BoatsDufour Yachts 56

Dufour Yachts 56

Masthead Sloop · Fin keel, spade rudder · First built 1994

A 17-meter masthead sloop with a 2.44m draft, designed for high-volume offshore cruising with a 9.92-knot hull speed

Designed by P. Harle, A. Mortain, Mortain & Mavrikios.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Hull type
Fin w/spade Rudder

See her sail

The Dufour Yachts 56, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Sailing Polaris

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelyComfort 27Sea-kindly
CoastalCapsize 1.88Bluewater
LightD/L 105Heavy

Light and lively — happiest day-sailing and coastal-hopping in settled weather.

  • Heavier than ~77% of boats her size on file
  • Draws more than ~76% of boats her size on file
  • Beamier than ~83% of boats her size on file

Compared with 1033 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen once across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Dufour Yachts 56 on video

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
Displacement / length
104.7
Comfort ratio
27.3
Capsize screening
1.88
Hull speed
9.9 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
3097
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
First built 1994
Designer
P. Harle, A. Mortain, Mortain, Mavrikios
Builder
Dufour

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Dufour Yachts 5416.84 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA high-performance fractional sloop by Felci Yacht Design featuring a smart electric propulsion option and flexible cabin layouts
Passport Yachts Inc. (Taiwan) Vista 54516.61 mSame hull family0.5 m shorterA 16.6-metre masthead sloop with a 19.52 SA/displacement ratio, designed for a balance of offshore speed and comfort
Amel 5016.50 mSame hull family0.6 m shorterAmel's first sloop since 1997, this 16.5-metre masthead design features a fin keel with bulb and dual rudders
Jeanneau Yachts 5316.06 mSame hull family1.0 m shorterA Philippe Briand-designed cruiser offering performance rig and shallow keel options, also marketed as the Sunsail 53
Hanse Yachts 54816.22 mSame hull family0.9 m shorterA 16.22-meter Judel/Vrolijk design featuring a 2.55-meter bulb keel and a balanced 18.26 SA/D ratio for modern cruising
X-Yachts X-56217.23 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA Niels Jeppesen-designed performance cruiser balancing a powerful masthead rig with a stiff, deep-draft hull

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

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