The Dufour Yachts 390 Grand Large - Shoal draft Shoal draft 2018 vs Dufour Yachts 40e 2010 comparison sits squarely in the category of decisions where specs alone won't tell the whole story: intended use, storage, and long-term ownership costs all factor in.
On paper these two are close siblings in the size department - Dufour Yachts 390 Grand Large - Shoal draft Shoal draft 2018 at 39,2 ft versus Dufour Yachts 40e 2010 at 40,6 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Dufour Yachts 40e 2010 tips the scales at 18 794 lbs - 1 818 lbs less than the Dufour Yachts 390 Grand Large - Shoal draft Shoal draft 2018 at 16 976 lbs. That difference is meaningful if you're working within a half-ton or three-quarter-ton truck's tow rating, especially once you factor in a motor, gear, and fuel.
Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling - 40 hp for the Dufour Yachts 390 Grand Large - Shoal draft Shoal draft 2018 and 40 hp for the Dufour Yachts 40e 2010. Real-world performance will come down more to which motor is actually bolted on, its load at the time, and whether it's a 4-stroke or 2-stroke setup. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads - 53 gal and 53 gal - so range won't be a tiebreaker here.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Dufour Yachts 40e 2010 is rated for 12 passengers, while the Dufour Yachts 390 Grand Large - Shoal draft Shoal draft 2018 caps at 11. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Dufour Yachts 40e 2010 could be the deciding factor.
Both boats sit in a similar displacement bracket - 16 976 lbs for the Dufour Yachts 390 Grand Large - Shoal draft Shoal draft 2018 and 18 794 lbs for the Dufour Yachts 40e 2010. Comparable displacement means broadly similar seakeeping behaviour and load capacity, though hull form and ballast ratio will still produce noticeably different sailing characteristics.
Both boats draw a similar depth - 5,8 ft and 6,1 ft respectively. Marina access and anchorage options should be broadly equivalent between the two.
The Dufour Yachts 390 Grand Large - Shoal draft Shoal draft 2018 uses Sloop rigging.
Hull speed is rated at 8,0 knots for the Dufour Yachts 40e 2010 and 7,9 knots for the Dufour Yachts 390 Grand Large - Shoal draft Shoal draft 2018.
Bottom line: The Dufour Yachts 390 Grand Large - Shoal draft Shoal draft 2018 and Dufour Yachts 40e 2010 are closely matched on paper. A sea trial on both in representative conditions is the only reliable way to find which one suits your sailing style, home port, and intended cruising ground.