dufour yachts 405

Dufour Grand Large 405

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Dufour 405 Grand Large

• By Herb McCormick, Photos by Billy Black
• Updated: October 10, 2011

You need but one quick glance at the lines of the 405 to appreciate the decidedly Euro flair to the topsides profile and layout. In contemporary yacht design, long gone are the days of angled overhangs and sweeping sheer lines. On the 405 (which actually measures in at a shade under 40 feet), with its nearly plumb stem and subtle reverse-transom stern, the idea is to maximize waterline length and interior volume in as attractive a platform as possible ( see our complete photo gallery here ).

To this end, designers Umberto Felci and Patrick Roséo have largely succeeded, thanks in no small part to the teak-like iroko hardwood employed generously in the deck, cockpit, toerails, handrails, and even on the drop-down swim platform that unfolds from the stern and is accessible via an opening between the opposing seats for the dual helms. The coachroof is low and unobtrusive, with a pair of long windows to port and starboard that tie together the overall aesthetics.

From a purely visual perspective, the one feature that seems disproportionate is the extremely high placement of the boom, the traveler for which is situated well forward, in front of the companionway hatch. Though our test boat didn’t include an optional dodger, an observer can surmise that the boom clearance was specified to include a wide, generously sized one; plus, from a safety standpoint, the boom, at that height, won’t be a hazard in uncontrolled jibes.

And while I understand the convenience of a split backstay in conjunction with an open transom (when the platform is deployed) to facilitate easy access, the downside is that the backstay’s two termination points, all the way aft to port and starboard, are somewhat of an impediment to the driver when he or she is perched outboard behind the windward wheel. For that reason, I found that steering from leeward was far more comfortable and provided a better view of the jib telltales.

Otherwise, I discovered a lot to like about the 405, which certainly feels—and sails—like a larger vessel. We tested the boat on a spotty Chesapeake Bay afternoon in 6 to 8 knots of fluky breeze, but thanks to the full-battened main and the tall, double-spreader fractional rig, once we got the boat in the groove, it slid nicely to weather, notching speeds of 5.5 to 5.9 knots.

The 405 is equipped with a 40-horsepower Volvo and saildrive (with a fixed, two-bladed prop) and trucked along nicely at 7.3 knots at 2,400 rpm, while stepping right up to 7.6 knots when we juiced it to 2,800 rpm. All lines, including the single-line reefing system, are led aft to a series of nine rope clutches, and the Harken winches and Lewmar adjustable sheet leads are first-class touches that made sail trimming a breeze. The central cockpit table is a small obstacle to sailhandling when you’re hopping to and fro, but the overall deck layout is smart and efficient and includes the Raymarine chart plotter, which is cleverly incorporated into the aft end of the table, a suite of Raymarine ST-70 instrument repeaters, the engine controls and readouts, and the autopilot controls, all within easy reach of the helm.

The hand-laminated fiberglass construction of the 405 is straightforward and time-tested, and it incorporates NPG gelcoat and resin for osmosis protection as well as a separate, internal grid laminated to the hull for structural integrity. A balsa core is employed in the infused polyester deck sandwich; the keel is cast iron bolted to a stainless-steel backing plate. The semi-elliptical rudder is fashioned from closed-cell foam and epoxy and is hung off a solid, stainless-steel post.

Down below, there are three accommodations plans from which to choose, all of which have a large owner’s cabin forward with a separate, attached head; a main saloon centered on a large, U-shaped settee and adjacent dining table; and a second head just aft of the settee. In all of the 405s, joinery work is mostly finished in maobi with other complementary hardwoods, which makes for a very handsome and inviting interior space. With seven deck hatches (with integrated “mushroom” vents) and a quartet of opening portlights, ventilation below is very good.

We inspected the model with the galley aft to starboard, just abaft a rather ingenious navigation station flanked by twin chairs, opposite the dining area. In no time flat, the table can be stashed away, a cushion can be inserted, and the seats transformed into one long settee. In this very versatile arrangement, a large and useful storage cabin is aft and to starboard (it can also be reached through the cockpit locker, and it has plenty of handy shelves), with a second double cabin aft to port.

Optionally, one can also specify a straight-line galley, to port or starboard, opposing the settee and dining area. In this layout, the more conventional nav station is aft of the galley, and the storage cabin is transformed into a second double berth.

Whichever way you go, there are lots of useful and thoughtful touches throughout. In the galley, for example, the cook will enjoy the spacious Corian counters, the large refrigerator that can be accessed via a small front door or a large, top-loading hatch, and the oodles of drawers and storage, including the dedicated “wine cellar.”

Wine cellar?

Well, we did mention that this was a good French boat. And French sailors, naturally, have their priorités firmly in order.

LOA 39′ 9″ (12.1 m.) LWL 39′ 0″ (11.9 m.) Beam 13′ 0″ (3.9 m.) Draft (shoal) 5′ 7″ (1.7 m.) (deep) 6′ 6″ (2.0 m.) Sail Area 881 sq. ft. (81.9 sq. m.) Ballast 5,150 lb. (2,336 kg.) Displacement 19,819 lb. (8,990 kg.) Ballast/D .26 D/L 208 SA/D 19.2 Water 100 gal. (380 l.) Fuel 53 gal. (200 l.) Holding 24 gal. (90.8 l.) Mast Height 55′ 7″ (16.9 m.) Engine 40-hp. diesel Designers Umberto Felci and Patrick Roséo Sailaway Price $249,000 Dufour Yachts (352) 871-0362 www.dufour-yachts.com

Herb McCormick is CW ‘s senior editor.

• More: 2011+ , 41 - 50 ft , Coastal Cruising , dufour , keelboat , monohull , Sailboat Reviews , Sailboats
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Dufour 405 Grand Large

Dufour 405 Grand Large - Dufour Yachts / STW003480

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Technical specifications - Dufour 405 Grand Large

Photos of the boat, technical features.

• Length HT : 40ft (12.17m)
• Max. width : 13ft (3.98m)
• Weight : 8.9 tons
• Draft : 7ft (2.03m)
• Max. sleeping capacity : 8
• Number of cabins : 3
• Bathrooms : 2
• Water capacity : 380L

Standard motorisation

• Engine Power : 40hp
• Fuel capacity : 200L

Standard canopy

• Total sail area : 269sqft (81.9m2)
• Mainsail area : 120sqft (36.6m2)
• Genoa/jib area : 149sqft (45.3m2)

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Dufour 405 sailboat for sale

Dufour 405 Grand Large

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Dufour 41 review: unashamedly aimed at coastal cruising

• David Harding
• September 26, 2024

This new addition to the range, the Dufour 41 seems to promise everything the modern cruising family might want. David Harding sees how she measures up

Product Overview

Price as reviewed:.

There have always been yachts that claim to offer the best of all worlds. They lure you in with the promise of being able to luxuriate in spacious opulence after a day of exhilarating sailing. The message is that there’s no need to compromise. Of course we know that’s not really the case. Any boat is a compromise. It’s just a matter of which elements are compromised more than others. So what sort of compromises have been taken with the Dufour 41?

Time was when we had the cruiser-racers: race with the lads, cruise with the family (no doubt considered a politically-incorrect message these days). By and large, race boats are now race boats that make no pretence at being anything else.

Cruisers, on the other hand, have become more performance-conscious in recent years, reflecting the reality that more speed allows you to sail further in less time. In many cases, today’s new cruising yachts are also faster by virtue of being longer than their predecessors.

Over the years, the elements of compromise in mainstream production cruisers have meant that buyers have, at different times, missed out on something significant. When hulls became beamy and the keels and rudders were shallow, handling and performance were – well, let’s just say, a little below par sometimes. Then when sterns became seriously broad and entries stayed narrow, boats were unbalanced when heeled and the rudders lost grip. Enter twin rudders to help overcome that one.

Too much heel. The Dufour sails best if kept relatively flat. Photo: David Harding

Now we have full bow sections to offset the broad sterns. This is still a relatively new development, and one that has been mentioned in the context of most new cruising yachts you will have read about in YM for some time. It’s definitely the ‘new normal’.

As a previously introduced ‘new normal’ it doesn’t need to be re-introduced here, save that these boats tend to stay more balanced when heeled, even with single rudders. What it also means in the context of a 40-footer with a high volume hull is that it makes for an even higher volume 40-footer.

Unlike the Dufour 37 that I tested earlier this year, the Dufour 41 is more or less the length her name suggests. Her hull is 39ft (11.9m) long and her ‘box’ length, including the moulded bowsprit, is just over 41ft (12.75m). The 37, on the other hand, has a hull 32ft 9in (9.98m) long, but she’s so cavernous below decks that Dufour thought it wouldn’t do her justice to call her a 33.

Article continues below…

Dufour 37 review: Cruiser with all the latest trends

The latest offering by Dufour, the Dufour 37 offers a hull shape that points to the direction of travel in…

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Onwards and upwards

Being more than 6ft (nearly 2m) longer than the 37, the Dufour 41 does feel vast – not that the 37 is exactly small. Big sister is high, wide – at both ends as well as in the middle – and handsome, if you like the styling. Dufour claims that she’s the only boat of her size to offer the option of a four-cabin layout (two in the stern, two in the bow) with full-size forward cabins. That’s only achievable because of the full bow.

To climb aboard and experience the extraordinary space both below decks and above, it’s easiest to use the hinge-down platform at the stern. From here, steps lead up to the relatively high cockpit and there’s plenty of space to move forward between the twin wheels. Scaling the topsides would be more of a challenge, given that freeboard is nearly 5ft (actually 1.42m) by the boarding gates.

If you want all this volume, it has to come from somewhere.

A clear view forward from the helm, thanks to the wide stern and relatively high cockpit with its lazarette and two sole-depth lockers. Photo: David Harding

My questions with the modern style of broad-at-both-ends cruisers haven’t been so much about how the space is used. I have wanted to know how they behave upwind in a seaway. As I found with the 37, a full bow to balance the wide stern really does seem to make the boat more inclined to sail in a straight line when the breeze picks up.

On my test, that was very much in evidence when she was pressed on a reach in a way that you would expect to induce a broach on many boats, or at least to make them seriously hard-nosed. Downwind too, those buoyant forward sections should be an asset.

The 37 impressed me with the way she made into moderately fresh conditions and a modest wind-over-tide Solent chop. This time, on the Dufour 41, we had more wind (from the opposite direction) and more tide too (against the wind). With the breeze gusting into the high ‘teens and nudging over 20 knots, we tucked a slab in the fully-battened main, which was a laminate upgrade from the standard Dacron.

Forward of the mast, instead of the self-tacker, our test boat was fitted with the optional 108% headsail. This calls for the ‘Ocean Pack’ of extra hardware that includes the tracks and the self-tailing Lewmar 45s on the coamings. It also adds nice-to-haves such as the German mainsheet system.

Twin backstays are replaced by a single adjustable backstay on the Performance version. Photo: David Harding

Thoroughly competent

Thus rigged, we set out to enjoy a bright and brisk sail. The Dufour quickly got into a comfortable stride and proved that, like her smaller sister, she’s a thoroughly competent performer. Upwind speeds approaching 7 knots appeared in the flatter patches of water, quickly climbing to over 8 when we bore away and cracked the sheets a few inches. An overlapping headsail retains so much more drive than a self-tacker on a fetch or a reach.

Again, like the 37, the bigger Dufour was crisp and responsive to sail, with a direct feel from the single rudder linked via the Jefa steering system to the twin composite wheels. Basic sail control was easy, with main and headsail sheets led to coaming winches within reach of the wheels.

A FlatDeck furler keeps the headsail’s tack low down. Note the windlass but no on-deck anchor locker. Photo: David Harding

A feature on modern Dufours is the mainsheet bridle. A traveller would be best from a sail trim perspective, but is rarely found on modern production cruisers. In this instance, neither a traveller nor strong-points on deck would work anyway, because the longer (more spacious) cockpits and longer (more easily negotiated) companionways on new models have pushed the mainsheet forward.

It would lose purchase if moved too far along the boom, so the bridle was introduced because it spans the forward end of the companionway without affecting the sprayhood. I suspect most buyers would willingly sacrifice the extra sail control for the space gained by this arrangement.

The mainsheet bridle is a practical solution given the length of the companionway. Photo: David Harding

Looking trim

It’s no criticism of the boat – given what she’s designed for – to say that fine degrees of sail trim aren’t possible. To reduce the excessive twist in the main we cranked down the kicker, and then eased the boom further off the centreline to help keep the boat on her feet.

The Dufour 41 definitely prefers to be sailed fairly flat. This de-twisting is less effective than vang-sheeting in a dinghy or using the traveller in a keelboat, but it helped. We needed to do this both for efficiency and because, in the gusts, the boat would round up if we intentionally refrained from de-powering. When provoked, she would respond with a proper ‘French broach’, passing through the wind and sitting with the headsail aback.

It’s always good to see how a boat behaves when hove to anyway. In this case she sat happily, crabbing at perhaps 1.5 knots, and could readily be gybed round to carry on sailing without needing the mainsheet eased first. It was all very controlled.

There is no shortage of light or ventilation in the saloon, and good use has been made of the space for sensible stowage. Photo: David Harding

We were pushing the boat harder than most owners would choose to. That’s what the second reef is for. It’s just that some of us are used to choosing our sailplan to ensure we’re not under-powered in the lulls. We de-power in the gusts instead.

On a test it’s useful to find where the limits lie, as well as to spend a little time sailing more gently to experience the other perspective.

One other thing we did experience – unrelated to how hard we were pushing at the time – was the occasional thud when we fell off one of the Solent’s famously short, steep waves. That’s by no means unusual. Every boat, no matter what its shape, will like some sea states more than others.

A long hatch and a gentle gradient to the companionway steps allow straightforward access to and from the cockpit. Photo: David Harding

What is beyond question is that the shape of the bow made for a notably dry ride. While filming and photographing from the RIB – which, I was told, was airborne much of the time with only the prop remaining in the water – I saw the spray from the bow being thrown straight out at us rather than back over the deck. Only one dollop of water landed in the cockpit during our sail, and as I was helming at the time I have to accept responsibility for that.

As a rule, boats with the most comfortable motion are those that go through the waves rather than over them, so there’s less bouncing and banging but you get wet instead. You pays your money…

The occasional dollop of water notwithstanding, the cockpit is a comfortable place to be. Sitting outboard at the helm, you have more room than on the 37. Forward of the wheels is a big central table, which provides a leg bracing point and, importantly, a good amount of readily accessible stowage for small items.

Equally importantly, the table is strong enough to stand on when you’re stowing the mainsail. Combined with a gooseneck that’s low enough to let you reach the head of the sail when standing at the mast, it makes for much easier sail stowage than on some boats of this size.

A comfortable island berth dominates the massive forward cabin, which has large hullside ports and discreet lighting just above bunk level. Photo: David Harding

I have noted before that hoisting, reefing and handling a conventional mainsail under way isn’t necessarily a challenge; it’s having to stow it afterwards. If owning a boat with a sail that’s relatively easy to stow saves you having to contemplate the cost, complexity and compromise of in-mast reefing, it’s a big plus.

When you need to use alternative means of propulsion, you have a choice of a 50hp (standard) or 60hp (optional) Volvo diesel. They drive a two-bladed fixed prop unless you prefer to save drag and have a folding one. Our test boat had the 60hp upgrade and the fixed prop, giving us a comfortable 6-plus knots at 1,800rpm and 7.5 knots at 2,200rpm.

Alternatively you can choose Dufour’s Smart Electric drive, with a 16kW generator driving a 25kW electric motor. Whether or not you add the bank of lithium-ion batteries, the generator-electric system is said to be more efficient than a conventional diesel and your range isn’t determined by battery capacity alone.

Twin double aft cabins are symmetrical, with enough space beneath the cockpit to sit up in the bunks and read or enjoy the view of the outside world. Photo: David Harding

Moving forwards

When you leave the cockpit and head towards that broad bow, you find yourself on comfortably wide side decks with a moulded upstand along the gunwale providing a foot brace if you’re on the leeward side.

Everything looks functional on deck. Features include a fixed deck light running across the coachroof abaft the mast. Windows in the forward end of the coachroof add to the already plentiful light in the forecabin (with a view out, if you’re tall enough). Working on the foredeck is easy because it’s so big. It’s more likely to be used as a sunpad.

Space and comfort is also the theme below decks. Those of us familiar with older designs will one day stop remarking on the extraordinary volume of today’s cruisers. Until then we will no doubt keep mentioning it. It’s light and airy down below, with a combination of pale woodwork and light panelling. The finish is generally tidy for a production boat and it’s more woody than some.

The linear galley features a large peninsular fridge with front and top access, and lots of natural light from long hullside ports. Photo: David Harding

Access to the systems seems good. You even have removable headlining panels. Twin double cabins in the stern are part of every layout. You have a range of options further forward according to how many heads, showers and cabins you want. A linear galley runs along the starboard side. The compartment to port, opposite the heads, is a dedicated shower as standard or can be used for stowage, an extra heads or more galley space.

Of particular note is the ability to walk from one end of the accommodation to the other on a level sole. And headroom throughout is such that, unless you’re well over 6ft tall, you don’t need to duck even through doorways. Because of the long companionway and gentle gradient to the steps, you can simply walk up and down them. Moving around is exceptionally easy.

Broad bow sections and full-length chines help throw spray aside, so relatively little finds its way aft along the deck. Photo: David Harding

Dufour 41 specifications

LOA: 12.75m (41ft 8in) LWL: 11.17m (36ft 6in) Beam: 4.30m (14ft 1in) Draught Standard fin: 1.90m (6ft 3in) Draught Shallow fin: 1.75m (5ft 9in) Draught Deep fin: 2.10m (6ft 11in) Light displacement: 9,700kg (21,384lb) Ballast: 2,600kg (5,732lb) Ballast ratio: 26.8% Displacement / Length: 196.3 Sail area (main & self tacker): 73.5m2 (791sq ft) SA/D ratio: 17.06 Diesel: 250L (55 gal) Water: 250L (55 gal) + 180L (40 gal) optional Engine: Volvo 50hp Transmission: Saildrive RCD category: A Designer: Umberto Felci Interior: Arizio Design Builder: Dufour Yachts

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For the big production builders, it’s essential to know what buyers want. There’s a lot of new money coming in, from people with little or no sailing experience, so you’re never going to sell enough boats if you build for the purist. That’s not to say that boats like the Dufour 41 won’t appeal to experienced sailors as well. Undoubtedly they will, and those with experience will understand what they’re designed for. While she’s capable of crossing oceans, the Dufour is unashamedly optimised for coastal cruising and Channel hopping (or the equivalent). There’s nothing to say that 40-footers have to sail a long way. People want bigger, more comfortable boats these days, and size is often unrelated to cruising ambitions. Whatever you buy her for, the Dufour certainly sails very nicely in the sort of conditions in which most people will want to be out. She’s respectably fast, responsive and easy to manage. Attention to detail is good and there’s an almost unbelievable amount of room everywhere.

Yachting World

• Digital Edition

Dufour 44 review: More space but maintaining performance

• Rupert Holmes
• September 20, 2024

It’s not just volume that has changed drastically in production cruising yacht design, it’s how designers and sailors use it, which has been a clear focus on the Dufour 44

Product Overview

Price as reviewed:.

What makes the perfect saloon for a cruising yacht? Ask anyone of a certain age and they’re likely to start with safety aspects – snug, with at least a couple of good sea berths, plenty of handholds and no big, wide open spaces that might be dangerous when thrashing to windward. But as we’ll see, Dufour has thrown away the rule book allowing Ardizio Design to create an interior with a refreshingly different style to most.

I sailed a prototype boat from La Rochelle a few months ahead of the Dufour 44’s official launch at Cannes in September. The Umberto Felci-designed hull has beam carried well forward at both deck and chine level, though there’s lots of flare above the waterline, especially forward, giving a relatively narrow waterline beam and low wetted surface area, which boosts performance in light airs.

We experienced the benefits of this immediately after leaving La Rochelle’s Port les Minimes marina, sailing close hauled in only 8 knots of true wind. Even in these light airs we maintained a fairly consistent five knots of boat speed. As we got further offshore in the west-northwesterly airflow, the wind increased to 10 knots and boat speed to six knots, rising to 6.5 knots as the breeze built to 12 knots. Throughout our sail the boat tacked through 95° or less.

Power meets volume: the 44 has very full bows and flare above the waterline, which creates a lot of space without huge drag. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot

Rigged for easy speed

Dufour worked a lot on sail shape with Elvstrom to get the right balance between depth and power for the optional sustainable and high tech Ekko sails which the test boat is equipped with. They set well and clearly helped the boat’s performance and feel.

Felci studied options for both single and twin rudders, determining that the former is sufficient, even with full sail in more than 25 knots of breeze. This gives more feel on the helm than twin rudders while also making the boat easier to handle in harbour, thanks to the prop wash over the rudder. It’s also a simpler solution that frees up more interior and stowage space.

The hull shape is such that stability also builds very quickly when the boat starts to heel and the leeward chine digs in. As true wind speed increased to 14.5 knots ahead of a line of cloud, boat speed nudged up to 6.7-6.8 knots, with a little more heel but not a lot by the standards of older designs. This was still very comfortable sailing and a long way from needing to reef, even though the apparent wind was now above 18 knots.

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Throughout my test the boat had a direct and responsive feel to the helm that belies the 10.2 tonne displacement. Even when attempting to bear away without easing the sheets and the boat well powered up, the rudder still had plenty of bite and answered the helm immediately – a world away from wide-stern single rudder designs of two or three decades ago.

Bearing away to a true wind angle of 65-70º when the true wind dropped back down to 9 knots we still made a comfortable 7 knots of boat speed, although with no asymmetric spinnaker we weren’t able to check realistic speed potential on broad reaching angles or downwind.

‘Stability builds very quickly when the boat starts to heel’. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot

Helm stations are well outboard, which gives a good view of the luff of the sail, though you can’t sit astride the wheel when helming upwind. The cockpit sole is quite high, which means the side deck next to the wheels is quite low, but it’s still a comfortable seat when helming. There’s also a seat behind the helm that allows you to sit comfortably when driving for long periods. In all cases there’s a good view of the headsail luff.

There are no foot chocks for the driver on the basis that owners have so many different preferences it’s impossible to satisfy everyone. Instead this is a dealer-level customisation to allow each owner to choose their favoured solution.

The passage to the side decks is forward of the helm stations, which makes the mainsheet winch on the Ocean version a bit of a stretch from the wheel. On the other hand, it provides plenty of space for a crewmember to work the sheets.

The 108% headsail of the test boat is set on a Facnor FD flat deck furler that helps maximise luff length, although a smaller non-overlapping jib can be specified.

The test boat includes many of the comfort options including six winches and the trademark Dufour exterior galley/grill accessed from the swim platform. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot

The mainsail is set up as standard with two single line reefs, the positions of which were defined after careful analysis by both Elvstrom and Felci. It’s not currently possible to order a third reef from the factory, but there is a spare sheave in the boom and space at the mast plate to install one. Commendably large rope bins are provided at the companionway and behind the winch stations.

The stern platform has access to the cockpit on both sides of the transom, facilitating easy circulation of people. Liferaft stowage is in the middle, with Dufour’s trademark outdoor galley with a barbecue and small sink above. Add to that a fridge in the cockpit table and it’s easy to understand why many Dufour owners predominately cook outside in favourable weather.

Photo: Jean-Marie Liot

Many of today’s yachts are used in a different manner to those of the past. Three or four decades ago a Nicholson 32 or Contessa 32 might have been considered an average size serious cruising yacht. Yet a passage plan might assume an average speed of 4 or 5 knots and weather forecasts were nowhere near as good as those of today, which meant a far greater chance of a passage across, for example, the English Channel or North Sea, turning into a beat at the end. Throw in a tidal gate or two and a lot of 75- to 90-mile passages back then became 18- to 24-hour ordeals.

Times have changed

By contrast, today’s boats are on average a lot larger and proportionately much faster, with the result the same distance is normally covered in no more than 12-14 hours and often a lot less, unless it’s a straight beat to windward. But even that is less likely, thanks to the massive improvements in weather forecasting over the past few decades that mean long upwind slogs when cruising are now encountered much less frequently.

Another difference is that today’s boats don’t heel as much – a wide, high form stability cruising hull shape will rarely see much more than 20°, even when pressed, and 15-18° is more typical. That makes it easier to move around the interior when bashing upwind.

Spacious saloon with hexagonal table and compact galley will work best in harbour. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot

Saloon and galley layouts by Ardizio Design feel distinctly different to many boats, yet will make sense for a lot of owners.

The space is dominated by a large C-shape seating area with a hexagonal table to port. A neat innovation is the three movable fabric stools that provide extra seating on the inboard side of the table. These can be used flexibly, are lightweight, don’t fall over and have an effective non-slip base. They also stack against the starboard settee, extending that space into a larger lounging area.

On the downside there’s no dedicated navstation, other than a folding shelf for a laptop, and the forward galley option initially looks small, with a lack of fixed worktop space, though there is more at a slightly lower level than the main countertops.

The prime benefit those full bows bring is found in the voluminous master cabin. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot

Handholds and grabrails below decks are important for safety at sea, yet provision is often poor on many new yachts – and in any case owners often have different ideas as to what will work best for them. Dufour has planned for interior handrails to be added as a customised option at the dealer level and has designed a choice of mounting points into the underside of the coachroof for this purpose.

Stowage is well configured and in general a marked improvement to older designs, with plenty of thought given to ease of use of space. For instance, there are drawers under both port and starboard settees. These cost boatbuilders extra money to install, but can make a huge difference to life on board.

Other neat touches include a wine rack under the saloon floor and Dufour’s effective dustpan below the cabin sole. There are lights combined with USB outlets next to each bed and the spacious forward owner’s cabin has a good area of bookshelves and space for phones, keys, wallets and so on next to the head of the bed.

Nonetheless, the interior is better in harbour or at anchor than at sea and the galley on the version I tested won’t be easy to use when well heeled. There is an option for a conventional linear galley on the starboard side.

A lot of yacht to enjoy at anchor – note the large hull windows. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot

As with other models in the range it’s available in Easy, Ocean and Performance variants. The bulk of sales of the pared-down Easy version are likely to go to charter companies, while the Ocean model I sailed will be the choice of most private owners.

Dufour worked with charter companies in Croatia to optimise quick and easy access for maintenance and repair of systems throughout the boat – also a big benefit for private owners. Easily accessible items are more likely to be inspected on a regular basis, markedly reducing potential for breakdowns.

Dufour 44 specifications

LOA: 13.91m 45ft 8in LWL: 12.23m 40ft 2in Beam: 4.45m 14ft 7in Draught (standard keel): 2.2m 7ft 2in Draught (shoal draught keel): 1.75m 5ft 9in Light disp: 10,200kg 22,500lb Ballast: 2,850kg 6,284lb Fuel: 250lt 55gal Water: 250lt 55gal (extra 180lt 48gal optional) Engine: 50hp (60hp optional) Sail area (100% foretriangle): 96.8m2 1,042ft2 Disp/LWL ratio: 155 Sail area/disp ratio: 20.9 Price as tested: approx €400,000 ex VAT Contact: dufour-yachts.com

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While nothing is revolutionary about this boat, it’s a welcome incremental step as a more spacious design that performs well across a range of wind speeds. At the same time, the living arrangements, above and below decks, will work well for the large numbers of owners, both in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean, who are not in the habit of making multi-day passages. Fuel tankage is arguably not generous at 250lt, but the boat’s light airs performance, particularly if the optional Code 0 and asymmetric spinnaker are specified, will mean a lot less time is spent motoring in light airs – and therefore a lot more time spent enjoying the sailing – than with earlier designs.

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Tomsk-7/Seversk, Russia

Nuclear facility

The explosion of a nuclear reprocessing facility in Tomsk-7 dispersed large amounts of radioactivity over an area of 120 km² , exposing tens of thousands of people to increased levels of radiation and contaminating air, water and soils for many generations to come. It is considered the most serious Russian nuclear accident after Chernobyl and the Kyshtym accident at Mayak.

Tomsk-7 was a “secret city” in Siberia until 1992, when it reverted to its historical name of Seversk. It housed several nuclear facilities for large-scale production of plutonium and uranium for nuclear fuel and weapons, including reprocessing of spent fuel. The closed city was home to about 100,000 workers and their families. One of the worst accidents in the history of the Russian nuclear industry occurred at the Tomsk-7 reprocessing facility on April 6, 1993. That day, workers were pouring nitric acid into a tank in order to separate plutonium from spent nuclear fuel. It is not clear whether the accident was caused by human or technical error, but it is believed that a lack of compressed air caused the mixture of nitric acid, uranium and plutonium to overheat and reach critical temperatures within a few minutes. The ensuing explosion knocked down walls on two floors of the complex, started a fire and released about 250 m³ of radioactive gas, 8.7 kg of uranium and 500 g of plutonium to the environment. This amounted to about 30 Tera-Becquerel (Tera = trillion) of beta- and gamma-emitters and about 6 Giga-Becquerel (Giga = billion) of plutonium-239. An area of 1,500 m² around the plant was severely contaminated, while the radioactive plume covered a total area of 120 km², where increased levels of radioactivity could be detected. The explosion at Tomsk-7 was ranked level 4 of the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES), comparable to the Tokai-mura nuclear accident in Japan in 1999.

Health and environmental effects

Most acutely affected by nuclear fallout were the villages of Georgievka and Nadezhda. Radioactive snowfall in the days after the disaster created hot-spots with radiation levels of up to 30 µGy/h – approximately 100 times normal background radiation. Soils in the areas affected by radioactive fallout showed significantly increased levels of long-lived radioisotopes such as cesium-137 or strontium-90. Cesium-137 can cause solid tumors and genetic defects in offspring when inhaled or ingested through food or water, while strontium-90 is a known cause for leukemia.

With the help of foreign specialists, initial clean-up operations were able to collect and remove about 577 g of plutonium from the area around Tomsk-7. Interestingly enough, only about 450 g of plutonium had been present in the basin before to the explosion, suggesting unreported prior plutonium leaks from the facility. Even months after the explosion, snow samples continued to show increased levels of radioactive isotopes such as plutonium, uranium, zirconium, ruthenium, cerium, niobium and antimony, continually exposing the population to radioactivity. According to the Bellona Foundation, a Norwegian environmental NGO, about 30 major accidents occurred at the Tomsk-7 nuclear facility, releasing about 10 g of plutonium into the atmosphere each year. The NGO also documents large quantities of nuclear waste from 50 years of plutonium production, which have accumulated on the confines of the nuclear facility. Dumped into underground depots or pumped into uncovered holding pools, they pose a continued threat to health. In 2008, a study found increased levels of plutonium and cesium-137 in soils and water samples, suggesting further leaks.

Some reactors at Tomsk-7 were shut down in June 2008, following the 2003 agreement between Russia and the U.S. concerning the elimination of weapons-grade plutonium production. The reprocessing of spent fuel and the dumping of nuclear waste on the premises of what is now called the Siberian Chemical Combine continue to this day, however. Despite the findings of increased levels of plutonium, strontium, cesium and other radioactive particles in soil and water, no meaningful medical studies were performed on the local population. In 2001, a county court in Tomsk ruled on a lawsuit by contaminated inhabitants of the village of Georgievka against the Siberian Chemical Combine, deciding that the company was to pay each claimant a compensation sum equivalent of 860 US-Dollars. During the hearings, 14 of the 26 claimants passed away, according to the Bellona Foundation. Their health was compromised for the production of nuclear fuel and nuclear warheads. They, and everyone else in the area whose health was affected by the catastrophe at Tomsk-7, are also Hibakusha.

• “The radiological accident at the reprocessing plant at Tomsk.” International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), October 1998. www-pub.iaea.org/mtcd/publications/pdf/p060_scr.pdf
• Alimov R. “People vs. Siberian Chemical Combine.” Website of the Bellona Foundation, February 10, 2001. http://bellona.ru/bellona.org/english_import_area/international/russia/nuke_industry/siberia/seversk/22031
• Gauthier-Lafaye F. “Radioisotope contaminations from releases of the Tomsk-Seversk nuclear facility.” Journal of Environmental Radioactivity 2008 Apr;99(4):680-93. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17996340
• Goulet M. “Siberia Nuclear Waste – Case 393.” American University Washington. www1.american.edu/ted/sibnuke.htm

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Seversk nuclear power plant

Other names: BREST-OD-300 (Phase 1)

Seversk nuclear power plant is a nuclear power plant under construction in Seversk, ZATO Seversk, Tomsk Oblast, Russia.

Project Details

Table 1: unit-level project details for seversk nuclear power plant.

Table 2: Additional unit-level timeline details for Seversk nuclear power plant

Table 3: Additional unit-level capacity details for Seversk nuclear power plant

(Read more about nuclear capacity definitions .)

Table 4: Unit-level location details for Seversk nuclear power plant

The map below shows the exact location of the nuclear power plant:

Articles and Resources

Additional data.

To access additional data, including an interactive map of global nuclear power plants, a downloadable dataset , and summary data , please visit the Global Nuclear Power Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.

• ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 https://web.archive.org/web/20220920062327/https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/country-profiles/countries-o-s/russia-nuclear-power.aspx . Archived from the original on 20 September 2022. {{ cite web }} : Missing or empty |title= ( help )
• ↑ 3.0 3.1 https://web.archive.org/web/20220717082433/https://www.iaea.org/publications/15211/nuclear-power-reactors-in-the-world . Archived from the original on 17 July 2022. {{ cite web }} : Missing or empty |title= ( help )
• ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20230519023445/http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/Publications/PDF/RDS2-32_web.pdf . Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 May 2023. {{ cite web }} : Missing or empty |title= ( help )
• ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 https://goo.gl/maps/ZoaGnEkAXLHE4CqA6 . {{ cite web }} : Missing or empty |title= ( help )
• Nuclear power plants
• Nuclear power plants in Russia
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• CS1 errors: bare URL