| Main features | Dufour 3800 Deep draft | Dufour 3800 Shoal draft |
Model | Dufour 3800 | Dufour 3800 |
Version | Deep draft | Shoal draft |
Hull type | Monohull | Monohull |
Category | Cruising sailboat | Cruising sailboat |
Sailboat builder | Dufour | Dufour |
Sailboat designer | ||
Sailboat collection | ||
Country | France | France |
Construction | GRP (glass reinforced polyester): Single skin fiberglass polyester | GRP (glass reinforced polyester): Single skin fiberglass polyester |
Number of hulls built | About 300 | About 300 |
First built hull | 1980 | 1980 |
Last built hull | 1984 | 1984 |
Appendages | Keel : fin without bulb | Keel : fin without bulb |
Helm | Single tiller | Single tiller |
Rudder | Single spade rudder | Single spade rudder |
Unsinkable | No | No |
Trailerable | No | No |
Former French navigation category | 2 | 2 |
| Main dimensions | Dufour 3800 Deep draft | Dufour 3800 Shoal draft |
Overall length | 31’9.45 m | 31’9.45 m |
Hull length | 30’ 6”9.3 m | 30’ 6”9.3 m |
Waterline length | 25’ 4”7.7 m | 25’ 4”7.7 m |
Beam (width) | 10’ 8”3.25 m | 10’ 8”3.25 m |
Draft | 5’ 7”1.7 m | 4’ 5”1.35 m |
Light displacement (MLC) | 8378 lb3800 kg | 8378 lb3800 kg |
Ballast weight | 3638 lb1650 kg | 3638 lb1650 kg |
Ballast type | Cast iron | Cast iron |
French customs tonnage | 8.18 Tx | 8.18 Tx |
| Rig and sails | Dufour 3800 Deep draft | Dufour 3800 Shoal draft |
Upwind sail area | 522 ft²48.5 m² | 522 ft²48.5 m² |
Downwind sail area | 942 ft²87.5 m² | 942 ft²87.5 m² |
Mainsail area | 188 ft²17.5 m² | 188 ft²17.5 m² |
Genoa area | 334 ft²31 m² | 334 ft²31 m² |
Jib area | 237 ft²22 m² | 237 ft²22 m² |
Stormjib area | 75 ft²7 m² | 75 ft²7 m² |
Symmetric spinnaker area | 753 ft²70 m² | 753 ft²70 m² |
I iFore triangle height (from mast foot to fore stay top attachment) | 38’ 1”11.6 m | 38’ 1”11.6 m |
J iFore triangle base (from mast foot to bottom of forestay) | 12’ 1”3.68 m | 12’ 1”3.68 m |
P iMainsail hoist measurement (from tack to head) | 32’ 10”10 m | 32’ 10”10 m |
E iMainsail foot measurement (from tack to clew) | 10’ 2”3.1 m | 10’ 2”3.1 m |
Rigging type | Sloop Marconi masthead | Sloop Marconi masthead |
Mast configuration | Deck stepped mast | Deck stepped mast |
Rotating spars | No | No |
Number of levels of spreaders | 1 | 1 |
Spreaders angle | 0 ° | 0 ° |
Spars construction | Aluminum spars | Aluminum spars |
Standing rigging | 1x19 strand wire continuous | 1x19 strand wire continuous |
| Performances | Dufour 3800 Deep draft | Dufour 3800 Shoal draft |
HN (French rating) iHN or "Handicap Nationale" is an empirical rating system used in France allowing various monohulls, of different sizes and designs, to race each other fairly. It is particularly suitable for cruiser and cruiser-racer. Therefore, by comparing these values, we can have an indication of the relative speed of 2 boats. | 16.0 | 16.0 |
Upwind sail area to displacement iThe ratio sail area to displacement is obtained by dividing the sail area by the boat's displaced volume to the power two-thirds.The ratio sail area to displacement can be used to compare the relative sail plan of different sailboats no matter what their size. Upwind: under 18 the ratio indicates a cruise oriented sailboat with limited performances especially in light wind, while over 25 it indicates a fast sailboat. | 214 ft²/T19.92 m²/T | 214 ft²/T19.92 m²/T |
Downwind sail area to displacement iThe ratio sail area to displacement is obtained by dividing the sail area by the boat's displaced volume to the power two-thirds.The ratio sail area to displacement can be used to compare the relative sail plan of different sailboats no matter what their size. | 387 ft²/T35.93 m²/T | 387 ft²/T35.93 m²/T |
Displacement-length ratio (DLR) iThe Displacement Length Ratio (DLR) is a figure that points out the boat's weight compared to its waterline length. The DLR is obtained by dividing the boat's displacement in tons by the cube of one one-hundredth of the waterline length (in feet).The DLR can be used to compare the relative mass of different sailboats no matter what their length: a DLR less than 180 is indicative of a really light sailboat (race boat made for planning), while a DLR greater than 300 is indicative of a heavy cruising sailboat. | 236 | 236 |
Ballast ratio iThe Ballast ratio is an indicator of stability; it is obtained by dividing the boat's displacement by the mass of the ballast. Since the stability depends also of the hull shapes and the position of the center of gravity, only the boats with similar ballast arrangements and hull shapes should be compared.The higher the ballast ratio is, the greater is the stability. | 43 % | 43 % |
Critical hull speed iAs a ship moves in the water, it creates standing waves that oppose its movement. This effect increases dramatically the resistance when the boat reaches a speed-length ratio (speed-length ratio is the ratio between the speed in knots and the square root of the waterline length in feet) of about 1.2 (corresponding to a Froude Number of 0.35) . This very sharp rise in resistance, between speed-length ratio of 1.2 to 1.5, is insurmountable for heavy sailboats and so becomes an apparent barrier. This leads to the concept of "hull speed".The hull speed is obtained by multiplying the square root of the waterline length (in feet) by 1.34. | 6.74 knots | 6.74 knots |
| Auxiliary engine | Dufour 3800 Deep draft | Dufour 3800 Shoal draft |
Engine(s) | 1 inboard engine | 1 inboard engine |
Engine(s) power (min./max.) | 8 HP / 18 HP | 8 HP / 18 HP |
Fuel type | Diesel | Diesel |
Fuel tank capacity | 11.9 gal45 liters | 11.9 gal45 liters |
| Accommodations and layout | Dufour 3800 Deep draft | Dufour 3800 Shoal draft |
Cockpit | Closed aft cockpit | Closed aft cockpit |
Cabin(s) | 1 | 1 |
Berth(s) | 8 | 8 |
Head(s) | 1 | 1 |
Freshwater tank capacity | 31.7 gal120 liters | 31.7 gal120 liters |
| Saloon | Dufour 3800 Deep draft | Dufour 3800 Shoal draft |
Berth length | 6’ 5”1.94 m | 6’ 5”1.94 m |
Berth width (head/elbows/knees/feet) | 3’ 8”1.13 m / 3’ 6”1.07 m / 3’ 6”1.07 m / 3’ 7”1.09 m | 3’ 8”1.13 m / 3’ 6”1.07 m / 3’ 6”1.07 m / 3’ 7”1.09 m |
| Fore cabin | Dufour 3800 Deep draft | Dufour 3800 Shoal draft |
Berth length | 6’ 6”1.97 m | 6’ 6”1.97 m |
Berth width (head/elbows/knees/feet) | 5’ 10”1.78 m / 4’ 8”1.43 m / 3’0.92 m / 1’ 4”0.4 m | 5’ 10”1.78 m / 4’ 8”1.43 m / 3’0.92 m / 1’ 4”0.4 m |
| Aft cabin | Dufour 3800 Deep draft | Dufour 3800 Shoal draft |
Berth length | 6’ 1”1.85 m | 6’ 1”1.85 m |
Berth width (head/elbows/knees/feet) | 2’ 4”0.7 m / 2’ 4”0.7 m / 2’ 2”0.67 m / 1’ 1”0.34 m | 2’ 4”0.7 m / 2’ 4”0.7 m / 2’ 2”0.67 m / 1’ 1”0.34 m |