Dufour 412 GL Review and Used Market Guide

From 410 to 412: what the numbers in the name mean

The dufour 412 is not a clean-sheet design. In December 2015, ahead of the Paris boat show, Dufour announced two 2016 models, the 412 and 512 Grand Large, built to extend the success of the 410 and 500. Dufour's own product page called the 412 GL an improved version of the 410 Grand Large, one of the flagships of the range, and the Italian magazine Vela e Motore summed it up as an evolution of the 410 with a fixed bow fitting in place of the retractable bowsprit.

The 410 had appeared in 2013, so the 412 GL inherited a hull with three seasons of owner feedback behind it. The new parts were the bow, the cockpit, the transom area and the interior trim. The Spanish magazine Náutica y Yates reported that the 412 and 512 made their Barcelona debut together in 2016.

What changed on deck

Dufour rebuilt the stern of the cockpit, closing it in with an aft deck to make the cockpit safer at sea, and added an outdoor galley with a gas barbecue, sink and fridge. The company's brochure stressed that the lounging and sunbathing areas could be separated from the working cockpit, so guests are not in the way when you sail.

Forward, the fixed bow nose replaced the retractable sprit; Dufour said it makes the foresails easier to set, and it gives a solid tack point for a code zero or gennaker as well as a home for the anchor. A self-tacking jib became available as an alternative to the genoa, and sailboatdata records a taller Grand Prix rig, with the mainsail hoist about 0.8 m longer, for owners who want more power in light air.

Dimensions and what the ratios say

The hull is 11.98 m (39 ft 4 in) and the bow fitting brings overall length to 12.70 m (41 ft 8 in). Waterline length is a long 11.15 m, beam is 4.20 m (13 ft 9 in), and light displacement is 8,940 kg (19,709 lb) on a 2,600 kg keel drawing 2.10 m. Standard sail area is 71 m2, split between a 38 m2 mainsail and a 33 m2 genoa.

Using those figures, sailboatdata calculates a sail area to displacement ratio of about 16.8, a displacement to length ratio near 180 and a ballast ratio of 29 percent. That is the profile of a stable, moderately canvassed coastal cruiser with a long waterline, which helps it carry speed in a seaway. If you sail in light-air areas such as the Chesapeake in summer, the Grand Prix rig or a code zero will make a real difference.

• Fuel 200 L (53 gal), water 380 L (100 gal)
• Standard engine 40 hp with saildrive
• Single spade rudder and twin wheels

Three interiors, all with an L-shaped galley

The 2018 factory sheet lists three layouts, every one with an L-shaped galley. The owner's version has two cabins and one head, with four berths and a lot of stowage aft. The six-berth versions have three cabins with either one head or two. The single-head, three-cabin plan was aimed at charter and is the least desirable for private use.

For a couple who cruise for weeks at a time, the two-cabin version is the most comfortable, but it is the hardest to resell in the US. The three-cabin, two-head boat is the market favorite because it works for families and for charter-style guest trips.

What the newer Dufour 41 gained

SAIL's 2023 review of the Dufour 41, the 412's eventual successor in this size, measured the changes precisely. The 41 has 16 percent more freeboard than the 412, side decks that are 10 to 30 percent wider, and a foredeck about a third longer. It also has a beam of 14 ft and a cockpit as long as the 430's.

Read in reverse, that tells you what the 412 is: a lower, sleeker boat with narrower side decks and less interior volume than the latest cruisers, but with a longer waterline relative to its size and the more traditional Grand Large proportions that many sailors still prefer. It also costs far less on the used market.

Years in the range

The 412 was a constant in Dufour's lineup for six seasons. It appears in the 2018 range beside the 310, 360, 382, 460 and 520, again in 2020 next to the new 390 and 430, and it was still listed at the end of 2021. By early 2023 Dufour's website showed the 37, 390, 430 and the new 41 instead. That long run gives a wide choice of model years; expect some boats to have charter histories and price them accordingly.

Buying advice for a used 412 GL

Expect about $165,000 to $245,000 in the US in 2026. Start by checking which layout and rig the boat has, then ask for the charter log if there is one. The cockpit galley adds complexity: fridge compressor, gas lines and the barbecue all live in a wet area and need inspection. The saildrive is the other big service item, and its seals and diaphragm have a replacement schedule that is easy to let slip.

If the US market is thin when you shop, boats in France, Croatia or Greece are worth a look. Budget for shipping, duty and US-standard electrical and propane changes if you import, and use a surveyor who knows saildrive installations.