The Dufour 470 is well-powered with enough sail area to move in light air, with acceptable motion comfort for coastal passages.
Hull Speed
The theoretical displacement-mode speed limit — determined by waterline length, not engine or sail power.
A displacement hull pushes a bow wave whose speed is limited by the waterline length.
With a waterline of 44.5′, the Dufour 470 tops out around 8.9 knots in displacement mode — after that, the bow wave outruns the hull and resistance climbs steeply.
1.34 × √44.5′ LWL = 8.9 kts
Performance Ratios
Racing handicap, sail-carrying power, stability and comfort — and what each one actually tells you about a day on the water.
SA / Displacement
19.6
Powerful cruiser/racer — quick in light air, reef early when it pipes up.
Ballast / Displacement
26.9%
Light ballast — tends to be tender; reef earlier than the numbers suggest.
Displacement / Length
148
Ultralight — responsive and fast, but carries less stores.
Comfort Ratio
25.5
Acceptable coastal comfort — fine for weekends, notice the chop offshore.
Capsize Screening
2.03
Above the 2.0 offshore threshold — best suited for coastal and protected waters.
Pounds/Inch Immersion
2lbs
Weight needed to sink the hull one inch — loading sensitivity.
Motion & Offshore Suitability
Two ratios that matter most when you're planning passages — how the boat feels in a seaway, and whether the hull geometry is suitable for open ocean.
Comfort Ratio
25.5
Acceptable coastal comfort — fine for weekends, notice the chop offshore.
Under 20 — Snappy, racing motion
20–30 — Acceptable coastal
30–40 — Good offshore comfort
Over 40 — Very comfortable offshore
Capsize Screening Formula
2.03
Above the 2.0 offshore threshold — best suited for coastal and protected waters.
Under 2.0 — Acceptable for offshore
Over 2.0 — Coastal / protected waters
PHRF Fleet Position
Where the Dufour 470 sits on the PHRF handicap spectrum — lower numbers mean faster boats.
Racer 0–90
Cruiser/Racer 90–150
Estimated Speed by Wind
Rough boat speed estimates at different true wind speeds and points of sail — derived from hull speed, SA/D, and displacement, not measured polars.
| Point of Sail |
6 kts TWS |
10 kts TWS |
15 kts TWS |
20 kts TWS |
| Close-hauled40–50° |
3.8 |
4.8 |
5.4 |
5.6 |
| Close Reach60° |
4.6 |
5.8 |
6.5 |
6.8 |
| Beam Reach90° |
5.7 |
7.2 |
8.0 |
8.7 |
| Broad Reach120–135° |
5.2 |
6.6 |
7.4 |
8.0 |
| Run150–180° |
4.2 |
5.3 |
5.9 |
6.2 |
These are simplified estimates based on hull speed (8.9 kts),
SA/D (19.6), and empirical efficiency curves — not instrument-measured
polars. Real-world speed varies with sea state, bottom condition, sail trim, and current.
Speeds in gold approach hull speed;
bold gold means near or at hull speed.
Wind Range & Comfort Envelope
Estimated wind ranges for comfortable sailing on the Dufour 470 — based on sail area, ballast, and displacement characteristics.
Ghost
Sweet Spot
Reef
Heavy
0–6 kts
6–16 kts
16–24 kts
24+ kts
Ghosting
0–6 kts
Light air, motor-sailing likely. Need patience and a light genoa.
Sweet Spot
6–16 kts
Comfortable under full sail. Best speed-to-comfort ratio.
Time to Reef
16–24 kts
Time to shorten sail. Reef the main, swap to a working jib.
Heavy Weather
24+ kts
Storm conditions. Storm jib or bare poles. Seek shelter if coastal.
How It Compares
Side-by-side with the boats most often cross-shopped against the Dufour 470.
|
Dufour 470 |
Dehler 46 C |
Dehler 46 Sq |
Exploration 45 Garcia |
Sun Odyssey 49 Ds Jeanneau |
Sun Odyssey 490 Jeanneau |
| Dimensions |
| LOA |
48.7 |
48.4 |
49.0 |
48.8 |
49.2 |
48.5 |
| LWL |
44.5 |
42.3 |
42.3 |
41.2 |
42.3 |
43.4 |
| Beam |
15.6 |
14.3 |
14.3 |
14.6 |
16.4 |
14.7 |
| Displacement |
29 |
24 |
25 |
32 |
28 |
24 |
| Ballast |
7 |
6 |
7 |
10 |
9 |
— |
| Sail Area |
1 |
1 |
1 |
979 |
977 |
1 |
| Performance |
| PHRF |
— |
— |
27 |
— |
— |
— |
| SA/Disp |
19.6 |
26.1 |
23.4 |
15.5 |
17.0 |
22.1 |
| Bal/Disp |
26.9 |
28.1 |
30.4 |
31.1 |
32.3 |
— |
| Comfort |
25.5 |
25.1 |
25.7 |
32.3 |
23.6 |
23.9 |
| Capsize |
2.03 |
1.96 |
1.95 |
1.84 |
2.16 |
2.01 |
| Hull Speed |
8.9 |
8.7 |
8.7 |
8.6 |
8.7 |
8.8 |