The Dufour Yachts 390 Grand Large - Shoal draft Shoal draft 2018 vs Dufour Yachts 520 Grand Large 2017 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.
Size is the most obvious dividing line here. The Dufour Yachts 520 Grand Large 2017 measures 49,1 feet overall (2017), giving it roughly 9,9 additional feet of deck space compared to the Dufour Yachts 390 Grand Large - Shoal draft Shoal draft 2018 at 39,2 feet (2018). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Dufour Yachts 520 Grand Large 2017 tips the scales at 33 609 lbs — 16 633 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.
The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 75 hp, the Dufour Yachts 520 Grand Large 2017 has a 35-hp advantage over the Dufour Yachts 390 Grand Large - Shoal draft Shoal draft 2018's 40-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Dufour Yachts 520 Grand Large 2017 carries 119 gallons versus 53 gallons in the Dufour Yachts 390 Grand Large - Shoal draft Shoal draft 2018. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Dufour Yachts 520 Grand Large 2017 is rated for 14 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 520 Grand Large 2017 could be the deciding factor.
Displacement is where these two sailboats genuinely part ways. The Dufour Yachts 520 Grand Large 2017 displaces 33 609 lbs — a 16 633-lb difference over the Dufour Yachts 390 Grand Large - Shoal draft Shoal draft 2018 at 16 976 lbs. That gap separates two entirely different categories of sailing: the heavier boat is built for offshore passage-making and load-carrying, while the lighter hull rewards performance sailing and easier handling in lighter air.
Draft is a practical consideration that many buyers underestimate until they're already at the marina. The Dufour Yachts 520 Grand Large 2017 draws 7,6 ft, compared to 5,8 ft for the Dufour Yachts 390 Grand Large - Shoal draft Shoal draft 2018. That 1,8-foot difference affects which anchorages you can access, which haul-out facilities will take you, and how carefully you need to read the tide tables in shallower cruising grounds.
The Dufour Yachts 390 Grand Large - Shoal draft Shoal draft 2018 uses Sloop rigging. For auxiliary power the Dufour Yachts 520 Grand Large 2017 carries a 75-hp engine against 40 hp on the Dufour Yachts 390 Grand Large - Shoal draft Shoal draft 2018. Motoring range and ability to punch through a foul current or enter a tight marina under power will favour the more powerful installation.
Hull speed is rated at 9,0 knots for the Dufour Yachts 520 Grand Large 2017 and 7,9 knots for the Dufour Yachts 390 Grand Large - Shoal draft Shoal draft 2018. For extended cruising, water capacity matters: the Dufour Yachts 520 Grand Large 2017 carries 190 gallons versus 100 gallons on the Dufour Yachts 390 Grand Large - Shoal draft Shoal draft 2018 — a significant advantage on longer passages where watermaker or provisioning stops aren't guaranteed.
Bottom line: The Dufour Yachts 520 Grand Large 2017 is the offshore and bluewater choice — at 33 609 lbs displacement and 49 ft it has the load capacity, range, and seakeeping for extended passages. The Dufour Yachts 390 Grand Large - Shoal draft Shoal draft 2018 at 16 976 lbs is the more nimble, accessible option — easier to single-hand and better suited to coastal and inland sailing.