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Dufour 310 Grand Large

2013–2020 · designed by Umberto Felci (Felci Yacht Design) · built by Dufour Yachts

Entry-level model in Dufour's Grand Large coastal-cruising range, designed by Umberto Felci to give small-family and couple buyers an easy-to-handle, modern-performance pocket cruiser. Priorities were comfortable accommodation, simple systems and responsive sailing manners for coastal and short-passage use rather than outright bluewater load-carrying or heavy-weather margin.

This is a general read on the Dufour 310 Grand Large class — informed background, not a verdict on any individual boat. Condition, refit history, and how a particular hull was sailed and stored matter far more than class reputation. Use it to know what to look for; for a read on a specific listing, run a free FairKeel report on that boat.

At a glance

Hull form: Fin Keel
Ballast type: Bolt On Iron
Rudder: Twin Spade
Mast step: Deck Stepped
Hull construction: Fiberglass
Production: 2013–2020
Built in: France

What the Dufour 310 Grand Large is known for

Felci-designed hull gives lively, well-balanced helm and good light-to-moderate air performance for a 31ft production cruiser.
Modern beamy hull form carries form stability and a roomy cockpit/interior volume that outsizes the boat's length on deck.
Simple, conventional systems (single diesel/saildrive, bolt-on keel, twin spade rudders) keep maintenance straightforward and parts generic rather than proprietary.
Relatively low entry price into Dufour ownership and the Grand Large pedigree, with resale demand supported by the brand name.

Known trade-offs

Tankage, storage and payload are tight even by small-cruiser standards, which shows up quickly on any trip longer than a long weekend.
Shoal-draft keel option trades away windward performance and stability margin that the deep-keel version has.
Dufour's build quality and QC were inconsistent across this production era amid the builder's ownership changes, so fit-out and finish vary hull to hull more than on later or earlier Dufours.
As the smallest boat in the Grand Large line, it has materially less reserve stability, tankage and structural margin than its 335/360/382 siblings, so it suits coastal and sheltered-water sailing far better than offshore passage work.

Age-related quirks to expect

Volvo saildrive seal service life expires regardless of hours, creating osmosis/leak risk if neglected severity: Medium affects: 2013-2020 (all)

Inconsistent build/finish quality reported during Dufour's ownership transitions in this era severity: Medium affects: 2013-2020 (varies by hull)

Deck core moisture ingress at stanchion bases, chainplates and hardware penetrations severity: Medium affects: 2013-2020 (all)

Shoal-draft keel variant has reduced stability/windward performance versus the deep-keel option severity: Low affects: 2013-2020 (shoal-keel hulls only)

Original standing rigging now at or past typical replacement interval on earliest hulls severity: Medium affects: 2013-2014

Systems to check before you buy

Keel bolts / keel-hull joint priority: offshore, coastal, liveaboard

Bolt-on cast-iron L-bulb keel needs the bolts checked for torque and the joint checked for weeping or stress crazing, especially on boats with an unknown grounding history.

Volvo saildrive seal / leg priority: offshore, coastal, motor

The saildrive diaphragm seal has a service life (commonly cited around 7 years) regardless of hours; owners should confirm last replacement date and inspect the rubber boot and anodes for osmosis or electrolysis around the leg.

Twin spade rudder bearings and stocks priority: offshore, coastal, racing

Twin spade rudders mean two stocks, two sets of bearings and two hull exits to check; look for play in either stock, cracking in the gelcoat around the rudder tubes, and any history of grounding or hard groundings that could have bent a stock, since the outboard blades are exposed when heeled.

Deck core moisture at hardware penetrations priority: offshore, coastal, liveaboard

Chainplates, stanchion bases, and hatch/winch mounts are common entry points for water into cored deck sections on production boats of this era; moisture-meter the deck and check for soft spots or discoloration.

Standing rigging age priority: offshore, coastal, racing

Early hulls are now past or approaching the typical 10-12 year rigging-replacement window; confirm wire age and inspect swages, especially if the boat has raced or seen heavy coastal use.

How it fits your plans

Offshore: Not designed for sustained offshore passages; limited tankage, modest stability margin (especially shoal keel) and light production scantlings put it at the bottom end of what a prudent owner would take well offshore.
Coastal: A strong fit. Easy to single- or short-hand, good manners in a chop, and sized right for weekend and multi-day coastal cruising.
Liveaboard: Workable for one person or a couple short-term but cramped and tankage-limited for full-time liveaboard use.
Weekending: This is the boat's home turf: comfortable cockpit, quick to rig and sail, and enough accommodation for a couple or small family.
Racing: Not a one-design racer, but capable of casual club PHRF racing or rallies given the Felci hull's turn of speed.
Motor: Standard Volvo diesel saildrive is adequate for auxiliary and marina maneuvering; not a motorsailer and not sized for long-range power cruising.

This guide is the class. A report is that hull. Paste the listing you're looking at and FairKeel grades every claim in it against what's known about the Dufour 310 Grand Large — where the evidence is thin, the red flags worth a second look, the costs likely to land in your first season, and whether the boat suits the plans you describe in a few short questions.

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