MULTIHULL SPECIAL - Discovery Yachts

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What the
media says
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Multihull
Buyer’s Guide
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55
Journalist: Dick Durham
www.yachtingmonthly.com
Is this the ultimate
blue water cruiser?
After the Discovery 55 won a ‘marine Oscar’ in 2004, Nick Pochin decided she was
the boat to take him round the world. Dick Durham signed on as crew in Port Said,
Egypt, to check her out. Could this be the ultimate blue water cruiser?
A
s the Discovery 55, Festina Lente, made
her way across the Mediterranean
it was the first time skipper-owner
Nick Pochin, 67, had put his oilskins on for
thousands of miles. He and his three-strong
crew were unused to the chill northern
temperatures after so long in the tropics,
circling the world with the Blue Water Rally.
Nick decided on a rally because: ‘Sailing for
me is about sharing an adventure – first with
a good crew and then with a small group of
likeminded yachtsmen for mutual support.
The rally brought together a great group of
people who have become life-long friends.
We’ve shared an amazing two years together
and helped each other when problems arose.’
Nick’s Ron Holland-designed cruising machine,
dubbed by some a ‘mini superyacht’, was on
passage to Crete, when I joined the crew:
mate Alistair (‘Ali’) Turner, 27, and Polish
yachtswomen Anna Mrzyglod, 30 and Marta
Czuba, 29. The Discovery 55 pilot house
sloop won the ‘Boat of Year’ accolade at the
American magazine Cruising World’s annual
awards in 2004. Over the course of Festina
Lente’s 27,000-mile circumnavigation Nick has
managed 17 separate days in which she made
runs of 200 miles and has averaged eight
knots!
She crossed the Atlantic in 17 days, notching
up her fastest speed: 16.9 knots, surfing down
a wave. ‘I drew up a shortlist of boats to take
me on a round the world cruise and on it were
the Oyster 56, the Farr 56 and the Discovery
55,’ said Nick. He viewed all three, but the
Discovery 55’s deck saloon, with its 180°
panoramic view from the chart table, made his
mind up. What also helped is that the yacht
can be sailed two-handed.
‘I have sailed her singlehanded at times, too,’
said Nick. ‘All lines are led back to the cockpit,
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which is deep and safe.’ Surprisingly, after
27,000 miles there is nothing Nick would
change about his boat. He suffered minor
problems with his in-mast furling – a rogue
screw stuck out proud inside the Seldén mast.
For downwind sailing he had twin headsails
on a Twistle rig and ran with them for four
days and four nights during the Atlantic
crossing. On the wind, he sets the self-tacking
inner headsail. The wheel is in a self-contained
tub, which can be used as a bath, a feature
which Nick initially laughed at. ‘But I found it
came in handy for washing the salt out of our
oilskins,’ he said. Stainless steel davits hold a
ready-to-launch Avon 3.5 inflatable, powered
by an 8hp Yamaha outboard. As well as a
tender it could provide useful backup to the
pushpithung liferaft. Forward, the 40kg Delta
anchor on 80 metres of heavy chain is lowered
using an electric Lewmar windlass.
The sprayhood joins the bimini to ensure
complete protection from the harsh tropical
sunlight.
DOWN BELOW
The main saloon in the pilot house has a
circular, raised dining area with panoramic
views, which can be converted to a double
berth. There is also a second berth on the
starboard side, which Nick never used and
plans to convert into storage for charts and
books. To starboard is a raised chart table
fitted with a Raymarine chartplotter, which
is integrated with radar and ST60 electronic
speed, wind and depth read-outs. She has an
ICOM 802 SSB radio, a Raymarine DSC VHF
radio and a built in laptop PC that hinges
down from the deckhead over the chart table
and is linked by NMEA to all systems. She
also has two independent GPS systems and
a Navtex. His most valued piece of kit on the
circumnavigation was his Raymarine electronic
autopilot, which performed around the globe
‘without a hiccup.’ This yacht is a luxury home
from home.
Nick has a DVD player, with cinema surround
sound, plus two Lynx TV screens – one in
the aft cabin and one in the saloon – and a
connoisseur’s Linn hi-fi system with cockpit
speakers. The boat is also fitted with air
conditioning.
Under the saloon sole are three diesel tanks,
which carry 210 gallons (800 litres) of fuel, plus
two water tanks with 325 gallons (1,310 litres).
The boat is also fitted with a Seafresh watermaker, which can turn salt water into fresh at
the rate of 90 litres an hour. Off to port and aft
of the main saloon is the galley, which is long
and narrow enough to wedge yourself into in
a seaway. But it, too, is a real home-from-home
feature. A 100-amp Victron inverter provides
power to a 240-volt ring main, which means,
among other things, that tea is made with a
plug-in electric kettle! The equipment includes
Zanussi washing machine and drier, twin
fridges, a freezer, a gas stove with full sized
oven and a microwave.
In all she has two heads and eight berths.
In the forepeak is a double bed and hanging
lockers. On the port side, just aft of the
forepeak, is a separate cabin with two bunk
beds. Opposite is a head, shared by both
forward cabins, with a manually operated
Jabsco toilet and a shower. The aft cabin,
entered through a door from the galley, has
a double bed and electrically operated head.
The engine – a 140 HP Yanmar turbo diesel
with dry exhaust – and the generator are
located under the cockpit.
UNDER WAY
The boat is a dream to helm, whether under
sail or power. She is light, well balanced and
responsive. In fact, she is so well balanced that
the Autohelm covered virtually the whole
passage from Suez to Crete – even taking
care of matters when it came on to blow.
Standing a watch was therefore a breeze: I
could concentrate on throwing a 360 every
few minutes! During the last night, I did switch
to manual while were motoring round the
north eastern corner of Crete and delighted in
feeling such a powerful boat making six knots
over the ground through a dead-noser while
other boats in the fleet anchored under Crete’s
eastern shore to wait for the wind to ease.
JOURNEY’S END
Three nights out from Port Said, Festina Lente
berthed stern-to, with assistance from her
bow-thruster, in the marina at Agios Nikolaos,
Crete.
‘My life is now sailing and nothing else,’ said
Nick, who plans to have the boat refurbished
at Discovery’s Southampton yard before
setting off for the Baltic. His long term cruising
plan is to sail down the west coast of South
America.
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55
Journalist: Richard Haworth
www.yachtingworld.com
Dances with foxes
pressure builds up over the island. Greenland
also offers remote anchorages that are miles
from anywhere except the occasional friendly
Inuit settlement that survives as a lively fishing
and sealing port.
Close encounters of the furry kind are one of the unexpected thrills when high
latitudes adviser Richard Haworth joins the crew of Discovery 55 Saxon Blue
for a summertime cruise up the west coast of Greenland.
T
he island on which we had landed
had very little vegetation. It was like a
moonscape of dark volcanic rock with soft
patches of green moss. Harvey and I had gone
for a walk ashore from our remote anchorage
just north of Umanak on the west coast of
Greenland, well inside the Arctic Circle at 70°N.
We were surprised to find the remains of old
Inuit grave sites but even more so that we were
being followed by a small brown animal, a
young Arctic fox. As the inquisitive little animal
got closer to Harvey, it seemed to become
bolder. Patiently, he lured the inquisitive fox
closer and soon the animal was dancing at his
fingertips. I had seen a few Arctic foxes before
but never anything like this. As the fox became
bolder, I began to wonder if we would have
difficulty in dissuading our furry friend from
joining us in the dinghy when we returned to
the yacht. We managed to return without the
fox and were bursting to tell Andrea and Kali
about the encounter. The fox was clearly young
enough to be ignorant of the dangers posed by
its main predator — man. Such are the joys of
sailing in one of the remotest cruising grounds
in the Northern Hemisphere.
A checklist for high latitudes
The voyage had started with a phone call from
Harvey Jones. He was building a new Discovery
55 and hoped to take her to the Arctic the
following summer. Could we have a look at the
boat with him and talk about preparations for
the trip?
This was the first Discovery we had been
asked to consult on and I was impressed. She
seemed to have been designed as a serious
passagemaker and her design focused on her
being a capable cruising boat, nothing else,
and did it very well. On board I ran through
our checklist of concerns when preparing a
vessel for the Arctic. There were a few minor
modifications I thought Harvey could consider
so we devised a plan to ensure Saxon Blue
would be ready.
Harvey planned to take the boat to Greenland
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Although this coast is remote, provisions and
fuel are readily available (if expensive) and an
efficient network of flights links nearly all the
communities allowing connections back to
Europe for crew changes. Although yachting
is uncommon — you certainly won’t find
any marinas here — the seafaring locals are
generally happy to assist with any problems
that arise. The only barrier is that the lingua
franca is Inuit; English is rarely spoken.
Pea-soupers and polar ice
via Scotland, the Faeroes and Iceland. He and
his partner, Andrea, also wanted to have on
board an experienced first mate; someone
who could run the boat alone if necessary and
more importantly would fit in with the relaxed
atmosphere on board. We introduced Harvey to
a long-time shipmate of mine called Kali who
proved to be ideal. With so much involvement
in the cruise, I was thrilled when Harvey asked
me if I could join them for the Arctic leg. He
thought my experience would enable them
to explore some of the more remote and
challenging areas and help keep the trip free
from unnecessary risk.
As it turns out, both the boat and her crew
were put through their paces before they
even reached Greenland. In the Denmark
Strait between Iceland and Greenland, we encountered a northerly gale providing some fast
sailing and very rough water. As always with
quartering seas the resulting motion of the
boat was uncomfortable but both vessel and
crew stood up to the initiation test well.
Approaching Cape Farewell, we were presented
with another challenge: could we get through
Prince Christian Sound? Local contacts had
indicated that this scenic shortcut between
the Denmark Strait and Baffin Bay was opening
unusually early this season. However, as we
approached, it looked as though the entrance
was blocked by several large icebergs. Our
hearts sank. The channel had featured heavily in
our planning as it offered a few days of scenic
passagemaking and safe anchorages each
night; far more appealing than a long passage
round the notoriously rough Cape Farewell.
Into the ice
It turned out that appearances were deceptive.
We picked our way slowly through the icebergs
into the eastern end of the Sound without a
problem and soon we had the boat secured
to the rocky shore with two long lines. Later, a
hearty meal was eaten at the table and then
all on board slept well. The cruise had most
definitely begun. The west coast of Greenland
is relatively unknown as a cruising destination.
Yet, its coast is blessed with stable good
weather for long periods in summer, when high
We had planned for most of our time on this
voyage to be spent in the icy, picturesque
region between Aasiaat and Upernavik.
Fine in theory. In practice, as we moved up
the coastline, we ran into thick fog. A cold
northerly current runs along this coast and
had combined with the damp air of Baffin
Bay to create some of the worst pea-soupers I
had ever experienced. As we motored steadily
north, we kept our eyes glued to the radar to
avoid the frequent icebergs.
A stiff southerly wind cleared the fog as we
approached Disko Bay, building to around
35 knots directly astern. As if that did not
make progress exciting enough, we were
now entering the ice-strewn waters of Disko
Bay, sailing among big icebergs calved from
the giant glaciers which descend from the
Greenland icecap.
The bergs did not really worry us — they
were easy enough to spot and avoid. What
caused most concern were the myriad small
pieces of ice that had fractured from the
larger bergs and now lay hidden in the white
surface of the sea. These brought a whole
new meaning to being on watch. It was a
relief when we entered a sheltered fjord on
Disko Island where we could spend a peaceful
night. Not all our nights would turn out to
be that peaceful. Many anchorages were
threatened by hits of ice that drifted in on the
wind and current and on several occasions
we were woken in the middle of the night by
the thump of a piece of ice on the bow. The
reaction was always the same — a number
of crew members running on deck, usually
dressed in an assortment of dressing gowns
and underwear as we assessed the danger. If
the ice seemed large enough to damage the
propeller or rudder we would fend it off using
an ice ‘tuk’ - an Inuit implement, designed for
the purpose, that Harvey had had recreated
by the Exe Buoy I-look company in Devon.
On occasion, the ice would be so big that we
had to launch the dinghy and push it away. It
turns out that a 20hp outboard can shift even
a fair-sized iceberg at half a knot or so!
Mountain high
As we approached Upernavik, towering
granite cliffs loomed on all sides around us. A
few intrepid mountaineers have attempted
to scale these impressive slabs and we had
made a tentative arrangement to meet up
with one of them, Bob Shepton. Sure enough,
we found Bob in an anchorage which he
and I had shared on previous exploits. On
board his little Westerly, a party of climbers
were toasting their successful ascent of the
Impossible Wall. The celebration party aboard
Saxon Blue was musical and friendly, going
on long into the sunlit small hours of the
morning.
By this time, we were receiving daily ice charts
from our office back in the UK to assist in
planning for the crossing to Baffin Island. It
was not looking good. We were keeping a
close eye on the ‘middle pack’, the term given
to a section of the pack ice that remains in
the centre of Baffin Bay after the coasts of
Greenland and Baffin Island have cleared. This
year the middle pack was being particularly
stubborn and had failed to disintegrate as
early as usual.
It would have been possible to sail around
either the southern or the northern end of it.
But, this would mean a long cold voyage and
it was doubtful whether the anchorages on
Baffin Island would be fully clear of ice even
when we got there.
So Harvey decided to bide his time a little in
Greenland and wait for the pack ice to recede.
For me, this meant a quick change of travel
plans because I was due to return home
to Scotland for the birth of our first child.
With the revised flights booked, I called my
wife on the satellite phone to let her know
my plans. She greeted me with the words:
“We’ve got a little boy!” We had just had our
encounter with the fox and I thought life
couldn’t get much weirder. Instead, I had
suddenly become a dad! We celebrated with
champagne as I tried to put my changing life
into perspective — not easy. I got home to a
healthy and beautiful baby son. Harvey and
crew also finally slipped through the ice of
Baffin Bay to the remote and uncharted fiords
of Baffin Island where they had some amazing
encounters with polar bears and bowhead
whales. And, for Saxon Blue, this adventure
was just the beginning. Her next stop was
the Caribbean.
7
55
www.boatinternational.com
Discovery 55
24V Lewmar windlass and a kedge roller on the
stern is positioned to allow the nylon rod to
be led to one of the Lewmar 64 ECST primary
winches. Andersen winches are an option.
Creator of the charter group, Sunsail, and single-handed Atlantic racer, John Charnley,
recently formed Discovery Yachts to build top quality, blue water cruising yachts.
T
wo years ago this ‘wish list’ was handed
to the famous naval architect, Ron
Holland, and renowned interior designer
Ken Freivokh, whose combined skills were to
turn the dream into a reality - a brand new
cruising design, the Discovery 55. The result
is an elegant and comfortable cruising yacht
with sleek lines both above and under the
water. The design brief required her to have
space for visiting friends as well as stowage for
everything that would be needed along the
way. More importantly, many of the systems
are duplicated and utilise only the finest quality
products for total reliability.
At first glance, she bears a striking resemblance
to an Oyster. The decks have a pleasing sheer
and the pilothouse sweeps up off the deck at
a rakish angle. The Selden rig is a keel-stepped
B&R design with no baby stay or forward
lowers but a different rig, even composite,
can be specified. A Hood mainsail with full
battens and lazy jacks are standard for ease of
handling. However, Discovery Magic, the first
off the line, has in-mast furling with Vertech
vertical battens. Additional short battens were
also placed between the usual first and second
battens to stiffen the upper leach. The sail plan
choice is between a sloop, standard cutter or,
as on Discovery Magic, twin forestays with a
90 per cent blade jib inside and overlapping
genoa foremost. Both are self tacking with
manual furlers leading to an electric winch.
Her cockpit layout is spacious, practical and
innovative. Tall coamings offer good lumbar
support and the large spray hood can be
enhanced by a full, folding bimini. The fixed
table has an unusual drinks holder which will
accommodate a serious tea mug - as uniquely
British as the oblong apertures in the bottle
cupboard for the Gordons gin. A deep sump
at the forward end of the cockpit keeps water
off the sole and provides protection for the
deck-wash outlets. The helmsman’s cockpit
is separated from the main cockpit by a mini
bridgedeck and is shaped as a comfortable
double-ended bath. Close inspection reveals
fresh and saltwater feed to this area. ‘We really
wanted to incorporate a splash pool for trade
wind sailing, which we could also use as a hot
tub’, says John. The water for the tub is heated
by a titanium calorifier.
The Discovery’s binnacle provides enough
space to accommodate an autopilot and chart
plotter/radar together with an engine, winch,
windlass and bow thruster control, not to
mention an emergency stop for the winches.
There are no cockpit lockers, but a pair of
cavernous lazarette lockers and a huge sail
locker forward will gobble up any portable
deck gear.
On deck, similar experience has culminated in
sensible handholds, dedicated liferaft locker,
Propane locker for two large cylinders and
enough ground tackle to hold an SO-footer fast
through a gale. The 40kg Delta bower anchor
and 60m of chain is weighed effortlessly by the
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An unusual touch is the teak ‘dolphin watching’
seats set into the pulpit which make a
wonderfully peaceful spot to sit out in fine
weather under sail, as do the taffrail seats aft.
Deep, wide steps take you below to the heart
of the yacht: the spacious and curvy raised
saloon, where the skills of interior designer, Ken
Freivokh, stand out. Large windows and light
cherry joinery make it very light and double
glazing keeps the warmth in and condensation
at bay. Not only is the comfortable seating
raised up to make the best of the view, but
so is the navigation station just inside the
companionway. A small pilot berth sits atop the
chart chest, just forward of the chart table, and
extends aft under the table itself. The saloon
table incorporates a neat allowing plenty
of legroom. An alternative layout places the
saloon seating lower and uses the full width of
the hull.
To keep the weight low, the generator is
mounted under the saloon sole with the 12x2V
sealed gel domestic batteries. All the electrical
switching gear is on the chart table support
and the electrical system utilises only top
quality components.
The galley extends the length of the corridor
aft. Immediately to hand is the massivelyinsulated, front-opening double Frigomatic
fridge with separate freezer under the saloon
sole, both with sea water cooled condensers
for efficiency. The inboard side of the galley is
dedicated to all things wet, with large and small
sinks and a deep drainer. Stowage is plentiful
and there is room for a dishwasher beneath
the Corian worktop. The area is well lit and
ventilated by opening hatches.
The spacious owner’s cabin has a king-size bed
with sprung mattresses set on battens for air
circulation. Two single berths are optional and
lee cloths are supplied. The luxurious cabin also
provides a comfortable armchair, dressing table
and enough stowage to swallow a model’s
wardrobe. Ventilation is provided by six hatches,
two large Dorades and a pair of electric fans.
Provision is made for a full-size washer/dryer in
the roomy en suite and access to the engine
room, with full standing headroom, is through a
door off the shower compartment. The forward
guest cabin, accessed through a watertight
door in the forward corridor, contains two large
berths, both fitted with lee cloths. Once again,
stowage is plentiful and the cabin has a vanity
unit and large hanging locker. Opposite is the
heads with separate shower.
The second forward cabin has an ample double
bed, twin hanging lockers, and individual
mattresses to allow a central lee cloth to be
utilised. Ventilation is from a large overhead
hatch, Dorade ventilator and two fans.
We took Discovery Magic out for a sail. The
four-cylinder, 140hp Yanmar diesel drives the
slippery hull effortlessly through the water via
a three-bladed, feathering propeller, giving a
cruising speed of roughly 8.5 knots at 2,600rpm.
Range is dependent on the number of fuel
tanks specified. The boat is fitted with five 400
litre tanks which can be filled with either fuel or
water. An independent rainwater tank is fed by
diverters on the deck drains.
Thanks to the furling main, we were under full
sail in less than three minutes, with no fuss or
any strained muscles. The self-tacking blade
jib is a real boon for short-handed beating and
provides ample power on a reach.
Under sail, she is easily handled by a competent
couple. The electric primary and mainsheet
winches are within easy reach of the helm and
a similar electric coachroof winch makes light
work of the halyards, mainsail out haul furling
lines and jib sheet, via a bank of clutches.
The Ron Holland racing pedigree soon became
apparent as we skimmed down the smooth
Southampton water at eight knots in 15 knots
of wind, with a mere ripple from her fine entry
bows. Once into The Solent, the wind picked
up to 22 knots but the wind-against-tide
lumpiness didn’t worry the Discovery. She
merely dug her heels in and sliced through the
chop at near hull speed despite being hard
on the wind. Her high ballast ratio, low bulb
keel and large semi-balanced rudder kept her
tracking like the 08.15 Paris Express, but all the
time her motion through the oncoming waves
was commanding. She exuded a feeling of
quiet confidence - a sensation that she would
happily eat up the miles, regardless of sea state,
while keeping her crew calm and more than
comfortable.
We threw in a few quick tacks, made easy
by the self-tacking jib. The large rudder
threatened to stall her if brought around too
quickly, but a little moderation allowed her to
retain maximum momentum while tacking
consistently through an impressive 74 to 76
degrees.
Discovery Magic has an excellent windward
performance considering her loose-footed
main and only starts to baulk at 30 degrees to
the apparent wind while still charging forth at
over nine knots. Cracking her off to 35 degrees
gave us an extra half a knot and, as soon as the
gusts hit, 30 knots the log regularly nudged
ten knots. Under full sail, she finally succumbed
to a little weather helm, but the rudder kept
its bite. A roll or two in both sails immediately
righted us and lightened the helm, but had
little effect on our speed as we took off on a
comfortable nine-knot beam reach towards
Cowes. With reluctance, we turned and ran
back to the Hamble, shaking out the reef and
setting the overlapping genoa, which gave us
a steady seven-knot broad reach, despite the
now dropping wind.
To sum up, the Discovery 55 is a beautiful
boat, soundly constructed out of the best
materials and designed to look after her crew,
whatever nature throws up. But none of this is
at the expense of performance which is in the
top league of today’s modern cruiser-racers.
9
55
BLUE WATEP
www.bluewatersailing.com
A pure blue-water cruiser
We had motored up the Beaulieu River for a quiet lunch and were able, luckily, to
watch from the boat’s raised dinette a thick rolling squall move in from the Solent that
dowsed us and the surrounding fens with a heavy downpour.
with an instructor to get them up to speed
on basic sailing skills. This was their first look
at a Discovery 55 in the flesh.
Eight of us gathered somewhat snuggly at
the raised saloon table for a glass of wine and
amiable chat. Around us, in full view from
the huge dinette, we were able to watch the
sun set on historic Yarmouth without having
to crane our necks or stand up to see out.
A seemingly small detail, but being able to
watch the world go by from the dinette - a
place cruisers will spend a lot of time - is one
of the design innovations that really sets the
55 apart.
After a day on the water, we knew we were
aboard a cruising boat that had been created
with extra care to provide her owners with
both a fine seagoing cruiser and a wellthought-out home afloat. And, we still had
our circumnavigation of the Isle of Wight
ahead of us.
DESIGN CONCEPT AND CONSTRUCTION
When John Charnley created Discovery
Yachts, he brought a wealth of experience to
the project. A veteran of the singlehanded
transatlantic and other long distance races,
John was also the original founder of Sunsail,
I
was sailing with John and Caroline Charnley,
creators of the Discovery 55, and our
destination that afternoon was the old
harbor at Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight’s
northwest coast, a sail of a dozen miles or so.
As we left the mouth of the Beaulieu, we
rolled out the mainsail, laid the helm over
onto the port tack and then rolled out the
100-percent jib. The Discovery 55 gathered
the lO-knot breeze in her sails, leaned slightly
but purposefully and then accelerated
steadily to an easy 6.5 knots. After a mile or so,
we tacked over to starboard - the Solent Rig is
self-tending - to head out into the Solent and
toward Yarmouth. The feel on the helm was
light and balanced, yet the rudder turned the
boat with authority and easily held her in the
10
groove going windward.
About half way across the Solent, as the wind
was picking up slightly, we encountered a
cruising ketch on port tack that was coming
at us with purpose. The skipper of the ketch
could see us under the mainsail but made
no indication that he was going to give
way despite being the burdened vessel. We
waited a bit to see if he would abide by the
rules of the road but when it became clear
that he wasn’t planning to do so, I simply
threw the wheel over without touching a
sheet and tacked under his bow. Painless.
What was even more pleasing was that after
falling off slightly to gather some speed, I was
able to crank the 55 close to the wind and
now the world’s largest charter company.
Before launching the new luxury cruising
boat into the market, he put pen to paper
and came up with a detailed design brief.
The essence of the brief was to create a
well-appointed cruising boat that was to be
easily handled by a couple but would have all
the amenities of an elegant home away from
home, including ample space for guests or
children. Moreover, the boat was to be a fine
sailing vessel that would have excellent sea
keeping qualities and be built to withstand
whatever rigors the sea might throw at it.
Of particular importance was the creation
of a saloon and chart table that has wide
views through the deck-saloon windows so
that those seated at the dinette can watch
the world go by and a watch stander at the
chart table can maintain a visual watch, again
through the saloon windows, while down
below and out of the elements.
With the concept in hand, John and Caroline
turned to Ron Holland, to execute the hull,
deck and rig, and to Ken Freivokh to style the
interior. The result is the Discovery 55, which
was first shown at the 200I Southampton
(England) Boat Show and of which there are
now seven sailing and three more under
construction.
A new Ron Holland design under 80 feet is a
relative rarity today, since the New Zealander,
who makes his home in Ireland, has a well
earned reputation for designing superyachts
like the new Mirabella V for Joe Vittoria (of
Avis fame and fortune). Earlier in his career,
Holland drew a wide range of moderately
sized racing and cruising boats for custom
building projects and for companies such as
Nautor Swan. His racing boats won trophy
rooms full of silver and his cruising boats
became known as fast, comfortable voyagers
that looked after their crews. Yet, it has been a
decade or more since Holland has delivered a
family cruising boat like the Discovery 55, so
the new design offers something truly special
to its owners. Ken Freivokh will be less well
known to an American audience. His work
has been in the European megayacht field,
where he has designed interiors for most of
the major yacht designers and builders. His
brief from the Charnleys was to create a wellcoordinated and airy interior that has the feel
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE...
sail away from the ketch at a considerably
higher angle and faster. An hour later, when
we tacked toward the entrance to Yarmouth,
the ketch was about a mile astern and about
three miles leeward.
That night we moored the 55’s bow and
stern to two pilings and alongside a classic
wood sloop inside the tight little harbor at
Yarmouth. We manoeuvred in and around
the harbor easily with the aid of the big Gori
propeller and the bow thruster. As soon as we
had made fast, a group of youngsters from
a nearby boat arrived for a sundowner with
the Charnleys; they were the daughters and
friends of the soon-to-be owners of a new 55
that was to be launched later that week and
had been sent out on a “learn to sail” cruise
11
55
BLUE WATEP
www.bluewatersailing.com
epoxy paste and stainless steel bolts. The
interior section of the joint is bonded with a
layer of fiberglass and then the teak toe rail is
bolted through the bulwark with additional
stainless steel bolts. From the initial concept
to the finished product, the Discovery
Yachts team have set very high standards for
themselves and then striven hard to meet
them. In the end, those who sail their 55s are
the beneficiaries of all this effort.
THE RIG AND SAIL PLAN
With simplicity and reliability as primary
goals, Discovery Yachts and Holland set out
to build a rig that a couple could handle
with ease in a wide range of conditions and
sailing angles. Roller furling and reefing on all
sails and electric primary winches provided
that starting point. But to make the boat
self-tacking, easy to reef and fun on a reach
or run, they opted for two non-standard
approaches.
First, they chose to use an oval Selden mast
with a B&R rig that has long, swept-back
spreaders and only single upper and lower
stays falling to chainplates on deck. Although
the swept-back spreaders make running dead
downwind difficult due to chafe on the main
sail, the rig is utterly simple and keeps the
decks uncluttered. However, for downwind
sailing, the boat is perfectly set up running
under twin headsails.
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE...
of an elegant home, while working well both
at anchor and at sea.
With this genesis, the Discovery 55 was born.
The hull that Holland designed is moderate
in all ways. The bow design eschews modern
plumb-stem trends and sticks with a pleasing
overhang with plenty of flare forward,
which makes the boat dry and buoyant. The
maximum beam of 15 feet, eight inches (a
35-percent beam/length ratio) is carried well
aft, yet the waterlines sweep back together
under the transom so the boat will carry
sail well but will not tend to get squirrelly
running in a large following sea.
The 55 has a cruising fin keel with a bulb
that helps to lower the center of gravity; the
bulb also creates an end-plate effect that
enhances the lift of the keel. The standard
keel draws seven feet while the shoal-draft
12
option draws six feet. The rudder is semibalanced and hung on a massive skeg that
has been engineered to withstand a direct
collision with a submerged object. The rudder
has Kevlar reinforcing and is molded around
a stainless steel shaft and rudder frame. Two
sets of rudder bearings hold the rudder in line
and provide for fingertip steering. The rudder
is driven by a Whitlock steering system. The
boat’s design numbers tell a tale of what the
design is all about.
With a ballast/displacement ratio of 42.2
percent, the boat is stiffer than most cruising
boats. The displacement/length ratio of 247
might be considered somewhat heavy by
today’s racer/cruiser standards, but many
veteran cruising boat designers consider a
D/L of 250 to be ideal for ocean work. The sail
area/displacement ratio of 15.89 lies at the
conservative end of the spectrum but is just
right for a boat that is intended to venture far
and wide on the ocean.
The hull and deck laminates were engineered
by the boffins at New Zealand’s High
Modulus Engineering who are known
as leaders in composite construction
techniques. Both hull and deck are balsacored and vacuum-bagged inside female
molds. The hull is molded of Vinyl ester resin
throughout with two layers of isothalic gel
coat to ward off osmosis. The forward hull
sections incorporate Kevlar cloth to prevent
penetration of the hull in an at-sea collision.
The hull carries a five-year warranty against
osmosis.
The deck is a vacuum-bagged fiberglass
molding with a balsa core. Load-bearing areas
are reinforced with marine plywood in place
of the balsa core while all deck fittings have
stainless steel or aluminum backing plates.
The hull-to-deck joint has been massively
engineered to avoid flexing or leaking. The
raised deck bulwark all around nestles into
a flange in the hull, where it is bonded with
The second decision was to offer a Solent
Rig as an option. The 55 can be rigged as a
sloop or a standard cutter with a staysail. But,
with the Solent Rig - the reaching genoa on
the headstay and the 100 percent jib on a
stay just aft of the genoa - the boat can be
sailed upwind in self-tacking mode and then
can add the horsepower of the genoa off
the wind. Not well known on this side of the
Atlantic, the Solent Rig has gained popularity
in Europe for voyaging because it allows a
single watch stander to handle all headsails
and trim in an easy and efficient way.
Having sailed the boat for two days in upwind
and downwind conditions, we can vouch for
the rig’s ease of handling and power.
ACCOMMODATIONS AND ENGINEERING
We were aboard the 55 for two days in the
south of England, sailing from Southampton
to Yarmouth and then around the Isle of
Wight. We had sun and rain and some wind
but nothing that would test either the boat
or crew. We ate most meals aboard and in
Yarmouth entertained a crowd in the main
saloon. The original design brief called for
the boat to have plenty of space for a couple
living aboard with enough additional room
for visitors. In our experience, the 55 fulfills
that brief very well.
The main saloon, as noted above, has the
large oval dinette to port under the raised
deck where it provides comfortable seating
for six, all of whom will be able to see the
anchorage around them while eating. The
raised chart table to starboard has a full view
through the saloon windows so the watch
stander can sit below and keep an eye on
things in warmth and comfort. With the radar
on and the autopilot steering, all one needs
to do is pop out on deck every 15 minutes to
check the horizon and the sails. Then you can
dodge below again to the comfy bench seat
at the chart table.
The master cabin lies aft down a passageway
that doubles as the galley. The aft cabin
has a large centerline double berth that is
segmented down the middle so a leecloth
can be rigged when at sea. The aft head is to
starboard and is large, airy and useful. Access
to the engine room is via a stand-up door in
the enclosed shower stall, as is the washer/
drier compartment. I should note that the
55 has custom mattresses that are the most
comfortable I’ve tested in years.
The galley is one of the best we have seen
on a boat of this size. The passage is wide
enough for two to pass easily but still
narrow enough to be safe and comfortable
when cooking in a seaway. Ample storage
is provided for long-term living aboard. The
galley sinks are on the centerline so they will
drain easily on both tacks and incorporated
in the Corian counter near the sinks is a large
shallow sink that is perfect for quickly stowing
plates, cups and cooking utensils when the
boat is pitching or rolling. The utility sink also
doubles as a drip tray when washing up after
a meal. We should all have this type of utility
sink on our boats.
The passageway to the forward cabins is
around the dinette and down two steps.
An optional watertight door can be added
at the main bulk-head to seal off the bow
sections in an emergency. The standard
configuration has a double cabin to port with
upper and lower single berths and a double
cabin forward with a large v-berth. These two
cabins share a huge head to starboard that
has its own shower stall.
The engineering in the boat has been artfully
tucked away behind and beneath all of
the living furniture so it is out of sight but
convenient to get at. The main engine room
lies under the cockpit and has standing
head-room and plenty of space to work on
the main engine and the systems that run off
it. The generator lies under the main saloon
floor with the battery bank and the main
fuel and water tanks. The electrical panel is
positioned on the front of the raised chart
table where systems can be switched on
and off conveniently and the status of the
batteries checked with a glance.
Laid out for comfortable living aboard
and extended cruising, the 55 also makes
standard maintenance and repairs to the
ship’s systems easier because the spaces have
been so well laid out.
BWS thoughts - After our night in Yarmouth,
we motorsailed in light drizzle around the
Isle of Wight, passing close to the famous
Needles, and then travelled on around the
high chalky cliffs on the island’s eastern side.
As we re-entered the Solent the rain stopped
and the breeze picked up a bit so we were
able to fill the main and roll out the genoa
for an hour of pleasant reaching. Once again,
the boat gathered way quickly and was soon
sailing along at seven-plus knots on an even
keel. The new Discovery 55 sails very well and,
with the Solent rig, offers her crew quick and
easy options for making the best use of the
available breeze. Such sailing performance
should be expected from a Ron Hollanddesigned cruiser.
The Discovery 55 is also an innovative and
eminently comfortable voyaging home.
With great details such as the fresh water
catchment system built into the deck
scuppers, the ability to transform the
helmsman’s cockpit into a hot tub and the
extensive redundancy of the house electrical
systems, the boat has been built for comfort,
style, great ocean sailing and a lot of fun.
13
57
14
15
57
Journalist: Toby Hodges
A new Discovery
on original lines
British builders, Discovery Yachts, have enjoyed a modest success with
their debut 55-footer. Eleven years and several designs later, they have
returned to their original bluewater concept, says Toby Hodges.
T
here was a time when a 40-footer was a
big boat. And not so long ago either—
well within my three decades of floating
around. Indeed, 32ft was large enough to
house me for four years. It was only recently
that 50ft began to be considered the new ’big’
size. So what is it about the magic number
‘57’ all of a sudden? At shows, 57-footers are
being marketed as the largest size couples
can comfortably handle, thanks to modern
deck gear, systems and arrangements. But it
still seems a heck of a lot of boat. Sixty plus
is perhaps too scary - not to mention too
expensive - so at least keeping it in the 50s
maybe seems more comforting, more do-able.
With the southerly 57, Oyster 575, Spirit 57DH
and now news of a forthcoming Discovery
57, Rustler 57, and Gunfleet 58. I couldn’t help
but wonder whether our renewed surge in UK
quality yachts couldn’t be in danger of flooding
the buoyant export market. But the production
boats have all been hitting the 57 mark or
thereabouts over the past couple of years flagships of the Jeanneau and Bénéteau range
are 57 and 58 respectively, and Bavaria’s is a 55.
Our September test showed how push-button
hydraulics have allowed the new HallbergRassy 64 to be marketed as a couple’s boat.
With news that Hanse could be launching a 78,
however, I wonder how far the benchmark size
for non-crewed sailing might keep stretching!
Eleven years after their original 55ft bluewater
cruiser was launched, Discovery Yachts have
introduced a slightly larger version, the
57. The 55 will still be built while demand
continues and with up to six a year being built,
she remains the mainstay of the company’s
production. Central to the Discovery ethos
is the ability for their yachts to be sailed by a
couple. “We’re selling to people going beyond
the ARC, so everything has got to work,” says
the company’s managing director Nigel Stuart.
The new 57 will have a much larger walkthrough cockpit than the 55 - although the
hot tub has gone - and the aft cabin looks
vast. But the main appeal of the new boat,
which will launch in 2012 is likely to be
her magnificent raised saloon - a veritable
conservatory of glass.
Designed by Ron Holland, with an interior by
Ken Freivokh, who has brought his experience
of superyacht styling to bear on the deck
curves, the 57 saloon is just three steps
16
down from the cockpit and looks stunning.
Illuminated with ample natural light and with
all round views, the contemporary interior
will come in cherry, oak or maple, although
you can order teak, mahogany, bird’s-eye,
you name it — custom joiner work is not a
problem for this yard.
We recently saw a full mock-up of the interior,
with two double cabins and a pullman, as
well as the cockpit, at the yard in Marchwood,
Southampton. Discovery create this at a
preliminary stage to help them understand
and develop the design. It was particularly
beneficial to ensure the helm height was right
in such a large deep central cockpit. “It’s very
important to me that sailors feel in the boat
when helming, not on it,” Stuart explains.
The 55’s cutter rig proved popular - it was
requested for all but one boat - so it stays
for the 57, as does a two-spreader rig, which
is considered easier to tune and service
worldwide. Crucially, the 57 still boasts a sail
locker plus extra stowage solutions such as a
walk-in workshop, cockpit cushion stowage and
deck lazarettes as a result of owner feedback. At
29 tonnes, the new 57 will carry a hefty 1,340lt
of fuel and 1,000lt of water and will be sold with
a full spec for an estimated £1,125,000 ex VAT.
In the years since the launch of the 55,
Discovery Yachts have produced a 67 and a
50ft catamaran, one of which was on show at
the Southampton Boat Show.
The company say the 57 represents a return
to their roots. “The 57 will define Discovery,”
Stuart says. “It’s what we started with and are
coming back to.”
17
67
18
19
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Journalist: Toby Hodges
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67
Date of publication: August 2010
Journalist: Jake Kavangh
www.sailingtoday.co.uk
BOATS BOATS
blue water
blue water
ideas ideas
1818
The Discovery
The67
Discovery
is
67 is
a fast, performance
a fast, performance
voyager, butvoyager,
can be but can be
easily sailedeasily
by ansailed by an
average couple.
average couple.
BIG BBOIAGTBIOTAT IT
SU SU
IDEASIDTEOASE!TO E!
ANYOANNYON
1. Watching
1. Watching
dolphins dolphins
Wildlife is always
Wildlifea is
joy
always
to watch
a joy
at to
sea,
watch at sea,
so Rhiann Marie
so Rhiann
has these
Marietwo
hasdolphin
these two dolphin
The slatted The
teakslatted teak
seats on each
seats
sideonofeach
the bow.
side of
Asthe
with
bow.
all As with
all
‘dolphin’
seats
‘dolphin’ seats
the seating,the
they
seating,
can sitthey
two can
comfortably.
sit two comfortably.
are popular are
on popular on
They also make
They good
also make
extra good
seating
extra
when
seating when
a long trip, and
a long trip, and
entertainingentertaining
on the foredeck.
on theThere
foredeck.
is a There isdon’t
a interfere
don’t interfere
with the cleats
with the cleats
similar stainless-steel
similar stainless-steel
and teak-slatted
and teak-slatted
when docking.
seat on eachseat
sideonofeach
the pushpit
side of the
for pushpit for when docking.
wake-watching,
wake-watching,
with a detachable
with a detachable
bolster
bolster
on the pushpit
on the
rail.pushpit rail.
In his Blog,InStewart
his Blog,
wrote:
Stewart
‘We wrote:
have ‘We have
had large pods
had of
large
dolphins
pods of
with
dolphins
us
with us
countless times,
countless
which
times,
havewhich
been hugely
have been hugely
entertaining.entertaining.
We have frequently
We have used
frequently used
the two-person
the two-person
dolphin watching
dolphinseats
watching seats
forward to good
forward
effect.
to good
Thiseffect.
is a great
This is a great
feature of the
feature
boat of
as the
youboat
can get
as you
eyeball
can get eyeball
contact withcontact
the dolphins
with the
and
dolphins
could and could
almost touch
almost
them.touch them.
2. Catching
2. Catching
rain
rain
Extended cruising
Extended
with
cruising
guestswith
can put
guests
a can put a
strain on water
strain
supplies,
on watersosupplies,
the 67 has
so athe 67 has a
clever rain-catching
clever rain-catching
arrangementarrangement
set into
set into
her starboard
herdeck.
starboard
This simple
deck. This
plumbing
simple plumbing
system willsystem
supplement
will supplement
her fresh water
her fresh water
capacity of capacity
1,400 litres
of 1,400
(314 gals)
litres and
(314 gals) and
extend the service
extend the
life service
of her Seafresh
life of her Seafresh
water maker.
water
Rainwater
maker. running
Rainwater
down
running
her down her
decks falls into
decksthis
falls
drain,
intobelow
this drain,
which
below which
there is a large
theregrp
is asump.
largeOnce
grp sump.
enough
Once enough
Cap rail
3. protector
Cap rail protector
has been drained
has been
overboard
drained to
overboard
be salt free,
to be salt3.
free,
a manual valve
a manual
diverts
valve
the flow
diverts
through
the flow
a through
a
A stainless A
steel
stainless
footplate
steelfixed
footplate
to thefixed to the
filter and into
filter
theand
starboard
into thetank.
starboard
Primarily,
tank. Primarily,
midships boarding
midshipspoint
boarding
protects
point
theprotects the
water from water
this tank
from
will
thisbetank
usedwill
for be used for capping railcapping
from excessive
rail fromwear.
excessive
It is wear. It is
cooking andcooking
washing,
andbut
washing,
will alsobut
bewill also beengraved with
engraved
the Gaelic
with greeting
the Gaelic
‘Agreeting ‘A
potable via potable
extra filters
via extra
if necessary.
filters if necessary. Thousand Welcomes.’
Thousand Welcomes.’
Ideas
Ideas
for
for
bluewater
bluewater
passage-making
passage-making
A big boat
A big
willboat
provide
will fast
provide
passage
fast passage
times and
times
a great
anddeal
a great
of comfort,
deal of comfort,
but can they
but can
be sailed
they be
short-handed
sailed short-handed
without awithout
crew ofa winch
crew ofmonkeys?
winch monkeys?
The Graham
The family
Grahaminvited
familyusinvited
aboard
ustheir
aboard
Discovery
their Discovery
67 to see67their
to see
favourite
their favourite
innovations
innovations
for speed,
forcomfort,
speed, comfort,
sail-handling
sail-handling
and deepand
water
deep
anchoring.
water anchoring.
Voyaging around
Voyaging
thearound
world isthe
a dream
world is a dream
is packed full
is packed
of ideasfull
thatofwill
ideas
translate
that will translate
we wanted we
justwanted
a few more
just afeet,
few because
more feet, because
that is becoming
that isattainable
becomingfor
attainable
more for moresuccessfullysuccessfully
to any long-distance
to any long-distance
cruiser,
cruiser,
personal space
personal
is vital
space
on aislong
vitaltrip.
on aWe
long trip. We
and more people.
and more
Some
people.
of usSome
manage
of us
to manage
irrespective
to
irrespective
of size.
of size.
didn’t wantdidn’t
to invite
want
friends
to invite
aboard
friends
that aboard that
escape when
escape
we’rewhen
young
we’re
and carefree,
young and carefree,
Like so many
Like
of so
us,many
Stewart
of us,
hadStewart
always had always
we hadn’t seen
we hadn’t
for 30 seen
years,
forand
30 then
years,
want
and then want
and in a fairly
andbasic
in a fairly
boat, basic
but theboat,
majority
but the majority
wanted to do
wanted
a circumnavigation,
to do a circumnavigation,
but work but
to work
see the back
to see
of the
them
back
after
of just
themthree
after just three
of us have to
of wait
us have
untiltomiddle
wait until
age,middle
mainlyage,kept
mainly
him firmly
kept him
anchored
firmlyinanchored
Scotland.in Scotland.
days!” So when
days!”Ron
So Holland
when Ron
proposed
Hollandthe
proposed the
to be able totoafford
be able
it to
with
afford
any it
degree
with any degree
When several
When
of his
several
acquaintances
of his acquaintances
died
died
Discovery 67,
Discovery
Stewart67,
wasStewart
able towas
haveable
a to have a
of comfort of
andcomfort
financial
and
security.
financialInsecurity.
the
In
inthe
middle age,
in middle
the 48-year-old
age, the 48-year-old
Graham Graham
great deal ofgreat
input
deal
intoofthe
input
semi-custom
into the semi-custom
meantime the
meantime
excitingthe
world
exciting
of charter
world of charter
changed hischanged
priorities,
hisand
priorities,
decidedand
to decided design,
to
based
design,
largely
based
on his
largely
experiences
on his experiences
allows us toallows
see some
us totantalising
see some previews
tantalising previews
combine spending
combinesome
spending
quality
some
timequality time
with chartering
with with
chartering
Sunsailwith
in various
Sunsail in various
of paradise.of paradise.
with his family
with with
his family
a two-year
with sailing
a two-year sailing
parts of theparts
world.
of the world.
One coupleOne
whocouple
have turned
who have
a five-year
turned a five-year
adventure. But
adventure.
first, they
Buthad
first,
to they
find had
a fast,
to find aThe
fast,result of
The
thisresult
inputofisthis
a remarkably
input is a remarkably
dream into dream
big-boat
into
reality
big-boat
are Stewart
reality are
andStewart
roomy
andbut easily
roomyhandled
but easily
boat,
handled
especially
boat, especially
able passage
able
maker,
passage
easily
maker,
handled
easily
thanks
handled thanks
Patricia Graham,
Patricia
who
Graham,
invitedwho
us aboard
invited us aboard
as the crewas
ofthe
family
crewand
of family
friends and
would
friends
be would
to banks
be of to
electric
bankswinches
of electric
andwinches
self- and selftheir brand-new
their brand-new
Discovery 67,
Discovery
Rhiann 67, Rhiann
of varying ability.
of varying ability.
furling sails,furling
and packed
sails, and
full packed
of clever
full of clever
Marie, to see
Marie,
their to
deep-sea
see their
innovations.
deep-sea innovations.
“We stepped
“We
aboard
stepped
the Discovery
aboard the 55
Discovery
ideas
55 to increase
ideas to
comfort,
increase
range
comfort,
and range and
At 67ft overall
At 67ft
and overall
costingand
£1.7costing
million,
£1.7 million,
at the Southampton
at the Southampton
boat show, boat
and felt
show, and enjoyment
felt
when
enjoyment
thousands
whenof
thousands
miles from
of miles from
their yacht is
their
perhaps
yacht outside
is perhaps
the outside
averagethe average
right at home,”
righthe
at said.
home,”
“The
he design
said. “The
was designhome.
was In the
home.
next In
fewthe
pages,
next few
he has
pages,
listedhe has listed
Sailing Today
Sailing
reader’s
Today
budget,
reader’s
butbudget,
she
but she
just what we
just
had
what
been
welooking
had been
for,looking
but
for, some
but of hissome
favourite
of hisfeatures.
favourite features.
22
76 Sailing Today76august
Sailing
2010
Today august 2010
4/5. Sitting
4/5.comfortably
Sitting comfortably
High coaming
High
at coaming at
As long periods
As long
willperiods
be spent
will
sitting
be spent
at sitting good
at heightgood
for height for
the helm, orthe
lounging
helm, oraboard,
lounging
contoured
aboard, contoured
resting elbow
resting elbow
seating wasseating
essential.
wasThe
essential.
helm seat
The helm seat and contoured
and contoured
outwards. outwards.
below is designed
below isfordesigned
two, whereas
for two,
thewhereas the
cockpit seatcockpit
(right) seat
is angled
(right)toisabout
angled
15to about 15
degrees at the
degrees
back at
to the
allow
back
comfortable
to allow comfortable
relaxation. Any
relaxation.
water shipped
Any water
aboard
shipped aboard
naturally drains
naturally
through
drains
large
through
gutterslarge gutters
around the around
outer edge
the of
outer
the edge
seat, of
andthetheseat, and the
backrest doubles
backrest
as adoubles
rope bin..
as a rope bin..
The backrest
The
is backrest is
angled at 15º
angled at 15º
and forms large
and forms large
bin for halyards.
bin for halyards.
Deep gully Deep gully
around seataround seat
channels water
channels water
away rapidly.
away rapidly.
5.
5.
august 2010 Sailing
august
Today
201077Sailing Today 77
23
67
Date of publication: August 2010
Journalist: Jake Kavangh
www.sailingtoday.co.uk
BOATS blue water ideas
BOATS
6. Interchangeable bimini
Global voyaging exposes the sailor to all
extremes of weather, so the bimini has to
have many functions. Stewart specified a
full enclosure for the cockpit and helm,
which allows the bimini to be joined
to the sprayhood. The bimini sides can
also be joined to the cockpit coamings.
Even with the cockpit and twin helm
positions fully enclosed, the mainsheet
traveller, winches and foresail sheets can
be accessed and operated. Light brown
to match the decks, the awning has large
windows in the side and vents on the
top to let out hot air in the tropics. These
vents have their own sealing flap to keep
out a tropical downpour, and so avoid
spoiling a party aboard! The sprayhood
also has sealable plastic windows for
looking up at the sail.
Vents allow
excess heat
to escape.
Bimini
zips to the
sprayhood.
Large windows
and generous
headroom for
entertaining.
Chartering in the Med and Caribbean
showed Stewart just how crowded
popular anchorages could become. As
such, Rhiann Marie can anchor easily in
deep water, and so increase his anchoring
options. The anchor locker is divided in
two by a half-height bulkhead. Because
any more than 40m of chain in one heap
tends to reverse and tangle in a seaway,
the 80m of 12mm calibrated chain is split
between the two compartments. The main
40m falls into the first compartment, but
the remaining 40m is kept in the forward
compartment. If deployed, it would
have to be hand-fed back in again, so is
rarely used. An additional 50m of heavy
multiplait anchor rope is kept on a drum.
Hose reel
Chain divider
9. Screw down floorboards
Heaven forbid that the boat should
ever be knocked flat, but if it is, the
floorboards will stay put. These clever
retaining threads can be adjusted to pull
the floorboards tight onto rubber backing
sheets. A simple half-turn with a coin or
screwdriver will release the locking bolts
to allow immediate access.
Adjustable
lock fitting.
24
78 Sailing Today august 2010
“The sails are all self-furling, and
leading all the halyards aft to
electric winches makes this
powerful rig very easy to handle"
17. Dedicated charging
Modern portable devices such as iPods,
mobile phones and VHF’s tend to get
recharged at the nav station, where there
is space to leave them lying around..
Rhiann Marie has a dedicated charging
compartment under the chart table instead,
with sockets linked to an inverter. This
allows several devices to be charged at
once, but keeps the table uncluttered.
11. Tail-less
Halyards
10. Being seen
Ever wondered if an oncoming ship has seen you? Each set of
spreaders is fitted with LED uplighters and downlighters that
illuminate the entire rig. They draw very little power, but casting a
strong blue light on the mast and sails should make any halfawake helmsman sit up and pay attention.
There are also bed
similarinlights
the underside
of the
boom
theonowner’s
cabin.
All
thetocontrols
light up the cockpit when socialising.
16. Navigate from bed
Now how is this for off-watch luxury?
A large ‘mirror TV’ has been incorporated
into the bulkhead at the foot of the double
are right by the skipper’s bedside, so he
can turn the mirror into a live display of all the navigation instruments on board. He
can even make any course changes by remote control. No need for the crew to call
the skipper to the cockpit to ask his opinion – he can monitor the situation whilst
tucked up in the king-sized bed – in between watching DVDs in wide screen.
7. Deep water anchoring
Extra chain
blue water ideas
With self-furling sails, there is
no need to use the halyards
very often, except for tensioning.
To avoid lots of coiled ropes
around the base of the mast, the
Discovery has a clever system of
short-tailed halyards. When not in
use, the end of the halyards attach
to a runner on this Anstal track,
which is then used to tension
them. When needed, the halyard
is taken to the winch by a light,
detachable line.
18. Reversible cutting board
8. Cockpit sump
If a wave dumps itself into the cockpit,
this deep sump helps to shift the water
quickly. It provides a large ‘departure
lounge’ for it to slosh around in whilst
the self-drainers get to work.
Rubber sheets
on the back of
the floorboards
reduce noise
and vibration.
Despite the huge galley on the 67 there
is an interesting space saver - a cutting
board hidden away under the cover for
the second sink. Made in matching dark
Corian, the half-width sink cover is
simply reversed to reveal the board, and
also provides extra work surface.
12. Clear identity
To offset the white of the hull,
Stewart went for a black mast and
boom, with Rhiann Marie (named
after his daughter) in silver
rudder, and electric furling on all the sails,
transfers for a striking
effect. Yachts was founded in 1999
Discovery
including the main. The sculpted cockpit can
by John Charnley, a lifelong deep-ocean
even incorporate a hot tub. Realising the boat
yachtsman who had always wanted a
was everything he expected, Charnley had five
personal blue water yacht built to his exact
more built to recoup the outlay, and then set
specifications. He approached the legendary
up his own yard on the edge of Southampton
designer Ron Holland to work up a design.
Water to start semi-custom production.
The brief was for a fast, 55-foot passage
It wasn’t long before the model developed
maker that could safely navigate any ocean
a loyal following, and so far no less than 32
on earth, and yet be easily managed by a
couple with no additional crew. Charnley
commissioned a full plug, and then a mould
for the boat, and bought in High Modulus of
New Zealand for the composite engineering.
Ken Freivokh, well known for his work with
superyachts, created the interior design.
15. Cool colour
Originally55
Graham
The building of Charnley’s Discovery
was was drawn to the dark blue
gelcoat ofinhull number one. But, after much
contracted out, and she was launched
deliberation,
opted for a white hull instead.
2001. The design featured a bulb
keel to he
give
‘It’s cooler
in the tropics, and is less prone to
14. Emergency
stop ratio, a semi-balanced,
a high ballast
protected
showing any scuffs or blemishes,’ he said. ‘Over
A large button on the front of each
time, it won’t fade so badly in the UV.’
helm station stops the winches dead
The Discovery range
80 Sailing Today august 2010
13. Solent rig
All the sails – including
have been sold with another 7 currently on
the main – on the yacht
order. Following
requestsself-furling,
from owners who
are electrically
wanted to ‘move
Charnley
commissioned
and all up’
served
by electric
the 67, alsoself-tailing
a Ron Holland
design
and with
winches.
All lines
accommodation
for 10
cabins.
lead back
to in
thefive
cockpit
so This
is no
needdesigned
to go on 50ft
was followed bythere
a Bill
Dixon
deckthan
in a gale.
The
Catamaran, wider
usual
fortwin
vessels
foresail
arrangement
works for
of this size and
deliberately
configured
for downwind
socialising inwell
comfort.
With asailing,
clever use of
and also for short-handing. The
space below, and easy to sail and manoeuvre,
67 can come with a cutter rig,
the catamaran is currently being sailed along
but some clients felt this takes
the American
seaboard
by John
up valuable
sunbathing
spaceand
on his wife to
visit various
American
boatthe
shows.
the foredeck.
Instead,
inner
For more
information
onused
the range,
90% blade
jig can be
with visit:
www.discoveryyachts.com
or call 02380
the self tacking mechanism,
the outer
140%
usedthe exploits
865555.and
If you
would
like genoa
to follow
for light
or partly
furledwho are
of Stewart
andwinds,
Patricia
Graham,
used with
blade
jib for Polynesia,
currentlyand
making
theirtheway
through
Note
the powerfulblogs at
then yougoose-winging.
can read their
entertaining
electric furlers, and the leather
www.mailasail/blogspot/rhiann-marie.
boots to protect the fixtures from
anchor chain damage.
august 2010 Sailing Today 79
25
67
Epic sailboat circumnavigation
completed in a Discovery 67
‘I would like to thank everyone who has
helped and enabled me to complete my
journey, not least of which is my wife who
sailed 30,000 miles of the journey with me
and who accompanied me on the very final
leg of the adventure from the Canaries to
Gibraltar’ he said.
‘We both now have a huge sense of
achievement and feel that we need to let
the reality and wondrous magnitude of our
adventure over the past two years sink in.’
My favourite cruising yacht, the Ron Holland design ‘Discovery’, has once again
proven what a magnificent go anywhere passagemaker she is.
S
tewart Graham of Inverness, Scotland
has recently completed his ‘adventure
of a lifetime’ circumnavigation in his
Discovery, ‘Rhiann Marie’. She comes out
of the Ron Holland design office, built by
Discovery Yachts of Southampton and is 67ft
of pure cruising luxury. She also comes in 55ft
and 57ft variants.
Rhiann Marie at
anchor in the Maldives
Rhiann Marie
at Koh Hong
The final 6,000-mile leg of Graham’s journey
was single handed, he told Sea Magazine,
through the South Atlantic winter from South
Africa to the Canary Islands. He had to sail
away from the coast of Mauritania, where
he had been heading to make some repairs
after learning of threats of piracy and Al
Qaeda activities in the area. He then repaired
the boat at sea and experienced a gruelling
600-mile beat into five days of strong winds
before finally arriving in the Canary Islands.
The west-about journey has taken Stewart
from Gibraltar to the Caribbean, through the
Panama Canal, venturing 10,000 miles across
the many remote islands and countries of the
Pacific Ocean to Australia, South East Asia,
across the Bay of Bengal and to Sri Lanka.
A thirteen thousand mile detour to avoid
the Somalian piracy threat took him south to
the Maldives, Chagos, Mauritius and Reunion
Island before reaching South Africa.
Owner of Highland-based marine equipment,
supply and engineering group Gael Force,
Stornoway-born Stewart, 47, told Sea
Magazine he had been sailing his Discovery
67 mono hull yacht the Rhiann Marie, named
after his daughter, since September 2009.
Though finding friendship with people all
over the world, he experienced a number of
‘threatening encounters’, including having the
yacht approached at high speed at dawn by
a boat with masked men wearing balaclavas,
26
Stewart has written a blog of his two-year
journey, which has attracted more than
24,000 readers so far, many of whom have
encouraged him to produce a book of his
adventures, which he is now considering. You
can catch up with his adventures in depth on
blog.mailasail.com/rhiann.marie
various stages of the journey and acted as my
crew, but sailing the Atlantic single-handed
brought new greater challenges, both
physically and mentally,’ he said.
‘The 6,000 miles is almost a third of the
circumference of the globe and it was
extremely challenging with winter weather
conditions. I had to be a sailor, fisherman,
cook, plumber, rigger, boat repairer, doctor
and navigator and company director all in
one. I pushed myself and the perseverance
paid off as I completed my circumnavigation.’
off Columbia. His yacht was hit by lightning
in the Caribbean, which destroyed electronics
including its essential autopilot system, and
he had to cope with storm conditions, high
seas, ripped sails and damage to his rigging,
plus the constant repairs required to keep a
circumnavigation on track, with a minimum
amount of sleep.
In February this year, Stewart had eight
nuts and bolts, two rods and a metal plate
permanently fitted into his spine after an off
road motorcycle accident in the jungle in
Malaysia. However he was back at the helm
just one week after the accident proving his
determination to succeed.
Despite suffering the set backs of a broken
back and finding that his return route
through the Gulf of Aden was a no go zone,
due to the activities of Somalian pirates who
have murdered other yachts people, Stewart
refused to give up, showing characteristic grit
and determination in continuing through a
Southern hemisphere winter.
‘You have to be optimistic and have a great
deal of will-power when sailing solo as there
is always a new challenge to face. When my
sail chafed from the halyard and dropped to
the water, it was a gut busting job to recover
with only one pair of hands and my injured
back.’
Stewart, who took up sailing 10 years ago and
now has more than 50,000 miles’ experience,
said he had found the journey both physically
and mentally challenging.
Stewart admitted that his wife, Trish, and two
adult children were against his plans to sail
home solo, but knew him too well to try and
change his mind.
‘It is hard to believe that my two-year
adventure has come to an end. The final
stage of the journey from the tip of Africa
was particularly challenging, however I found
the determination to push myself harder as
I neared my final destination – home. Family
and friends have joined me throughout
He started Gael Force when he was 18 years
old, but always has a desire to sail round the
world and decided that he had to undertake
the task while he was still physically strong
enough to enjoy it.
to manage and run the business. Stewart
kept in regular contact with his colleagues
through e-mails and satellite phone where
possible – but he readily acknowledges that
he could not have undertaken his voyage
without the support of his management
team and staff at home.
But before he was able to set sail he had to
ensure that he had an excellent team in place
27
50
Catamaran
28
29
Catamaran
Date of publication: November 2011
Journalist: Duncan Kent
www.sailmagazine.com
WINNER
The Discovery 50
The
comes
Discovery
with 50 comes with
a standard in-mast
a standard
furling in-mast furling
mainsail. A largemainsail.
genoa, as
A large genoa, as
seen here, can also
seenbe
here,
ordered
can also be ordered
Discovery
Discovery5050
A CAT DESIGNED
A CAT DESIGNED
FOR
FOR
PASSAGEMAKING
PASSAGEMAKING
BY DUNCAN KENT
BY DUNCAN KENT
DISCOVERY
DISCOVERY
| NOVEMBER 2011
| NOVEMBER 2011
46 SAILMAGAZINE.COM
46 SAILMAGAZINE.COM
ILLUSTRATIONS BY STEVE KARP
PHOTOS COURTESY OF DISCOVERY YACHTS
30
Yachts’s firstYachts’s
first and
three cabins,
had
including
three cabins,
a large
including
stateroom
a large stateroom
ing process,
ing stringers
process, and stringers
bulkheadsand had
bulkheads
boat, the Dis-boat,
Dis- in. are bonded in.
in a forward cabin
in a on
forward
the bridgedeck,
cabin on the
with
bridgedeck,
a
with a
arethe
bonded
covery 55, was originally
covery 55,conceived
was originally
as a oneconceived The
as a onelargeacenterline
berth.
centerline
There is an
berth.
abundance
There is an abundance
vacuum-cured
The vacuum-cured
laminate has alaminate
high- has
high- large
off dreamboat off
for dreamboat
Sunsail Charters
for Sunsail
founder
Charters
founder
stowage
ofwith
stowage
everyhere,
nookwith
andevery
cranny
nook and cranny
density
foam core
density
for foam
stiffness,
coreweight
for stiffness,
re- of
weight
re-here,
and single-handed
and single-handed
transatlantic sailor
transatlantic
John duction
sailor John
turned
turned
locker
into space—including
usable locker space—including
and insulation,
duction and
andinsulation,
both hullsand
andboth
hulls into
and usable
Charnley and his
Charnley
wife, and
Caroline.
his wife,
In creatCaroline.
creatareas
beneath areas
the sole
beneath
and under
the sole
the and
berth
under the berth
theIndeck
are molded
the deckasare
onemolded
for superior
as one for
superior
ing the design,ing
naval
thearchitect
design, naval
Ron Holland
architect Ron
Holland
and adjacent
and adjacent
The numerous
steps.portlights,
The numerous portlights,
strength,
with strength,
the latterwith
boththe
bonded
latterandboth bonded
and- steps.
distilled all ofdistilled
the Charnleys’
all of the
experience
Charnleys’ bolted
experience
windows and
talllarge
windows
hatches
andallow
largeplenty
hatches allow plenty
to the bolted
hulls. There
to theare
hulls.
watertight
There are tall
watertight
and requirements
and into
requirements
a world cruiser
into athat
world cruiser
that forebulkheads
of airengine
and light of
toair
flow
and
through,
light toand
flowthere
through,
is and there is
bulkheads
and aft, fore
and and
the engine
aft, and the
could be easilycould
handled
be easily
by a couple.
handled by a couple.
access into the access
cabin from
into the
bothcabin
hulls.from both hulls.
rooms are sealed.
rooms are sealed.
Before John and
Before
Caroline
John could
and Caroline
cast off couldThe
castDiscovery
off
In the
In the
layout
four-cabin
the forward
layout the forward
50
TheisDiscovery
available 50
in three
is available
lay- in three
lay-four-cabin
lines, though, lines,
a number
though,
of alike-minded
number of like-minded
bridgedeck
bridgedeck
is dividedarea
between
is divided
two between two
outs, with threeouts,
or four
with
cabins.
three The
or four
testcabins.
boat The
test boat area
folks began asking
folksifbegan
they could
asking
have
if they
somecould have something similar. This
thingdemand
similar. fueled
This demand
a thriv-fueled a thriving business and
ing led
business
John and
and Caroline
led Johnto
and Caroline to
postpone theirpostpone
plans some
their
10 plans
years.some 10 years.
Finally, deciding
Finally,
it wasdeciding it was
now or never,now
Johnorand
never, John
and is This layout is
This layout
clean,
stylish clean, stylish
Caroline revisited
Caroline
theirrevisited
their
and effective and effective
wish list and wish
concluded
list and concluded
that two hulls would
that two
now
hulls would now
be better thanbe
one
better
for the
than
type
one
offor
cruising
the type of cruising
they planned they
to do.planned
The result,
to do.
conceived
The result, conceived
with the help of
with
designer
the help
BillofDixon,
designer
is the
Bill Dixon, is the
new Discovery new
50 catamaran.
Discovery 50 catamaran.
This is a strongly
Thisbuilt
is a boat.
strongly
Woven
builtmat,
boat. Woven mat,
carbon fiber, Kevlar
carbon
and
fiber,
E-glass
Kevlar
setand
in vinylE-glass set in vinylester resins areester
usedresins
throughout
are used
thethroughout
moldthe mold-
double cabins, each
double
with
cabins,
a berth
each
that
with
cana be
berth that can be
oriented fore and
oriented
aft orfore
athwartships.
and aft or The
athwartships. The
aft cabins are identical
aft cabinsinare
both
identical
layoutsinand
both layouts and
can house a double
can house
berthaordouble
two singles.
berth or two singles.
The saloon is The
open,
saloon
airy and
is open,
luxurious,
airy and luxurious,
with large portlights
with large
all round
portlights
and aalltrianround and a triangular table with
gular
seating
tablefor
with
eight
seating
on anfor
L- eight on an Lshaped settee and
shaped
chairs.
settee
Opposite
and chairs.
is anothOpposite is anothSPECIFICATIONS
SPECIFICATIONS
er smaller seating
er smaller
area with
seating
either
area
a settee
with either a settee
LOA 50ft // LWLLOA
49ft50ft // LWL 49ft
or two easy armchairs
or two easy
for armchairs
watching for
the watching the
BEAM 25ft 2in //
BEAM
DRAFT
25ft4ft2in
6in// DRAFT 4ft 6in
built-in flat-screen
built-in
TV. flat-screen
A liquor cabinet
TV. A liquor
recabinet reDISPLACEMENT
DISPLACEMENT
29,700lb
29,700lb
sides beneath the
sides
raised
beneath
navigation
the raised
station.
navigation station.
2
SAIL
AREAand
1,169ft
(main
jib) 2 (main and jib)
The galley is very
Thewell
galley
equipped
is very well
and has
equipped andSAIL
hasAREA 1,169ft
FUEL/WATER/WASTE
FUEL/WATER/WASTE
(GAL)
(GAL)
a U-shape to make
a U-shape
the most
to make
of the
thespace,
most of the space,
206/145/42
206/145/42
as well as giving
as the
wellcook
as giving
somethe
support
cook some
at
support at
PRICE $1,200,000
sea. The navigation
sea. The
station
navigation
is slightly
station
ele- is slightlyPRICE
ele- $1,200,000
CONTACT
Discovery
CONTACT
Yachts,
Discovery Yachts,
vated to affordvated
a clear
to all-round
afford a clear
viewall-round
and
view and
discoveryyachts.com
discoveryyachts.com
includes a large
includes
console
a large
for charting
consolesysfor charting systems and an onboard
tems and
computer.
an onboard computer.
The cabintop isThe
all smooth
cabintopcurves,
is all smooth
round- curves, rounded edges and gentle
ed edges
inclines,
and gentle
and the
inclines,
boat’s and the boat’s
hulls have an hulls
inviting
have
sheer
an inviting
runningsheer
for- running forward to a pair of
ward
high,
topowerful
a pair of high,
bows.powerful
Mov- bows. Moving about one ing
feelsabout
safe and
one secure
feels safe
thanks
and secure thanks
to the sensible
to ergonomic
the sensibledeck
ergonomic
design, deck design,
high stanchions,
high
gentle
stanchions,
inclinesgentle
and aninclines
efand an efficient moldedficient
non-skid
molded
pattern.
non-skid pattern.
The cockpit is spacious
The cockpit
andisoffers
spacious
plenty
and offers plenty
of comfortableof seating.
comfortable
The raised
seating.
helm
The raised helm
station includes
station
a double
includes
seat,
a double seat,
from which you
from
have
which
a clear
youview
have a clear view
forward. A rigid
forward.
windscreen
A rigidand
windscreen and
bimini is optional,
biminibut
is optional,
our test but our test
boat was equipped
boat was
withequipped
canvas, with canvas,
which can be which
easily can
removed
be easily
in removed in
Discovery encourages
Discovery
owners
encourages
to tailorowners
the
to tailor the
fine weather. fine weather.
interior layout tointerior
their individual
layout to needs.
their individual
Many needs. Many
sail controls are sail
concentrated
controls are
at concentrated
the helm (left)at the helm (left)
Davits between
Davits
the between
hulls aft the hulls aft
support a decent-size
supportRIB,
a decent-size
and the RIB, and the
liferaft is mounted
liferaftonis the
mounted
tran- on the tranhoisting sail, the
hoisting
boat was
sail, sailing
the boat
8 knots
was sailing 8 knots
som for easysom
deployment.
for easy The
deployment. The
on a close reach
on ain close
24 knots
reachofinapparent
24 knots of apparent
boat’s deep and
boat’s
spacious
deep anchor
and spacious anchor
wind, increasing
wind,
to 8.5
increasing
knots intothe
8.5gusts.
knots in the gusts.
locker is largelocker
enough
is large
to house
enough to house
With the windWith
on her
the beam
wind on
we her
sawbeam
9.6 we saw 9.6
both bower and
both
kedge
bower
anchors,
and kedge
as well
anchors,
as a the
as well
as a sheets,
genoa
the genoa
the other
sheets,
for the
halyards,
other for
halyards,
knots
before we
knots
decided
before
to we
reefdecided
both sails.
to reef both sails.
Lewmar vertical
Lewmar
electric
vertical
windlass,
electric
which
windlass,
which furling
the headsail
the headsail
line andfurling
kicker.line and kicker.Sailing on theSailing
wind, on
thethe
Discovery
wind, the
50 Discovery 50
has a duplicatehas
setaof
duplicate
controlsset
andofa controls
chain andUnusually
a chain for aUnusually
catamaran,
forthe
a catamaran,
fractional the
fractional a 35
maintained
maintained
degree apparent
a 35 degree
windapparent
anwind ancounter at thecounter
helm. Immediately
at the helm.aft,
Immediately
un- rig features
aft, un- a rig
tapered
features
and apre-raked
tapered and
alloypre-raked
alloy
gle while
making
gle7.2
while
knots
making
through
7.2 knots
the wathrough the wader a large deck
derhatch,
a large
is deck
a popular
hatch,tradeis a popular
tradeSeldén
mast with
Seldén
integral
mastelectric
with integral
mainsail
electric
termainsail
with no more
ter with
than no
6-8more
degrees
thanof6-8
lee-degrees of leemark feature–a
markcombination
feature–a combination
hot tub/ reefing.
hot tub/
A vertically
reefing.
battened
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ILLUSTRATIONS BY STEVE KARP
WINNER
PHOTOS COURTESY OF DISCOVERY YACHTS
FLAGSHIPS
FLAGSHIPS
50
| SAILMAGAZINE.COM
NOVEMB ER 2011
NOVEMB
ER 2011 | SAILMAGAZINE.COM
47
47
31
Catamaran
www.multihulls-world.com
Text and Photos : Caroline Charnley
A round the world voyage...
Our adjustment from land-locked living
started two years before we set off when we
sold our house and moved to small rented
accommodation. We were forced to get rid of
possessions, which was hugely liberating. It
highlighted just how few things you actually
need or want.
John and Caroline Charnley have spent the last year cruising on their first
catamaran - a Discovery 50. Sailing from England, they have explored the east
coast of the United States, the Bahamas, Grand Cayman, Cuba and they are now
on the north coast of Panama. Caroline reflects on her experiences of life on board...
“
Well that’s a complete reversal of thoughts!”
I said to John as he came up with the idea of
sailing the world on a catamaran. The dream
of exploring far flung corners of the earth was
one we both held, but it had been a monohull
that was going to be our home.
AN UNUSUAL ROUTE?
We started our adventures in April last year,
having shown our new home, the first
Discovery 50 catamaran, at the Multihull Boat
Show in Lorient. And oh what adventures we
have had! Crossing the Atlantic we saw just a
handful of boats, and when we called them up
a typical response was “Aren’t you going the
32
wrong way?” Not at all - we wanted to explore
the east coast of America, routing via the
Azores and Bermuda, making our landfall in
Newport, Rhode Island.
Last summer, Maine had the best weather for
30 years and the long sunny days were spent
exploring the pink granite islands and pretty
towns, dodging lobster pots and enjoying
the company of family and new friends made
along the way.
As we headed south we saw whales, and
became fascinated by the history of old fishing
towns of New England. We spent two days
in New York and had a memorable sail past
Manhattan. We sailed the Chesapeake and
the Carolinas to Florida - greatly enjoying
the pelicans, cranes, herons and manatees
that were there in plenty. We then crossed
to the Bahamas for six weeks sailing and
snorkelling in azure, crystal-clear waters hardly long enough for such a wonderful
expanse of islands - each group with their own
personality and reason to explore.
Cuba was next and strikingly different:
in its history, culture, language, political
conscience and social reasoning. Different
too in the distances one needs to sail
between anchorages and the absence of
fellow cruisers. Havana is like stepping in to
50
an old European city, full of baroque facades,
neo-classical buildings, shaded squares and
intriguing courtyards. American 1950s cars
are a quintessential image of Havana. Look
at any street and you will see their curvy
trunks and bonnets ostentatiously protruding
beyond the rest. Live music is everywhere in
Havana, and dancing too. We had a glimpse
of the practice session at the famous ballet
school and witnessed some of the passion
of flamenco. We also saw many signs of the
hardship the population endure. For transport,
Cubans use mule and cart, cars that are held
together by diligence and love; buses (which
are in fact trucks and absolutely packed),
and hope – that if they stand by the side of
the road for long enough someone will give
them a lift. Basic rations are not really enough;
housing is crowded and run down. For many,
their jobs must give them little sense of
purpose. Yet despite all that, we found the
people to be gracious, positive and proud of
their country.
of life and beauty just beneath the surface!
A few islands are packed to the edges with
a Kuna settlement, the cane and palm huts
connected by hanging washing and lively
children. A lot of islands are uninhabited,
whilst some may be home to a family or two.
They fish, gather coconuts and paddle their
canoes long distances to collect fresh water.
As you drop anchor you may well have some
Kunas arrive in a dugout canoe, keen for you
to buy the local embroidery or just-caught
fish.
SO HOW HAS LIFE BEEN LIVING ON BOARD
FOR A YEAR? - ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!
In any event, by choosing a brand-new, 50’
foot, luxury catamaran, we’ve had more than
enough space and comfort. The Discovery 50
has all that you would expect in terms of large
fridge and freezer, washing machine, watermaker, etc, but it is the design that provides
both the luxury and pleasure. Internally, the
most sumptuous aspect has to be the full
beam master cabin: super-king size bed and
his and hers bathrooms. The sun-beds and
hot-tub add a touch of decadence on deck.
The very large saloon and en-suite guest
cabins make it delightfully easy to have
family and friends to visit and without any
compromise.
I have thought about this, and not only do I
have everything that I would have in a house, I
have an ever-changing view from the kitchen
window, there is very little housework and
driving to the shops in a fast dinghy is a joy.
And unlike a house, a boat gives you choice
and opportunity: you can move it or stay just
where you are.
You can, of course, treat a boat just like a
house and leave it – take a long weekend
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE...
Now, just one remarkable year on from the
start of our journey, we are in the San Blas
islands. This bejewelled archipelago that sits
on the north-east coastline of Panama offers a
remarkable step back to a different time. The
vibrant reds, oranges, greens and yellows of
the traditional costumes of the Kuna Indians
seem a perfect balance to the brilliant hues
of blue of the water. You have a choice of
over 300 palm-loaded, tiny islands, which
are fringed with fine white sand. Many are
protected by coral reefs – and what a joy it
is to spend an afternoon snorkelling in the
balmy water, discovering the wealth
33
Catamaran
Text and Photos : Caroline Charnley
good introduction to adverse conditions. We
were sailing this brand new boat to a schedule
(never a good thing) and set off in the evening
light with a snow blizzard following us up the
English Channel. By the time we got to Dover
we had 35 knots of wind, and by the time we
tied up at Excel exhibition site in the East End
of London we had 10cm of snow on the decks.
Discovery Magic had been exemplary and gave
me great confidence for the voyages ahead.
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE...
somewhere or go on holiday. We have taken
some fabulous diversions - such as hiring a
car to revel in the vibrant autumn colours
of Vermont. We also drove the Blue Ridge
Highway and hiked in the Smoky Mountains.
By driving the route up to Norfolk, Virginia, we
were able to accept a personal invitation to
tour the latest US aircraft carrier. I will always
cherish the memory of visiting the Kennedy
Space Centre and seeing a rocket launch.
Before we set off on our travels I confided to
a cruising friend “What’s worrying me is what
I will do all day on a boat.” She didn’t respond
immediately and I watched her face wrestle
with the shock, confusion and then realisation
that I was just a novice. “You never get bored
and no two days are the same.”
For a start, in order to make passage you are
studying charts and pilot guides, planning
your route, perhaps preparing some meals.
On passage, you are watch-keeping, adjusting
sails, navigating your way to your destination.
When you arrive, you want to explore! Each day
unfolds. Even if you have a plan of sorts, events
take over and force you to live in the ‘now’ - the
present. With land-based living you are often
living the future… “Next Wednesday I am going to the dentist. Tomorrow night we are visiting friends.” With cruising things are different:
firstly you may have your home in a different
neighbourhood each evening and secondly
you have ever-changing neighbours.
It is very easy to make acquaintances, many
of whom become firm friends. Whatever the
choice of yacht, cruising people tend to be like
minded, have to face similar issues and generally take similar routes. They all have some
funny stories to tell about their sailing antics.
Such a combination is a powerful reason to get
together, plus the fact that it’s always good to
share the sunset over a cocktail or two. On our
trip we had a wonderful coincidence: we sailed
in to Newport, RI, having crossed the Atlantic.
Once we cleared customs and immigration we
dropped anchor out in the harbour.
Apart from the feeling of space, sailing on
the level has to be a major plus to owning a
catamaran. We make passage, yet nothing
needs to be stowed away, with family photographs, table lamps, kettle and water glasses
all left where they are. Life continues as it was
at anchor. This aspect of cat sailing was first
brought home to me when we were rounding
the Brest peninsula: I was on watch, preparing
a meal. Looking out from the galley I could see
a ship ahead, so I just took the two paces to the
navigation area, corrected the auto-pilot and
went back to my cooking – wonderful.
SO WHAT HAVE I DISCOVERED
IN THIS PAST YEAR?
I had been really worried about missing our
There, just 300 metres ahead, was our Discovery 55 monohull that we had helped design
and had built ten years earlier. The new owners
are delightful, generous and fun and we greatly
enjoyed several days cruising in their company.
I am still in love with that boat and have many
fond memories of the extensive sailing we did
in her.
“SO WHY TAKE OFF IN A CATAMARAN?”
Apart from doing the single-handed transatlantic race in a monohull, John had competed in several long-distance races in high
performance multihulls. That excitement and
understanding of what they are capable of is
part of him. Even when we first thought about
bluewater cruising, we deliberated whether
it should be a monohull or a multihull. The
Discovery 55 monohull won out, but there was
always the thought of sailing on a cat. So when
the first Discovery 50 was still on the drawing
board, it seemed a natural step that we should
take delivery of it.
Although we had chartered catamarans, I had
never sailed one far off-shore and was a little
apprehensive about it. Our delivery trip to the
London Boat Show in January last year was a
34
family and friends. I have discovered that not
only do they manage perfectly well without
me, but that we can stay in good contact. Almost without exception, one way or the other,
we have been able to get internet connection
on the boat, although it hasn’t always been
strong enough for Skype. Yet on other occasions it has amazed me that there is any connection at all. When we were more than 3 miles
offshore we saw a whale; Skype was up and
running and I could excitedly share the experience with my son back in England. Here in the
San Blas, at an isolated island anchorage, we
are happily sending and receiving e-mails. My
80-year old mother, when she realised we were
going to be away for some time, surprised us
all by embracing computer technology and we
are now corresponding by e-mails almost daily.
50
the Harbour Master at New Bedford, who,
when it was predicted that a hurricane was
imminent, not only helped us secure our boat,
but took us to a hotel and was there waiting in
the lobby the next morning to return us to the
boat. Then there is the whole cruising fraternity
that somehow seem compelled to swap
advice, books and bits of equipment in order to
help each other. In particular though, it is the
Ocean Cruising Club that stands out. We didn’t
discover the OCC until we got to America. The
only qualification for membership is to have
done a 1,000 nautical mile passage non-stop.
The wealth of experience, camaraderie and
support given by those members is second to
none, and the help their Port Officers gave us
went well beyond the call of duty.
I have discovered the joy of living in the present. Sailing has opened my eyes more to what
is before me and the pace of sailing has allowed me to enjoy it. Take the other afternoon:
as I was strolling along the beach of a very
small island, two small girls ran up to me. Their
boldness left them almost straight away and
they quickly disappeared in to the safe darkness of their hut, their courage returning only
when their father appeared. To my delight, they
were very happy for me to take photographs.
More than that, there were several minutes of
madness when the men of the family posed for
the camera by doing handstands, climbing up
coconut trees and hugging each other. When
I got back to the boat I printed off some of the
shots and took them back to the family. The
women then wanted me to take some photos
of them. They rushed back in to their huts to
put on all their finery.
5th Avenue; Bill and Carole in Fort Lauderdale
were ardent caretakers of our boat when we
left it for three weeks. Another example was
It’s been a most amazing year, full of adventure
and new experiences. Above all, I have rediscovered the reason why John and I first got
together thirty years ago. I would recommend
to anyone thinking about cruising to go and
discover what it’s all about.
More prints followed and more glee. None of
that had been planned, but we all had a fun
afternoon and I have some great memories to
treasure. I have discovered just how different
places can be and that they all have much
to offer. I don’t really enjoy long passages
(although we have covered more than 11,000
in the last year). Yet even long passages have
bonuses: the pleasure of watching the sunrise;
the buzz for being responsible for the boat and
crew on a dark night watch.
I have discovered that wherever we have gone
we have been shown kindness and friendship. The Harbour Master in Maine offered us
her car to provision the boat; a New York bus
inspector went to great lengths to successfully
retrieve my wallet that I had left on a bus on
35
Catamaran
Date of publication: September 2010
Journalist: Philippe Echelle
A shuttle for the big blue Discovery Magic 50
adults cool… A comfortable exterior saloon,
sunbathing areas, an uncluttered manoeuvring
gangway, and a lightweight, practical convertible
bimini: advantages of the Discovery 50’.
Superb interior and finishing. Bravo to the
builder! More than a chart table, a full nav.
station for keeping watch in the warm... There
is a slight feeling of being in the NAUTILUS in
this office space (computer and screen stowed
permanently in the front cupboards).
CONCLUSION
I haven’t spoken to you about the exterior
saloon (which was nevertheless well-tested,
during ‘efficient’ and refined lunches, served
by the crew), or the real comfort whilst
steering, or the external bathroom on the
foredeck; I have forgotten to describe the
perfectly operational folding bimini, but
there was so much to say! I appreciated the
serious construction, the overall quality, the
availability of the electrical installations (two
80A alternators coupled to a bank of top-ofthe-range industrial batteries and optimised
connections).
When a builder who is well known in the world of monohulls starts making
multihulls, we immediately pay attention... but when this company is called
Discovery Yachts, a test is urgently necessary!
T
he Lorient multihull boat show was
a success, due to the combination of
a long-awaited format, remarkable
organisation for a first edition, and summer
weather. The field was varied, representative
of the diversity of expertise (production,
custom, racing...) and different approaches
(catamarans, trimarans, folding boats, ocean
cruisers, day sailers, coastal camping boats,
Golden Oldies...). Two English builders took
advantage of the show to present their
new boats (Dazcat and Discovery); they
were delighted by their trip south; we took
advantage of the opportunity to discover and
test the Discovery 50’.
THE BRITISH PIONEERS
The surprising relationship that the 21st
century maintains with chronology makes
us see any event more than 25 years ago as
almost medieval, however let’s not forget
that Great Britain in general and England in
particular reigned over the western rediscovery
of the multihull, during the 60s and 70s. British
architects and builders played a determining
role in the advent of the cruising catamaran,
with Pat Patterson’s Heavenly Twins, Bill
O’Brien’s Oceanic 33’ (Colin and Rosie Swale’s
ANNELIESE, the first catamaran at Cape
Horn!), Tom Lack’s Catalac, the Prout brothers’
Snowgoose, or MacAlpine-Downie’s Iroquois or
Comanche. Keeping an eye on the new French
supremacy, from Albion, the English craftsmen
have not said their last word.
DISCOVERY… FROM SOUTHAMPTON
John Charnley is a rather experienced
gentleman sailor, he has owned many boats,
sailed a lot, taken part in the 1980 Transat (on
a 43’ monohull, 33rd in 29 days) and founded
Sunsail, before creating Discovery, in 1998.
36
Specialising in the creation of monohull
yachts, from 55’ to 67’, the company is
deliberately oriented towards top of the
range semi-custom production. Wanting
to concretise an ambitious cruising project
with his wife, Caroline, the manager Charnley
merged with John the sailor to invent the
catamaran of his dreams: the Discovery 50’!
Changing into high-class salespeople, the
couple put their bags aboard in March 2010.
Since then, as enthusiastic ambassadors for
their latest creation, they share their happiness
with visitors to the Southampton, Lorient, and
later, the Annapolis boat shows.
AN ASSERTED PHILOSOPHY OF QUALITY
The monohulls built by Discovery Yachts
are all big, high-tech boats, and inevitably
complex! But the company has made it a
point of honour to make them reliable and
usable shorthanded, as well as maintaining an
individual and considerate relationship with
the owner. For the D50’ project, Discovery
chose High Modulus Engineering (NZ,
structural design), Ken Freivokh (interior
design) and Bill Dixon (architect). The general
idea being to end up with a luxurious, strong
and reliable catamaran for ocean cruising and
living aboard in all climates, resolutely simple
to handle for a couple of ‘normal’ people.
FIRST MEETING: A CLASSIC
(BUT NOT BANAL!) SILHOUETTE
During a test sail aboard the Dazcat 11.50 in
Lorient bay, we met the D50’; it gave off the
image of a beautiful object, deeply brilliant
gel coat, clean overall lines and a harmonious
silhouette give a very positive first impression.
The general style is not ostentatious, but
the originality of the design is very real, and
successfully revisits a classic envelope. The
result is timeless and communicates a feeling
of contained creative force. Bill Dixon uses the
‘rostrum’ concept, so dear to the Privilèges,
but this is the only concession to the French
influence. The fluid ‘aero’-inspired coachroof
is elegant, the design of the frontal and
lateral portholes is innovative and superb.
The absence of a rigid bimini (available as
an option) in favour of a convertible on a
framework, lightens the overall silhouette and
makes a Targa version which I appreciated.
HOME SWEET HOME !
The D50’s interior architecture is positively
amazing; on the fringes of the paths followed
by the competitors, the designer opens the
visual space towards the hulls, overturns the
usual positioning of the galley and succeeds
in creating an atmosphere is quite original
and cosy. The treatment of the nav. station,
with its comfortable seat, will no doubt win
a following. Add to this obsessive finishing,
a real detail culture and sound and thermal
insulation in excess of usual standards (double
glazing all around the bridgedeck) and with its
innovative rig, the Discovery is not only easy to
manoeuvre shorthanded, but also fast! During
our test, the catamaran was ready to cross the
Atlantic. However, despite the 2-tonne load, it
remained perfectly trimmed...
All that remains is to appreciate the choice,
the use of materials and the treatment of light
(vertical portholes, venetian blinds, variable
halogens... or leds...) to be literally blown
away by this 3- cabin version. Functional
intelligence, very safe decorative taste, refined
atmosphere: a trio of values produced with
passion by committed professionals.
A ONE-DAY TEST BEFORE THE BIG DEPARTURE
Discovery Magic was equipped for crossing
50
the Atlantic (around 2t load!), however it
remained well-trimmed. The bridgedeck is a
bit lower than in the French school, but the
tunnel remains completely coherent for the
programme.
The detailed visit was led by Mark Waterhouse
(the builder’s sales manager) and John
Charnley; attentive to all reactions, and at
each interrogation, exuding their perfect
knowledge of the boat and its equipment.
This no1 is certainly the boss’s boat, but it is
so far away from the legitimate worries of a
prototype! The rationality of the set-up and
the care taken with the installations explain
without a doubt the serenity which reigns
aboard.
A GERIATRIC RIG
John remembered that Phil Weld, winner of
the 1980 Transat with Moxie (Dick Newick),
had sailed an exemplary race at 65, capering
about in front of a pack of young madmen
with a mainsail which rolled up into the mast
(which he called his geriatric rig!). The D50’
is therefore delivered as standard with this
equipment, supplied by Selden; a traditional
version is available, however, I have the
impression that this arrangement suits it
perfectly. It is completed by a genoa on a
Furlex furler and a traveller track, provided for
a self-tacking jib. The gennaker is of course
part of the equipment. Thus 2 distinct sail
plans, suited to more or less windy regions
and different crew configurations, are available
with the same deck plan. Well thought out!
A 50’ CRUISING ‘BIKE’
We rolled-unrolled-reduced this mainsail
several times, and I must confess my perfect
satisfaction with regard to this overall system,
which includes the intelligent realisation of
the steering and manoeuvring position with
the electric winches. Much less dependent
on fine adjustments and a qualified operator
than the in-boom furler, this high-quality
equipment is intended for long term cruisers
who don’t attach exaggerated importance to
the loss of roach and congratulate themselves
on the independence this gives when you
have passed the age of battling with the sails
at night. Surprise: not satisfied with being
functional, its efficiency is good! Despite our
sybaritic load, the measurements carried out
throughout the day, in a breeze varying from 5
to 13 knots, confirmed it (7.2 knots GPS at 60°
to an 11.4 knot true wind, 9 knots at 110° with
13 knots). Even in the morning’s light airs, the
D50’ remained lively and manoeuvrable.
TEST
The single manoeuvring and sailing position is
proof of a nice maturity and allows push-button
control of the sail plan. This bath is a real plus:
rinsing dirty equipment (and sailors), water
games area for the children or for keeping the
I like the simplicity of use and the philosophy
of the rig and sail plan, but above all, I felt at
home aboard this beautiful ocean cruising
boat, almost forgetting all the rest... As we left
Lorient, Lou Reed murmured ‘just a perfect
day’! Discovery Magic is now at Newport, after
a crossing from the Azores to the Bermudas in
less than 16 days (with three days to windward
and just one good day downwind of more
than 200 miles in 24 hours). Everything is fine
aboard...
The Discovery 50’ resolutely plays the ‘exceptional’
card, for rich enthusiasts, attracted by the
catamaran’s objective qualities. The approach
reminds us of the Amel philosophy in another
context, and seems to be addressing the same
clientele.
Architect: Bill Dixon
Builder: Discovery Yachts
Length: 15.40m
Beam: 7.80m
Laden displacement: 14.5t
Draft: 1.3m
Daggerboards/Fins: Fins
Material: foam/glass/vinylester/under vacuum,
Kevlar and carbon reinforcements
Mainsail: 77m² (roller)
Genoa: 63m²
Self-tacking jib: 40m²
Engines: 2 x 54hp or 2 x 75hp
(optional folding propellers 2,400 euros)
Fuel: 780L
Water: 540L
37
Date of publication: December 2010
Journalist: Bill Springer
www.cruisingworld.com
Catamaran
50
Import Boat of
the Year and
Best Catamaran:
Discovery 50
This boat had the contruction quality and attention
to detail to rise to the top of the fleet.
T
he Discovery 50 catamaran earned
high marks from the judges at the
dock, and when they returned to
deliberate its merits after its test sail,
they came to the conclusion that this
British entry was not only the 2011 Best
Catamaran but also earned the right to be
named the Import Boat of the Year.
Overall, the judges were impressed with the
boat’s construction quality and attention to
detail. They liked the high-quality joinery in
the interior and thought the owner’s suite,
spanning the width of the hulls forward
of the main saloon, was the best out of all
the boats they tested. They felt that the
main saloon was truly luxurious, that the
view from the forward-facing nav station
was excellent for watchkeeping, and that
the guest cabins, aft in each hull, were
bright, airy, and spacious. The judges were
also taken with the quality, accessibility,
and redundancy of the systems that are
well suited to the demands of offshore
passagemaking.
maybe just as important for a boat that’s
specifically designed for a cruising couple
to cross oceans—how easy it is to reef, all
from the safety of the helm station. They
were concerned that the in-mast furling
main might not provide the necessary
horsepower, but they soon realized that the
designer got that right, too. The Discovery
flew along at 9 knots in 15 knots of wind. In
short, all aspects of this capable boat have
been thoroughly figured out by the folks
who built it.
Winning Details
• Everything from construction quality to
systems installation is top-notch.
• The in-mast furling main makes the boat
easy for a cruising couple to handle.
• The innovative interior layout provides
bright and airy guest cabins and one of
the best owner’s cabins the judges have
seen.
On deck, the judges were impressed
with how easy the boat is to sail and—
38
39
Date of publication: June 2011
Catamaran
Journalist: Bill Springer
www.cruisingworld.com
Discovery Luxury
it really easy to check the oil or change a filter,
the excellent systems installation, and the
oversized mooring cleats and ground tackle.
Don’t get me wrong: The boat’s workmanlike
functionality hardly diminishes the
attractiveness, comfort, and craftsmanship
of the interior or, as I was already well aware,
the decadence of the guest cabins aft. The
light woodwork and large opening ports and
hatches made my cabin, which was fitted
out with a queen-sized bunk—the other
guest cabin has two twin bunks—feel bigger,
brighter, and airier than some cat cabins I’ve
seen, and the innerspring mattress seemed
more comfortable than my bed at home. Each
guest cabin also has its own well-appointed
head. But these accommodations are nothing
when compared with the master cabin forward.
John and Caroline Charnley wanted to sail around the world. They just needed to
build the Discovery 50 catamaran - and a boatbuilding company first.
W
e were in the Gulf Stream about
300 miles offshore. The water
temperature was about 90°F. There
wasn’t a breath of wind. The sea was pancake
flat and well over two miles deep. And since
the still air felt almost as hot as the sea, we all
agreed it was time for a swim. So while the
carefree crew made up of Caroline Charnley,
Donald Brewster, and myself took the plunge
into the deep, deep blue, our captain, John
Charnley, dutifully stayed aboard to make
sure the boat didn’t drift away as we splashed
in the stream like schoolchildren. I’d signed
up with John and Caroline, the founders of
Discovery Yachts, based in Southampton,
England, to help them sail their Discovery 50
catamaran last summer from Bermuda up
to Newport, Rhode Island, but the story of
how the Charnleys came to start a successful
boatbuilding company and finally be able to
go on an extended cruise aboard a boat they
built began decades before.
BUSINESS BUILDER
As often is the case with successful
entrepreneurs, John’s career has taken more
than a few twists and turns. He learned to fly
as an officer in the Royal Marines in the late
1960s, and he went on to be a commercial
airline pilot in the 1970s. But his first love was
sailing, and when a currency crisis in England
forced the government to restrict the amount
of money citizens would be allowed to take
out of the country, thus giving birth to the
new concept of airfare-inclusive “package
holidays,” he saw an opportunity to start a
business that did the same for those wishing
to charter a boat in the Greek Islands.
In four years, while flying full-time during
the first two years, he built the company,
Sunsail—yes, that Sunsail—up from four boats
in Greece to 110 boats in charter bases all over
Europe and the Caribbean. As Sunsail took
off, he finally stopped flying so he’d be able to
prepare for and compete in the 1980 Observer
Single handed Transatlantic Race along with
running the growing company.
40
He sold Sunsail to brewing giant Guinness
in 1981. “I was tired,” he told me in his
characteristic understated way at dinner during
our passage. “I wanted to take some time off.”
Who wouldn’t need some time off after all
that? But his rest was short-lived. He soon went
on to found, then sell a company that built
over 250 Swift 18 trailer-sailers. He also bought
land in the Meon Valley of Hampshire, England,
that he and Caroline—she was one of Sunsail’s
first staff in Greece, and they were married in
1982—would devote to viticulture under the
label of Wickham Vineyard.
For the next 16 years, they worked to build
the vineyard from the ground up. It was hard,
physical labor, and in time, the wine they
produced received rave reviews.
But around John’s 50th birthday, they realized
that they might want to spend less time
tending grapes and steam-cleaning wine
casks and more time visiting the places where
John had stopped all too briefly when he was
flying around the world for a living. For them,
there was only one way to do that: on their
own boat. But as they searched for the perfect
vessel to take them around the world, nothing
available seemed quite right.
They didn’t fully intend to become builders
again when they commissioned Ron Holland
to design an offshore-capable monohull to
their exact specifications. But they did have
a female mold built so it’d be possible to sell
subsequent models. Ever the businessman,
John’s idea was that they’d market what
eventually became the Discovery 55 to a few
people looking for something different in an
offshore cruising boat, and they’d subcontract
out the construction so they’d have time to go
cruising. But it didn’t work out that way.
I first met John and Caroline in 2001 when I
was in England to test-sail the new Discovery
55 on the cold, gray water of the Solent. The
boat was impressive, and it soon became
apparent to all concerned that more than
just a few people would want to take a boat
like that around the world. So instead of
heading off cruising and subcontracting out
50
the construction of a few boats a year, the
Charnleys constructed in Southampton a
boatbuilding facility capable of satisfying the
demand; suddenly, they were full-time handson business owners, not full-time cruisers.
The well-established company now builds a
67-foot monohull in addition to the 55, but
John and Caroline never forgot the reason
they started the company in the first place. But
when the time was right to step back from the
day-to-day running of the company and finally
go cruising, the couple came to an interesting
conclusion: It would be aboard a catamaran.
And thus it was that we found ourselves
sailing a Discovery 50 up to Newport.
TWO-HULLED DISCOVERY
“With all the success you’ve had building
monohulls,” I asked John while we were sitting
around the saloon during our passage, “why’d
you choose to go cruising on a cat?”
“We decided that the market was definitely
ready for a luxury cruising catamaran that a
cruising couple could sail around the world,”
he said. Then he looked around the large,
comfortable saloon with its 360-degree
view. “And this interior is pretty comfortable,
wouldn’t you agree?” I did.
“Both monohulls and catamarans have their
strong points,” he continued. “But we felt that
if we could combine on a catamaran the
same good looks, good ideas, and quality
construction that we’ve been able to deliver
with our 55- and 67-footers, we’d have
something special.”
The process of designing and building the
cat was similar to the other boats that the
Charnleys have gone on to build. They hired
a brand-name designer—Bill Dixon—to
draw the lines and worked closely with him
to make sure the Discovery cat would stand
out from the crowd of charter cats available
today. I saw how they achieved that objective
as we motored up to the boat in St. George’s
Harbour, in Bermuda. Lots of cruising cats
appear somewhat boxy. Some do a better job
than others to disguise their high freeboard
and slab-sided hulls, but in my opinion, the
lines of the Discovery 50 do more than just
trick the eye. The proportions are spot on.
The large, curved cabin ports integrate into
the hulls beautifully and make the boat seem
much less top-heavy than other cats I’ve seen.
The large, tinted, vertically-oriented ports in
the hulls not only allow for plenty of natural
light down below; they also give the boat a
sleek super-yacht look. But as I found out in
the range of conditions we experienced on
our trip north, this offshore passagemaker is
more than just a looker.
Taking a swim while becalmed in the Gulf
Stream was fun, but the passage wasn’t a
total drifter. During one of my night watches,
I gathered lots of evidence of the boat’s
capability to stand up to more substantial
offshore conditions while being easily
singlehanded. With the wind in the teens, we
barreled along at an easy eight to nine knots,
speeds less than some lighter, more overtly
performance-oriented cats might return, but
still faster than some similarly sized monohulls
are capable of in such conditions. The reality
is this cat puts a higher premium on offshore
safety, comfort, and ease of handling than it
does on pure speed. So trimming sails with
the powered winch, pushing buttons on the
autopilot, checking the chart plotter and
Automatic Identification System targets, and
keeping a lookout from the comfort of the
relative protection of the helm seat was a
piece of cake. And when the wind piped up
into the mid-20s, I did something that I’ve
never done before on a 50-foot cruising cat:
I reefed the main by myself without waking
the off watch for help. Since John specifically
called for the boat to be handled easily by a
couple, he chose the ease of in-mast furling
over a traditional main with its large roach
and full battens. I’m sure a traditional main,
an available option, would provide more
horsepower in light air, and I generally like
going as fast as I can on a passage, but I can’t
deny the importance, both for safety and
peace of mind, that comes with the ability to
reef so easily. And that’s a trait a shorthanded
cruising couple will appreciate. We probably
could’ve carried the full main in those
conditions, too, but we were hardly going
slow, and as John says, “We’re not racing, and it
never hurts to be a bit conservative.”
It was during that night watch that I also came
to appreciate the passagemaking functionality
of the nav station. Sure, the saloon is big and
comfortable, the seat cushions are cushy, and
the woodwork is exquisite, but I also noted
the ability to stand my watch inside, protected
from the elements at the forward-facing nav
station while still having a good view out in
all directions when a rain shower passed over
us. Other commonsense features that any
long-range offshore cruiser will like include the
large engine rooms aft in each hull that make
This is the only 50-foot cat I’ve seen that has a
master cabin running the full width of the boat
forward of the mast. It’s a lot easier to simply
dedicate a hull to the master cabin. But an
owner’s cabin in a hull isn’t quite the same as
having a cabin up on the bridgedeck that’s nearly
22 feet wide and also has a separate seating area,
a desk/office, and even his-and-her heads.
As my last watch came to a close and the
suspension bridge that connects Newport to
Connecticut Island came into view over the
horizon, I was more than just a little jealous of
the Charnleys’ future plans. After sailing across
the Atlantic and making our little jaunt up
from Bermuda, they were about to shift from
passagemaking mode into cruising mode and
spend the summer exploring the New England
coast. And I had to agree with John when he
said that building an attractive, comfortable,
offshore-capable catamaran easily handled by
a cruising couple could be something special.
As we were to learn after the Charnleys sailed
the boat from Maine down to Annapolis last
fall, CW’s Boat of the Year judges also agreed.
They not only named the Discovery 50 the Best
Catamaran but also deemed it CW’s overall
2011 Import Boat of the Year.
Of course, that doesn’t mean John and
Caroline are in a hurry to return to the day-today operations of building boats. They’re still
involved with the company and are in close
contact with their management team, but
by the time this story hits the newsstands,
they’ll be doing exactly what they intended to
do over a decade ago: sail around the world.
When I last heard from them, the Charnleys
were transiting the Panama Canal en route
to the South Pacific. I hear the water is warm
there, too.
41
57
Another great Discovery....
42
Our next edition of ‘What The Media Says’ will be full of reviews of our latest
design. The Discovery 57 is the most eagerly awaited launch of 2012.
Visit our website to read the reviews as they become available.
43
Discovery
55
Discovery
57
Discovery Yachts Limited
Harbour Close, Marchwood,
Southampton
SO40 4AF, England
[email protected]
tel +44 (0)23 8086 5555
Discovery
67
50
Catamaran

MULTIHULL SPECIAL - Discovery Yachts

Transcription

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