Dufour 470 Sailboat Review, Specs and Ownership Guide

One range instead of two

For two decades Dufour sold two families of sailboats: the comfortable Grand Large cruisers and the sportier Performance boats. The Dufour 470, launched in 2021, replaced that split with a single hull and three equipment packages. It was designed by Umberto Felci, the Italian naval architect behind most modern Dufours, and built at the company's yard in La Rochelle.

The packages are Easy, Ocean and Performance. Easy is aimed at charter fleets and simple cruising. Ocean is the middle ground, with halyards, reefing lines and the coachroof traveller controls led to the companionway. Performance adds upgraded hardware and a taller rig. The idea is that the dufour 470 can be a charter boat, a family cruiser or a club racer without three different moldings.

Dufour's 2026 lineup no longer lists the 470 among its main models. The slot is now filled by the Dufour 48, and the 470 has moved firmly into the brokerage market.

A heavy, stable hull with a single rudder

The Dufour 470 is a heavy boat for its size. At 29,101 pounds it weighs about 2.5 tonnes more than the Beneteau Oceanis 46.1 and almost two tonnes more than the Sun Odyssey 490, according to Yachting World, which calculated a displacement to length ratio of 148. A sail area to displacement ratio of about 19 puts it on the conservative side of modern cruisers.

That weight and a wide stern give it great form stability. Yachting World noted that a rise in wind that would send older boats scrambling to reef often requires only a small adjustment of the traveller on the 470. Unlike most designs with wide sterns and chined hulls, the 470 has a single rudder, which Yachting World found effective. A single rudder is simpler to maintain and less vulnerable in a grounding, though it can lose grip earlier when the boat is pressed hard on a reach.

• Standard keel: 7 ft 5 in (2.25 m)
• Shoal keel: 5 ft 10 in (1.8 m)
• Deep keel: 8 ft 6 in (2.6 m)
• Lightship displacement: 29,101 lb (13,200 kg)

Steady rather than sparkling under sail

Yachting World's test boat made about 7 knots upwind at 50 to 55 degrees true wind angle in 12 to 14 knots of breeze. The reviewer found the boat steady and comfortable but noted that it was not as easy to settle into the groove as a thoroughbred performance design, and that the weight limits light air performance. SAIL sailed in 12 to 15 knots and found tacking angles well under 90 degrees, a responsive helm and steady tracking.

SAIL's tester highlighted one quality that stands out above all others: noise, or the lack of it. The boat was exceptionally quiet with no creaking, and under power the cabin noise at cruise was 66 dBA. For anyone who has lived aboard a production boat that groans in a seaway, that matters more than a tenth of a knot.

Motoring numbers

The standard engine is a 60 hp Volvo Penta on a saildrive, with a 75 hp option. SAIL recorded 6.7 knots at a 2,000 rpm cruise and 8.4 knots at 2,750 rpm wide open, with a turning circle of about one and a half boat lengths. That is good maneuverability for a 48-footer with a single rudder.

Fuel capacity of 66 gallons is more generous than most rivals in this size, and water capacity of 140 gallons is excellent. Those numbers, combined with the boat's weight and stability, make the 470 one of the better choices in its class for extended cruising. Dufour also offers the 470 in its Smart Electric hybrid version, though such boats are rare in the US.

Cockpit, winches and mainsail trim

SAIL praised the deck layout for easy movement and good sightlines, and called the 470 handsome. The weak point is sail handling from the helm. The sheet winches are outboard, which Yachting World found less practical than inboard winches, and the mainsail controls are spread across several positions, so one person cannot trim everything without moving. SAIL found the manual winches awkward to reach from the wheel on a boat with a reduced rig.

For short-handed cruising, look for a boat with electric primaries and the Ocean package, which leads the most important lines to the companionway. Adding an electric winch near the helm is a common upgrade.

Inside, a full-width galley and lots of light

The three cabin, two head layout is the most popular private owner choice, according to Yachting World. A full-width galley sits at the front of the saloon, with long worktops, twin deep sinks and a large two-drawer Isotherm fridge. The owner's cabin is forward and the saloon is wide and bright, with large hull windows and overhead hatches.

SAIL rated the fit and finish above average for a production boat, with good joinery. Charter versions with four or five cabins are common on the European market and less so in the US. For a family, the three cabin boat gives the best balance of berths and stowage.

Ex-charter boats deserve a careful look rather than automatic rejection. Easy package boats from Mediterranean fleets usually have simple systems, which is an advantage, but high hours on the saildrive, tired upholstery and worn sails are normal after five seasons. Budget $25,000 to $40,000 to bring one up to private owner standard, and compare that total with the price of an Ocean package boat before deciding.

What US buyers should know

SAIL's main warning was about draft. The standard 7 ft 5 in keel and especially the 8 ft 6 in deep keel are a problem in the Chesapeake, the Bahamas and the Intracoastal Waterway. For the US East Coast, the 5 ft 10 in shoal keel is the version to find.

Plan on about $24,000 to $48,000 a year for a 50-foot slip, insurance, haul out, saildrive service and maintenance. Dufour's US dealer network is smaller than Beneteau's or Jeanneau's, so confirm service support before buying. Used prices for 2021 to 2024 boats run from about $300,000 to $520,000, which makes the 470 good value for its size and tankage.