Sailboat Manufacturers USA

Dufour Yachts is a French sailboat maker that was founded in 1964 by fashion designer Michael Dufour.

History[edit]

Dufour Yachts was born when engineer Michel Dufour ended up being working at a factory that produced parts for locomotives near La Rochelle, France in 1964. At the time, he had been in control of the workshop that fabricated parts off a fresh and innovative product, fiberglass. The factory was building components that have been applied to leading of trains and for home and screen structures. But since Dufour has also been a separate and effective race sailor, it didn’t take long for him to appreciate that fiberglass could be the perfect building material for boats. And because La Rochelle has an extended and storied sailing and vessel building custom, when he told his boss on plant about their ideas for building a fiberglass sailboat (along with his supervisor saw he was distracted by sketching boats rather than even more mundane endeavors) their boss’s response was skillfully passionate, motivating, and oh-so-French: “Go draw your popular sailboat!” After, Dufour attained the plant together with co-worker, Francis Deschamps, and a clay model of the deckhouse of what would continue becoming the business’s very first boat—the Sylph. And he ended up being pretty unscientific with regards to stumbled on creating the hull form. He just relied on their sailing knowledge, draftsmanship, along with his understanding of hydrodynamic laws—and he then only moved for this.

He offered their automobile, his watercraft, and borrowed the same as thousands of bucks to begin building his very first boat in a workshop in the outskirts of Los Angeles Rochelle. After that within the autumn of 1964, after eight months of work, the first Sylph premiered and purchased by a countryman from north of France, Dominique Trentesaux, whom believed adequate inside vessel, plus the company, to extend a lifeline to “Team Industrial Laminate” just what Dufour initially labeled as their fledgling boatbuilding business.

Nevertheless the diminutive Sylph was only the beginning. The organization actually became popular aided by the launch associated with 29-foot-long L’Arpege in 1967. Also it’s widely concurred that Dufour’s L’Arpege is a legitimate classic. Over 1, 500 models had been built during golden-era of fiberglass production watercraft building until 1977.

The durable, 21-foot Sylph proceeded to be a giant success. Over 400 models had been sold from 1964 to 1974 and launched the company which was soon to-be referred to as Dufour Yachts.

And Dufour had been never one to sleep on his laurels. Not too many builders had been designing and building 40-foot fiberglass performance cruisers in the early ‘70s. But Dufour had been always prepared to push the envelope as he performed with the very effective launch for the 40-foot Sortilege in 1971.

By 1973 Dufour had cultivated 1400per cent and ended up being the leading exporter of French fiberglass sailboats. At the moment, the organization employed over 400 craftsmen and had been shipping boats to over 40 nations. Meanwhile, the organization had its arms in everything through the 1980s. Dufour partnered with known designer German Frers to construct a line of stylish cruising boats plus partnered with the iconic French garments range Lacoste on a 42-footer which was debuted to great fanfare at 1985 Paris Boat Show.

Given that 1990s came, Dufour Yachts started initially to push the limits of production boat building using the launch of larger and larger “Prestige” models. Each was bigger, quicker, and more luxurious than the design that arrived before. First was the Dufour 56. Then Dufour 65. And then a “No Limits” 110-footer premiered.

Although the company made big news along with its bigger and larger designs, the styles that Dufour ended up being constantly known for—sporty, fast, stylish, 30-to-40-footers—continued become enhanced also. During this time period Dufour additionally obtained one-time rival Gib’Sea and started focus on much more revolutionary styles like the groundbreaking Atoll 43.

Things really changed whenever Dufour started its long and fruitful cooperation with famed Italian naval architect Umberto Felci in 2005. Virtually every the latest “Grand big” design that was established during this time period won some kind of prize including Boat of the season awards both in European countries together with US. And also the company consistently build from the success of its Felci-designed models today.

Timeline of significant activities:

1964 – Michel Dufour launched initial variety of ships Sylphe. 1968 – Dufour created the Arpege. 1973 – Dufour becomes France's leading manufacturing vessel builder and is granted the French Export reward. 1981 – business fails and manufacturing stops briefly. 1982 - Dufour T6 and T7 established 1985–1990 – introduction regarding the Dufour 28, Dufour 32, Dufour 36, Dufour 37, Dufour 39 and Dufour 42 1990–1994 – introduction regarding the status 54, Prestige 48, Prestige 56 and Prestige 65 1994 - The Dufour Arpege crosses the Arctic group and sails to the Lofoten Islands (Norway) and Iceland 1995 – release regarding the Vintage Sailing Yacht line. Another French Export reward for its international development. 1996 - The Dufour Arpege, sailed single-handed, reaches the Antarctic Peninsula and consequently cruises in Antarctica for one month 1999 – Re-launch regarding the Gib'Sea range 2001 – Partnership aided by the famous Italian vessel builder Cantiere Del Pardo producer of Grand Soleil line. 2002 –, a Dufour Arpege, sails to Greenland and crosses the Arctic Circle 2003 – In France, the Dufour 40 is elected Boat of the Year 2003 at boot Düsseldorf, Dufour 34 is chosen European Yacht of the season in the category under 30 foot. 2004 – introduction associated with "Grand' big" variety of cruisers 2005 – publish for the 365 and 455 2006 – publish of the 325, 425, 485 and 525 2008 – establish of this 34e and 45e overall performance cruisers 2009 – publish of 40e and 405 2010 – 405 selected as European Yacht of the season. Introduction regarding the 375. Dufour and Grand Soleil Brands sold to Bavaria Yacht Group. Us distribution community is re-established. Dufour 45e known as Cruising World mag's Boat of the season. 2011 – Launch of 445 (Sept) and 36 Efficiency (Dec) 2012 - establish of this 500, 380 and 450 Grand Large designs. 380 and 450 had been facelifts of previous designs 375 and 445. 2013 - organization reorganized through a Management buyout of this organization through the Bavaria Yacht Group. Publish regarding the 310 Grand big. Dufour 36P known as European Boat of the season and Sailing World Magazine's Boat of the year. 2014 - Launch associated with the 560 (Feb), Launch of 382 (Sept), publish regarding the 350 (December). Dufour 500 called Cruising World Magazine's Boat of the year. 2015: release of the new 460. 410 functions are good tuned therefore the model is re-designated the 412. 500 functions are fine tuned and the model is re-designated the 512. Dufour 560 Named Cruising World mag's Boat of the season. 2016: Dufour 382 Named Cruising World Magazine's Boat of the season. Brand new "Exclusive" range announced to add a 63 starting in January 2017 and re-designation of this 560 as a 56 with fine tuned features.

Existing models[edit]

• Dufour 36 Efficiency (Brand New Late 2011)
• Dufour 40 Performance
• Dufour 45 Performance
• Dufour 310 Grand Large (brand new belated 2013)
• Dufour 350 Grand big (new late 2014)
• Dufour 382 Grand big (new belated 2014)
• Dufour 412 Grand Large (brand new 2015)
• Dufour 460 Grand big (new 2015)
• Dufour 512 Grand big (brand-new 2015)
• Dufour 560 Grand Large (new 2014)

Previously models[edit]

• Dufour Arpege
• Dufour T6 and T7
• Dufour Sortilege 41
• Dufour Sylphe
• Dufour 1200
• Dufour 1800
• Dufour 2800
• Dufour 12000
• Dufour 3800
• Dufour 4800
• Dufour 24
• Dufour 25
• Dufour 27
• Dufour 29
• Dufour 31
• Dufour 34
• Dufour 35
• Dufour 34 Efficiency
• Dufour 44 Performance
• Dufour Vintage 30
• Dufour Vintage 32
• Dufour Vintage 35
• Dufour Classic 36
• Dufour Classic 38
• Dufour Vintage 41
• Dufour Vintage 50
• Dufour 34e
• Dufour 325 Grand Big
• Dufour 335 Grand Large
• Dufour 365 Grand Large
• Dufour 375 Grand Big
• Dufour 380 Grand Big
• Dufour 405 Grand Large
• Dufour 410 Grand Big
• Dufour 445 Grand Large
• Dufour 450 Grand Large
• Dufour 425 Grand Big
• Dufour 455 Grand Big
• Dufour 485 Grand Big
• Dufour 500 Grand Large
• Dufour 525 Grand Large