Dufour 41 - Introduction

ENGLISH 11-07-2023 7/95 DUFOUR 41
INTRODUCTION
DUFOUR is delighted to present you with this manual that will help you get to know your boat.
This manual is intended to help you sail your boat safely and enjoyably. It contains detailed information on
the boat's specifications, supplied or installed equipment, fittings and systems, along with further
information on their use. Please read this manual carefully and familiarize yourself with the boat before
setting sail.
This Owner's Manual is not a course on safety at sea or good sailing practice. If this is your first boat, or if
you are changing to a new type of boat that you are not familiar with, both for your convenience and your
safety, we would advise you to get some training and experience in handling the boat before taking the
helm and setting out to sea. Your agent, your national sailing or motor boat federation or your yacht club
will be pleased to inform you about the local sailing schools or qualified instructors in the area.
Make sure that the forecast wind and sea conditions match with the design category of your boat, and that
you and your crew are capable of handling your boat safely in such conditions. Even when your boat is
suited to the prevailing weather conditions, the sea and wind conditions corresponding to design categories
A, B and C vary from severe storm for category A to severe conditions for the upper end of category C.
These situations, during which you may experience exceptional waves and gusts, are therefore dangerous
and only an experienced crew, well trained and prepared, is able to sail a boat in such conditions, provided
that it is properly maintained.
This Owner's Manual is not a detailed guide to the boat’s maintenance and repair. Should you have any
difficulty, please contact your shipbuilder or their representative. If a maintenance manual is provided,
please be sure to use it.
Always ask an experienced professional to carry out any maintenance on your boat, or to install further
accessories or make any modification. Any modifications that could alter the safety specifications of the
boat must be assessed, carried out and documented by qualified personnel. The shipbuilder cannot be held
liable for modifications made without their approval.
Please note that, in some countries, a skipper’s sailing license or authorisation is required or specific
regulations have to be observed.
Always keep your boat correctly maintained and take account of damage due to wear and tear over time or,
if applicable, due to intensive or inappropriate usage of the boat. Any boat, however sturdy it may be, may
be severely damaged if sailed incorrectly. This is not compatible with a safe sailing experience. Always
adapt your boat’s speed and heading to the prevailing sea conditions.
If your boat is equipped with a life raft, read its user guide carefully. The crew must have onboard all the
necessary safety equipment (life jackets, harnesses, etc.) corresponding the boat’s type, the weather
conditions, etc.… This equipment is mandatory in certain countries. The crew must be familiar with the use
of all the safety equipment and with the emergency safety procedures (man overboard recovery, towing,
etc.); regular training sessions are provided at sailing clubs and schools.
It is recommended that everyone on deck wears the appropriate safety equipment (life jacket, individual
buoyancy aids). Note that, in some countries, and in accordance with local regulations, it is mandatory to
wear a buoyancy aid at all times.
KEEP THIS MANUAL IN A SAFE PLACE AND PASS IT ON TO THE NEW OWNER IF YOU
SELL THE BOAT.
WARNING: Our boats are regularly upgraded in response to feedback from our clients and
shipyard research. Therefore, the specifications detailed in this Owner’s Manual are not
contractually binding and may be modified with no prior notice and no obligation to provide an
update. This manual is intended to cover the widest possible range of information and may
therefore contain details on equipment or paragraphs that do not correspond to your boat. If in
doubt, please check the inventory that you should have received from your agent at the time of
ordering your boat.