French boatbuilder Dufour is as regular as the tides on Chesapeake Bay. Dufour’s team arrives every fall in Annapolis, Maryland, with a new model, each one a few feet longer or shorter than the previous year’s, but reliably with a plumb bow and transom, chines that run essentially from stem to stern, a low-profile cabin top, dual helm stations, and a single rudder.
And notably, each and every Dufour I’ve been aboard as part of Cruising World’s annual Boat of the Year sea trials has sailed well, including the Dufour 44, which was introduced to North America in 2024.
Such is the benefit of turning to the same naval architect, Umberto Felci and his team of designers, exclusively since 2002. That is an impressively long period of collaboration in an industry where production builders routinely bring in new blood whenever it’s time to reinvent a model range.
Felci’s hulls are slippery through the water, which means sail plans can be kept manageable for shorthanded cruising sailors. In recent years, self-tacking jibs have been standard, though genoa tracks for slightly overlapping headsails are available for owners who want more horsepower. Sprits that double as anchor rollers also come standard, so off-wind sails such as a code zero or cruising spinnaker can be set on a flexible furler for reaching or running—a greatly beneficial feature on these modern rigs with big main sails and smaller headsails.
Our test boat was fitted with a genoa. In a moderate breeze that ranged from about 8 to 15 knots, we cruised at 6 to 7.5 knots closehauled and kept about the same pace off the breeze. Dufours employ a double-ended German-style mainsheet system, meaning sheets are led to winches adjacent to either of the boat’s twin wheels. They can be easily trimmed from either side. I like that setup because whoever is driving doesn’t need to leave the helm to attend to a mainsheet led to a winch set on the cabin top.
The cockpit on the 44 is roomy, with a teak drop-leaf centerline table that is also a handy place to brace one’s feet when heeled. The Annapolis boat had factory canvas that included a dodger and a two-piece Bimini top designed to allow the crew to step between supports when headed to the side deck. If I were a buyer, I would probably forgo the Bimini top to make the trip forward a bit easier. As a bonus, I’d get a clearer view of the main.
For several years now, Dufour has built a grill and sink into the center of the transom. New on the 44 are stairs to either side of it for stepping down to the fold-down swim platform; on previous models, there were stairs on only one side. Underway, fold-down seats cover the steps and provide a place for the driver to sit.
The interior of the 44 is by Ardizio Design, and the overall look is bright and roomy. Earlier models in the current generation of Dufours had a galley-forward layout down below, with the stove, fridge, freezer, counters and cabinets spread out athwartships, adjacent to the main bulkhead. That’s still an option on the 44, but the boat we saw has an inline galley that occupies the starboard side of the salon in place of a couch. In either layout, a hexagonal table is to port with seating for up to 10 people, using movable stools that stow under the table underway.
The inline arrangement allows for lots of stowage in drawers and cupboards, and for a large countertop. For a cruising couple, I thought the setup would work pretty well. It gives the salon the feel of an apartment with open living space. If I was routinely sailing with other couples or friends, I might prefer having the forward galley, where the cook has space to work and guests have most of the salon to lounge. In the end, it comes down to personal preferences, and in my book, the more options, the better.
There are other layout choices to be made as well. Two aft staterooms are standard. They share a head and shower compartment to starboard of the companionway, and a shower compartment to port. The latter would make a handy place to ditch wet foulies when coming below. This space can also be set up with a desk and seat, creating an onboard office.
In the three-stateroom layout, the owner’s space is forward with an island berth. Separate head and shower compartments are on either side of the doorway from the salon. This owner’s space can also be split in two to create a four-stateroom charter-friendly floor plan, with each forward double-berth stateroom having an en suite head and shower.
Base price for the Dufour 44 is just under $350,000. The boat in Annapolis had a price tag of just over $580,000, which included B&G electronics, an extra pair of Lewmar winches, and air conditioning.
Dufour builds approximately 300 boats a year. All are vacuum-infused using polyester resin, with an outer layer of vinylester to prevent blistering. Hulls and decks are cored.
The 44 is powered with a 50 hp Volvo diesel, saildrive, and folding prop. Dufour and its sister company, catamaran builder Fountaine Pajot, also offer hybrid electric propulsion developed by OdSea+, a French company that is now part of the group.
When ordering a 44, an owner can also choose among a number of wood finishes and upholstery colors. Add that to the other options for layouts, sail plans and auxiliary power, and owners can sail away on a good-performing boat that’s set up just the way they like.
CW editor-at-large Mark Pillsbury was a 2025 Boat of the Year judge.
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Price:$580,000 (as tested)
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