Choosing between Beneteau and Dufour

[Sailer1546]

Hello! I'm new in this forum and i could use some help on buying a boat in about 45 foot size range. I'm sailing in Scandinavian/Baltic seas. After some research i've got two boats dufour 460 GL and beneteau oceanis 48.
I've heard that dufour should have better build quality, but beneteau is roomier inside and again dufour should have better perfomance.

Have you had any experience with these boats? Is either one better or worse/higher or lower quality? What are good aspects of each boat?

Thanks for your time

[South Bound]

I have no experience of either boat, but the draft of both of them would rule out most of the nice Scandinavian archipelago routes, and the beautiful anchorages.

[Sandero]

Yet another thread about someone who probably has no experience whatsoever...a guess... and is looking to buy a fairly large boat.

Admittedly people wanting to purchase something like a car or a boat or a place for personal use may not have direct experience with all the models available and seek some "reviews" of those who have experience. I suppose one could research the products online as there are user reviews about almost every product out there. Further there are professional test reviews of many products including comparisons to similar products on the market.

It seems to me... but I could be wrong and often am... that if you have some experience with the product class you are looking for... your own experience will, should inform your buying decisions first and foremost.

So... when someone comes on to a forum such as this... they need to at the very least, when asking opinions/advice... provide a fair amount of background. This post does none of that. I personally consider it little more than spam.

[UNCIVILIZED]

Originally Posted by Sandero

Yet another thread about someone who probably has no experience whatsoever...a guess... and is looking to buy a fairly large boat.

Admittedly people wanting to purchase something like a car or a boat or a place for personal use may not have direct experience with all the models available and seek some "reviews" of those who have experience. I suppose one could research the products online as there are user reviews about almost every product out there. Further there are professional test reviews of many products including comparisons to similar products on the market.

It seems to me... but I could be wrong and often am... that if you have some experience with the product class you are looking for... your own experience will, should inform your buying decisions first and foremost.

So... when someone comes on to a forum such as this... they need to at the very least, when asking opinions/advice... provide a fair amount of background. This post does none of that. I personally consider it little more than spam.

AMEN Sandero!

Now, to the OP. If you desire to do some self-education on boats, & how to choose them, visit the below linked thread/sticky. Then read, digest, process, & act upon that which you learn from the plethora of knowledge sources therein. It's an Undergrad, Masters, & Semi-Doctoral smattering of info on the key theme within your question. http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post2206710

[s/v Moondancer]

Sailer,
I have always been a fan of Beneteaus, 'good bang for the buck' and I have several friends who have crossed the Atlantic and Pacific in them. The Dufours I have sailed were good sailors but no better than Beneteaus.

The OP asked a legitimate question and for experienced people to deride him is inappropriate...we all started without real knowledge and slowly acquired what we have!

[Sandero]

Originally Posted by s/v Moondancer

Sailer,
I have always been a fan of Beneteaus, 'good bang for the buck' and I have several friends who have crossed the Atlantic and Pacific in them. The Dufours I have sailed were good sailors but no better than Beneteaus.

The OP asked a legitimate question and for experienced people to deride him is inappropriate...we all started without real knowledge and slowly acquired what we have!

Phil,
This is not derision. I am OK with noobs asking question. Very wise actually. But to give an even reasonably intelligent response... we need more information... such as

How old the person is?
What experience do they have with sailing?
Have they ever owned one?
Where do they intend to sail (keep the boat)? Only in the Baltic?
Is it intended for lengthy cruising or week end sailing?
Is this a family boat? How many in the family?
What interests you about the two boats you mentioned?

Things like this...

[boatman61]

I thought DuFour had been bought out by Beneteau.. but retained the brand name.. in which case its a choice between two Beneteau's..
Oh...!! Welcome to CF Sailer..

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Sailer, & South Bound.

"Southbound" was the name of our last boat.

[hoppy]

Originally Posted by Sandero

Yet another thread about someone who probably has no experience whatsoever...a guess... and is looking to buy a fairly large boat.

Admittedly people wanting to purchase something like a car or a boat or a place for personal use may not have direct experience with all the models available and seek some "reviews" of those who have experience. I suppose one could research the products online as there are user reviews about almost every product out there. Further there are professional test reviews of many products including comparisons to similar products on the market.

It seems to me... but I could be wrong and often am... that if you have some experience with the product class you are looking for... your own experience will, should inform your buying decisions first and foremost.

So... when someone comes on to a forum such as this... they need to at the very least, when asking opinions/advice... provide a fair amount of background. This post does none of that. I personally consider it little more than spam.

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

AMEN Sandero!

Now, to the OP. If you desire to do some self-education on boats, & how to choose them, visit the below linked thread/sticky. Then read, digest, process, & act upon that which you learn from the plethora of knowledge sources therein. It's an Undergrad, Masters, & Semi-Doctoral smattering of info on the key theme within your question. http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post2206710

Originally Posted by Sandero

Phil,
This is not derision. I am OK with noobs asking question. Very wise actually. But to give an even reasonably intelligent response... we need more information... such as

How old the person is?
What experience do they have with sailing?
Have they ever owned one?
Where do they intend to sail (keep the boat)? Only in the Baltic?
Is it intended for lengthy cruising or week end sailing?
Is this a family boat? How many in the family?
What interests you about the two boats you mentioned?

Things like this...

FFS Replies like these are the type that drive people away from this forum.

The OP is asking for personal opinions about two specific boats and wants to know if it is from personal experience or not.

Why should they have to supply their life story?

I'm sure that even the most experienced sailors here are not psychic and need to ask others about boats that they have not seen in person or have sailed on.

[TWB]

We just took delivery of a new Dufour 460 GL. So far we are very pleased. I have only had her out in light airs so far but she sailed well. We find her stable, roomy and my wife loves the forward galley layout with two work areas. We also liked the real wood and thicker veneers.

We looked the Benateau Oceanis 45. The Dealer, which sold both, steered us to the Dufour, with statements about it being better built. The cynic in me was concerned that might just be the result of the commission plan. So I called another dealer in another part of the country. I got the same comments on quality.

There probably isn't that much difference. Get what you like. The Dufour was right for us. But make sure you have faith in the dealer. I can't over emphasize this. They are the ones who really put it all together in the commissioning. And when you find things not quite right, they will be the ones to put it right.

Dufour is an independent company, not part of Beneteau.

[Sailer1546]

Originally Posted by TWB

We just took delivery of a new Dufour 460 GL. So far we are very pleased. I have only had her out in light airs so far but she sailed well. We find her stable, roomy and my wife loves the forward galley layout with two work areas. We also liked the real wood and thicker veneers.



We looked the Benateau Oceanis 45. The Dealer, which sold both, steered us to the Dufour, with statements about it being better built. The cynic in me was concerned that might just be the result of the commission plan. So I called another dealer in another part of the country. I got the same comments on quality.



There probably isn't that much difference. Get what you like. The Dufour was right for us. But make sure you have faith in the dealer. I can't over emphasize this. They are the ones who really put it all together in the commissioning. And when you find things not quite right, they will be the ones to put it right.



Dufour is an independent company, not part of Beneteau.

Thanks a lot!

[Sailer1546]

So the diffrence isn't that big in quality or perfomance. That's all I needed to know

[RickG]

Whatever you choose, have a good look at the thru-hulls. The Beneteaus we have owned had brass thru-hulls, fittings and valves. We are in the process of replacing the full below water kit on our Beneteau 423 with Marelon seacocks where we can, and bronze elbows and ball valves where there is no room for proper seacocks.

Cheers, RickG

[Sandero]

Originally Posted by hoppy

FFS Replies like these are the type that drive people away from this forum.

The OP is asking for personal opinions about two specific boats and wants to know if it is from personal experience or not.

Why should they have to supply their life story?

I'm sure that even the most experienced sailors here are not psychic and need to ask others about boats that they have not seen in person or have sailed on.

how many members have had one of those exact boats? How many have had both? Why wouldn't the circumstances of ownership be relevant?

Hell YES I would like noobs to be post in a noob section. Why not?

[barnakiel]

These are very much the same thing. If you buy one or another is simply your taste for interior finish.

b.