Since September 2024, Paul Ferguson has been the proud owner of “Demi-sec”, a Dufour 44 sailing boat. Paul is an engineer based in the Channel Islands and he loves the thrill of sailing. He’s currently getting to know his new yacht boat before embarking on some longer voyages.
He is a sailor at heart, despite having previously owned motorboats, “I love speed at sea, the feeling of being able to slip freely through the waves.” Now he is an avid sailor: “I’ve been sailing monohulls for eight years now, and getting older, I wanted to move on to more comfortable boats. I also wanted to take the time to enjoy longer, more relaxing trips on the water while still feeling that sensation of speed. Sailing is also a way to stand out from the crowd: it’s another way of seeing things and I like that.”
After obtaining his Yachtmaster qualification, Paul became the owner of a 35-foot sailing boat, then a second 41-footer. He opted for a Dufour 44 after studying the quality and ingenuity of this yacht’s design. “Ultimately, I wanted a bigger boat, one in which I could store more equipment and aboard which I could sail further. So I became the owner of a Dufour 44,” he explains, adding that if he had to, he would make the same choice again without hesitation.
“This is a fast, easy-to-handle, comfortable boat.”
Paul wanted “Demi-sec” to give him great sensations at sea. To feel the power of the wind in the sails, the strength that his yacht releases through the waves… “Aboard my Dufour 44, the sensations are genuine,” he says with delight having spent a few months sailing in a wide variety of conditions.
“90% of the time, I sail single-handed,” Paul confides, adding, “I needed a yacht that I could handle on my own without difficulty. The Dufour 44 fulfils this condition perfectly.” On the “Ocean” version of his Dufour 44 sailboat, Paul has 6 electric winches as well as an in-mast furling mainsail. This is a considerable help for carrying out sailing manoeuvres alone on board.
For Paul, comfort on board was a necessity in view of the amount of time he wants to spend on his yacht. “In addition to the storage capacity offered by the Dufour 44, I really like the interior design. I have three proper cabins. I love the idea of having two bathrooms in the owner’s cabin and, what’s more, the shower is as big as the one at home. This boat is a real hotel,” he says. “Demi-sec” is configured in the Dufour 44’s lateral galley version. “I like to watch TV in the evenings and this is the best layout for that,” Paul suggests.
“Only the Dufour 44 allows me to stow all my equipment.”
For Paul, it was time to change yachts for two main reasons: to sail further, and to put an end to his storage problems on board. “One of my cabins was filled to the brim with equipment, my sails, bicycles and nautical toys.”
The Dufour 44 was a real revelation for him, “When I first saw the Dufour 44, I was immediately won over by the sail locker at the front. It was the only sailing boat of this size to offer such a locker. Also, there’s plenty of storage space in the cockpit. When my boat was delivered, I wondered how I would organise my belongings on board, but they all fit in and I still have room. It’s impressive!”
Memories already made, but with plenty of future plans
Paul Ferguson’s first memories of “Demi-sec” began at the Dufour shipyard in La Rochelle. “I was lucky enough to be invited to see the progress of the construction of my Dufour 44 yacht. As an engineer, it was an incredible experience. I was able to see how production works, everyone took the time to explain how it worked and above all, I could see the professionalism and care taken in the manufacture of the yachts.”
Paul’s Dufour 44 was initially delivered by road to his dealer in Southampton for the installation of additional equipment and for the mast to be stepped.
“I then sailed the yacht to the Channel Islands myself. It was a beautiful, sunny day. On that day, I realised that I was experiencing true freedom thanks to sailing, that I could go wherever I wanted. On top of that, I was still getting to grips with this new yacht and I was delighted to see that there were no problems.”
For the future, Paul has big plans for “Demi-sec”. “For the moment, I want to sail down the entire Atlantic coast to the Mediterranean. I plan to spend some time cruising in Portugal, a place I’ve already been able to experience when I went kitesurfing there,” he explains, “Then I want to enjoy sailing in the Mediterranean before heading out again and going either to Tenerife or even all the way to the Azores.”
Dufour 44 - Information & price
