Dufour 48 is a large cruising catamaran built around space, stability and easy life at anchor. It suits crews who want a comfortable base for a sailing holiday: room for a large group, clear separation between social zones and cabins, and easy movement around the deck. Crews after a sharp racing feel should look elsewhere.
Most rental fleets run the charter version, with a common setup of 14.7 m length, 8 m beam and 1.3 m draft. That places it at the larger end of the charter catamaran range.
Full Dufour 48 review from Captain Jasmin:
Living space and layout
The strength of the Dufour 48 is usable space. The saloon, cockpit and foredeck all work as proper living areas. On a group trip that matters: some people stay in the cockpit, some move to the front lounge, others rest inside without feeling cut off.
The galley sits in the saloon, close to the cockpit. Cooking, serving drinks and making breakfast all happen where people already gather, so the cook stays part of the group instead of running between decks.
The boat comes in three, four or five cabin layouts, depending on whether it is set up for private owners or charter groups. Charter fleets tend to pick the five cabin version with extra skipper accommodation to host larger crews.
Cockpit and deck experience
The cockpit is the centre of life on board. It is large, open and built for how charter crews use the boat: meals, drinks, route planning and most of the evenings spent outside.
Cockpit and saloon open into one another, which keeps the cook in the conversation and the crew together across the day.
The foredeck adds a second lounging area. On a catamaran this size, there is room up front for sunbathing and reading while others eat or talk in the cockpit.
The aft platform and sugarscoops make getting in and out of the water easy, which counts on an itinerary built around bays, short hops and long swimming stops.
Cabins and comfort
The boat is most comfortable when you are honest about headcount. Some charter versions list ten or twelve berths once you count skipper cabins and saloon beds, but those numbers stretch comfort thin. For a relaxed trip, eight to ten guests is the realistic range.
The five-cabin version works for groups: more people get a proper cabin, and there are usually enough heads to avoid morning queues. A typical charter setup lists five plus one cabins, five plus one toilets and ten plus two berths. The tradeoff is space: each cabin gives up room compared with a smaller crew on the same hull.
The catamaran layout puts the cabins down in the hulls, away from the saloon, so privacy beats most monohulls carrying the same number of guests. Early risers also pass fewer cabin doors on the way to the cockpit.
Sailing performance and handling
Dufour 48 is tuned for comfortable cruising, not racing. The large platform, high volume and charter layout favour calm, controlled passages over sharp acceleration.
The numbers back this up: roughly 124 square metres of sail area, twin engines and a 1.3 m draft. Enough power for normal cruising, and a shallow enough draft to reach anchorages bigger boats skip.
The 8 m beam steadies the boat at anchor and under sail, which non sailors notice straight away, and it keeps the helm predictable. The same width complicates tight marinas. Docking needs planning, especially in crosswind; the twin engines help, but they do not stand in for a calm skipper.
Pros
- Large living space across cockpit, saloon and foredeck.
- Stable platform for swimming, anchoring and relaxed passages.
- Five cabin layouts host big groups without packing everyone into shared berths.
- Shallow 1.3 m draft for anchoring closer to shore.
- Clear separation between cabins and social areas.
Cons
- Listed capacity oversells comfort. Fill every berth and the boat feels cramped.
- Built for space and comfort, not sporty sailing.
- Equipment varies by fleet, so two Dufour 48s can differ in air conditioning, generator, watermaker, platform and cabin fit.
- The wide beam that steadies you at anchor makes marina manoeuvres harder.
Who is it for
Dufour 48 fits charter crews who want a large, stable, social catamaran for a relaxed holiday: families, groups of friends, and mixed crews where not everyone trims sails but everyone wants space, swimming and comfort.
It works best for short passages, anchoring in bays, cooking on board and long evenings outside. Room to spread out is its real edge over smaller catamarans and most monohulls.
It is a weaker fit when performance sailing is the point, or when the skipper is not comfortable with a wide catamaran in busy marinas. Then book a professional skipper, drop to a smaller boat, or plan for slower docking days.
For a larger crew that wants easy daily life on a charter catamaran, the Dufour 48 is a solid pick.
