Dufour 334
Dufour · Umberto Felci · 1997
Updated
The Dufour 334 is a 10.03 m semi-displacement racing yacht designed by Umberto Felci and built by Dufour, first launched in 1997. It races in Class C. Across the measured fleet it goes better than its own numbers promise, ahead of 25% of the designs it races against. It comes alive as the breeze builds, and gives time away in the light.
Goes better than its own measurements promise, and does it better than 25% of the boats it races against.
120th of 159 in its class.
This design has been found in real race results — 9 starts across 7 events — not only in measurement files.
Length
10.03 m
32′ 11″
Beam
3.35 m
Draft
1.97 m
Displacement
3.5 t
Sail area
57 m²
On the podium
Where a Dufour 334 finishes when she goes racing.
0
Wins
2
Seconds
1
Thirds
9
Starts
Not enough races yet for a percentage — these are the counts so far. We keep collecting results, so this will fill in.
Read from 9 starts by 3 boats between 2018 and 2026, counting races with six boats or more.
Recent regattas
The latest events where a Dufour 334 was on the start line, named as the organisers publish them.
Oulun regatta2026- Elorace2026
"Salty River 2024"2024- Almyropotamos Race2018
Trofeo Repsol CN Dehesa Campoamor2018
Raced one we are missing?
Report a regattaRound the buoys, or offshore
A short windward-leeward and a night at sea ask different things of a boat. Here is how this one does in each.
Round the buoys
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Not enough data yet: 2 races of 10 NM or less carry a published distance.
Offshore & coastal
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Not enough data yet: 3 races over 10 NM carry a published distance.
Who she races against
The designs a Dufour 334 actually lines up with, most often first. The bar shows how those meetings ended.
Met too few times for a figure:
First 31.7 (6 meetings), Albin Ballad (4 meetings), Dehler 34 (Stadt) (4 meetings), First 35 (Farr) (2 meetings), First 30 (Kouyoumdjian) (2 meetings), Comet 850 (2 meetings), First 305 (2 meetings), Sunrise 35 (2 meetings), Comfortina 36 (2 meetings), Sun Odyssey 36.2 (2 meetings), Ohlson 29 (4 meetings), Rimar 36 (2 meetings), Grand Soleil 343 (2 meetings), Rm 126 (2 meetings), Rush 31 (2 meetings), First 35 (Berret) (2 meetings), Oceanis 323 (2 meetings), Dehler 39 (Judel/Vrolijk) (1 meeting), Sun Odyssey 37 (1 meeting), Elan 45 (1 meeting), Platu 25 (1 meeting), Oceanis 320 (1 meeting), Jv 44 (1 meeting), Grand Soleil 40 (Paperini) (1 meeting), X-43 (1 meeting), Dehler 38 (Stadt) (1 meeting), X-362 (1 meeting), Archambault 40 (1 meeting), Moody 39 (1 meeting), Sun Light 31 (1 meeting), J/80 (1 meeting), X-332 (1 meeting), Vrolijk 37 (1 meeting), Maxi 95 (1 meeting), Toro 25 (1 meeting), First 27.7 (1 meeting), Sydney 40 (1 meeting), X-302 (1 meeting), First 44.7 (1 meeting), X-99 (1 meeting)
Speed at every angle
The shape of this design's speed, drawn from the measured fleet. Pick a wind and watch it stretch.
Upwind VMG
5.17
38°
Beam reach
8.46
90°
Broad reach
9.88
135°
Downwind VMG
7.95
170°
Speed in knots at 20 knots of true wind. Green marks the angles that pay: the closest useful beat and the deepest run worth sailing.
Where it wins and where it pays
Every boat is judged against its own measurements — length, weight, sail area. The quicker those say it should be, the more it has to deliver just to break even. Going fast is not enough: it has to go faster than its own numbers promised.
It needs pressure to show what it can do. On a windy coastal course it is in its element; on a light-air windward-leeward it has to be sailed well to hold on.
Where it gains
Its best ground is off the wind once it pipes up, where it does more than its size and sail area promise, and by a margin worth having. It holds that advantage running deep as well, so the gain is not down to one leg of the course.
Where it pays
There is no condition where it falls away badly, which is worth something over a season of mixed weather.
Above the line it delivers more than promised and gains on the fleet. Below, it falls short. Move the wind: plenty of boats sit on one side in the light and the other when it blows.
Full width is 0.8 kn either way.
At 10 knots this design makes back more than its rating asks on the beam reach.
How fast is a Dufour 334
Boat speed in knots, by true wind angle and wind strength.
| Angle | 6 kn | 10 kn | 14 kn | 20 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beat VMG | 3.38 | 4.68 | 5.08 | 5.17 |
| 52° | 5.17 | 6.73 | 7.14 | 7.28 |
| 60° | 5.45 | 6.92 | 7.35 | 7.54 |
| 75° | 5.64 | 7.06 | 7.63 | 8.01 |
| 90° | 5.71 | 7.26 | 7.79 | 8.46 |
| 110° | 5.65 | 7.38 | 8.36 | 9.26 |
| 120° | 5.44 | 7.25 | 8.32 | 9.90 |
| 135° | 4.83 | 6.86 | 7.92 | 9.88 |
| 150° | 4.04 | 6.15 | 7.40 | 8.97 |
| Run VMG | 3.50 | 5.33 | 6.63 | 7.95 |
How they are set up
The range each sail spans across the fleet.
Nearly all carry a folding propeller. Crew weight is declared around 550 kg.
Rigging
Dufour 334 rig and sail dimensions
A Dufour 334 carries 12.59 m of mainsail hoist on a 4.50 m boom, a forestay 12.14 m above the deck and a 4.67 m bowsprit. Typical figures across the 8 boats measured under the current VPP, with the range each one spans.
Rig
Sails
The spinnaker spreads widest of all — 55 to 86 m² depending on bowsprit and set-up. Before ordering a sail, read the figure on your own measurement record rather than the typical one for the design.