So uncomplicated that it’s just as easy and fun to sail as a boat 20 feet shorter and a few tons lighter.

If you find a winning formula, you’re bound to attract a following by rolling out continual improvements to the initial innovation. Just ask Apple, right?

Dufour, a French builder that launches more than 300 hulls a year, has tapped into that formula and introduced a flagship, the Grand Large 560, that picks up where its groundbreaking 50-foot sibling left off.

The GL 560’s profile is low, with a plumb bow and a hard chine, and it looks serious and fast. The beam is 16 feet, 6 inches, and it flows well aft to create a very spacious boat at the transom. The cockpit is divided into “maneuvering” and “comfort” zones, to segregate the business of running the boat from the enjoyment of entertaining.

In the comfort zone, the aft “tower” holds a grill, a sink and a prep surface, so you can stand on the dropdown transom and do some barbecuing. The forward portion of the cockpit has twin settees, a sunpad and a folding table that holds an optional sink and refrigerator.

In between, the working cockpit has twin helms and electronics on either side, easily reachable winches and good sightlines forward. Everything you need to tack or maneuver the boat is at your fingertips. Altogether, the various cockpit spaces can accommodate a dozen people without anyone feeling crowded.

On the other end, the bow has an integrated bowsprit that has a solid stainless steel structure overlaid with fiberglass to form a traditional anchor roller as well as an attachment point for a gennaker. The deck-stepped 7/8 fractional rig offers a versatile sail plan that provides a traditional or in-mast furling mainsail, an 87% self-tacking jib or an overlapping genoa, an optional staysail that may be put on a furler and an optional asymmetrical spinnaker. That’s a lot of choices, which will work for racing and cruising alike.

If you’ve always thought of sailboat interiors as cramped dark spaces, think again. The GL 560 is revolutionary below. The galley is especially unique in that it runs athwartships and across the entire interior. It is separated from the salon by two low cabinets that hold dishes and a popup flat-screen TV. There is even a built-in, hinge-out espresso maker.

Because the mast is so far forward, the salon and galley area is enormous. To port is a U-shaped settee and a convertible table; to starboard is an L-shaped settee with a forward-facing nav station. Options abound to personalize the layout, which morphs from three cabins and two heads to five cabins, 3 heads, and separate crew quarters in the bow area. The master stateroom alone offers 3 configurations.

The GL 560 is a sailing machine for sure, but it is also a formidable entertaining platform with storage for up to 39 bottles of wine, 25 of which can be placed in Dufour’s signature wine rack below the salon sole. The light oak veneers and plentiful recessed hatches and ports make the interior light, airy and inviting.

On flat water with a decent breeze, the GL 560 will sail 8 to 10 knots and points very well. The hard chine keeps it on its feet and comfortable with minimal heeling. Under power, the boat can reach 10 knots thanks to a Volvo Penta engine (110 or 150 hp) with a V-drive and a fourbladed prop. The GL 560 is responsive, light on the helm and hassle free through the tacks. The drop-down bow thruster makes docking a snap.

For powerboaters who have been flirting with the idea of sailing, the Dufour GL 560 inspires confidence, because it is as easy to learn as an iPhone.

SPEC BOX

LOA 56 ft., 3 in.

Beam 16 ft., 6 in.

Draft 7 ft., 2 in. shoal, 8 ft., 2 in. deep

Displacement 38,801 lbs.

Sail Area 1,400 sq. ft. classic main & 87 percent genoa

Fuel/Water 132/180 gals.

Engine Volvo Penta 110 or 150 hp

Builder

Dufour Yachts, La Rochelle, France

West Coast Dealer

Contact: Denison Yacht Sales, Marina del Rey, California, (310) 821-5883; Newport Beach, California, (949) 791-4220; Seattle, Washington (206) 686-5400; www.denisonyachtsales.com

Source: SeaMagazine