The Dufour 380 Sailboat

Published Specification for the Dufour 380

Underwater Profile: Bulb fin keel & spade rudder

Hull Material: GRP (Fiberglass)

Length Overall: 39'0" (11.9m)

Waterline Length: 32'5" (9.9m)

Beam: 12'9" (3.9m)

Draft: 6'3" (1.9m)

Rig Type: Fractional sloop

Displacement: 15,564lb (7,060kg)

Designer: Umberto Felci & Patrick Roséo

Builder: Dufour (France)

Year First Built: 2011

Owners Association: Dufour Owners Association

Published Design Ratios for the Dufour 380

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 14.7

• Less than 16 would be considered under-powered;
• 16 to 20 would indicate reasonably good performance;
• Over 20 suggests relatively high performance.

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 27.6

• Under 40: less stiff, less powerful
• Over 40: stiffer, more powerful

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 203

• Under 100: Ultralight
• 100 to 200: Light
• 200 to 275: Moderate
• 275 to 350: Heavy
• Over 350: Ultraheavy

4. Comfort Ratio: 23.9

• Under 20 indicates a lightweight racing boat
• 20 to 30 indicates a coastal cruiser
• 30 to 40 indicates a moderate offshore cruising boat
• 40 to 50 indicates a heavy offshore boat
• Over 50 indicates an extremely heavy offshore boat

5. Capsize Screening Formula: 2.0

• Under 2.0 (the lower the better): Better suited for ocean passages
• Over 2.0: Less suited for ocean passages

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Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Dufour 380

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1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of just 14.7 suggests that the Dufour 380 will need a stiff breeze to get her going. In light conditions, unless you've got plenty of time on your hands, motor-sailing may be the way to go.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 27.6 means that a sailboat like the Dufour 380 (which doesn't have a stiffness-enhancing bulb keel), is likely to benefit from being reefed early to keep her sailing upright in a moderate breeze.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 203, tells us the Dufour 380 is a moderate displacement cruiser, which means she'll carry all your cruising gear without it having a dramatic effect on her performance. Most of today's sailboats intended for offshore cruising fall into this displacement category.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 23.9 suggests that crew comfort of a Dufour 380 in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a coastal cruiser with moderate stability, which is not encouraging news for anyone prone to seasickness. 

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 2.0 indicates that a Dufour 380 would not be the wisest choice of sailboat for ocean passage-making owing to the lower resistance to capsize in strong winds and heavy seas that is associated with sailboats with a CSF of 2.0 and above.