available, and last year built more than 800 boats between 28 and 98 feet.

The design concept for the Dufour 45 was to produce a voluminous hull with ample accommodation for a family or three couples cruising together. That dictates three private cabins, two heads, adequate tankage and a comfortable saloon. This was all to be packaged in a hullform that was modern, fast and capable of overall good sailing performance. So the hull was made moderately shallow and given a moderate displacement of 24,250 pounds. The rudder is a high-aspect balanced spade and the fin keel is deep (7’8″) and has a large bulb at its base.