discovery 55 yacht review

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Discovery 55

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I tried to do a search on this form , but for some reason it wouldn't pull up the keywords Discovery 55, so I have to ask my question here . But if this boat has been reviewed somewhere on this form , can anyone help me find the thread ? My question is this , Discovery 55 review . I have a friend that's trying to talk me out of this boat ..because of what he calls poor Hull design , that it doesn't handle rough Seas well. Or that it takes a stronger wind to push it. versus other similar-sized yachts. Any Discovery 55 owners out there , or people with experience on this vessel, that can reply ? One of my main interest in upgrading to this discovery 55 is that I've heard the company is very easy to work with , in designing the boat purchase. I trying to ignore my friend .because he sold on only one name brand boat.. ( His boat's manufacturer of course ) so he has a very biased opinion. It's a big purchase , but now that I've sold my boat I'm anxious to move up to my next boat .. .. Coming out of a 38 footer that I frequently solo sailed . I might be buying off more than I can chew , but at this point , mostly I was looking for feedback on the Discovery 55 hull design , and handling characteristics.  

Here's the thing, a boat like the Discovery 55 are made in very small numbers and so it will be hard to find people who have actually even been on one under way. Moreover, on a forum like this one, there are only a few folks who own boats of this general size and complexity and then a slightly larger group who have even sailed on boats this size. As a result, it will be very hard to find a review based on experience with these boats. It should be possible to perhaps get the name of a few Discovery 55 owners from Discovery Yachts and talk with them. You might also try to see if you can talk with the professional skippers or crews, on a Discovery 55 or perhaps a delivery skipper who has delivered one, since the professionals may be more impartial in their comments. For the rest of us, it is really hard to comment without knowing what you plan to do with the boat, or where you will be sailing her. It is also very difficult because personal taste plays a huge role in building a new semi-custom boat of this size. For example, based on my own personal taste, I look at the Discovery 55 and think that is a really outdated hull and rig design. The Discovery 55 would have been state of the art design circa 1975 but we have learned a huge amount about motion comfort, seaworthiness, and performance in the intervening years. To me a boat like the Discovery 55 would be harder to handle, less seaworthy, and way slower than a boat that was based on the design principals that came out during the 40 years that have followed. That is not to say that I personally am a fan of the most of the more modern design trends either. But since I personally lean towards boats that are easy to handle and offer great performance, even if I had the money and inclination to buy I boat of that size, the Discovery 55 would not even be on my list and it would be nearly impossible for me to figure out why someone would ever build a boat of that design in this day and age. But that only represents my own tastes and my own view point. Which gets back to the central point, that there is little that anyone (even a current Discovery 55 owner) can do to help you without knowing more about what you personally are trying to accomplish and why a boat like the Discovery 55 appeals to you personally. Respectfully, Jeff  

Jeff_H said: Here's the thing, a boat like the Discovery 55 are made in very small numbers and so it will be hard to find people who have actually even been on one under way. Moreover, on a forum like this one, there are only a few folks who own boats of this general size and complexity and then a slightly larger group who have even sailed on boats this size. As a result, it will be very hard to find a review based on experience with these boats. It should be possible to perhaps get the name of a few Discovery 55 owners from Discovery Yachts and talk with them. You might also try to see if you can talk with the professional skippers or crews, on a Discovery 55 or perhaps a delivery skipper who has delivered one, since the professionals may be more impartial in their comments. For the rest of us, it is really hard to comment without knowing what you plan to do with the boat, or where you will be sailing her. It is also very difficult because personal taste plays a huge role in building a new semi-custom boat of this size. For example, based on my own personal taste, I look at the Discovery 55 and think that is a really outdated hull and rig design. The Discovery 55 would have been state of the art design circa 1975 but we have learned a huge amount about motion comfort, seaworthiness, and performance in the intervening years. To me a boat like the Discovery 55 would be harder to handle, less seaworthy, and way slower than a boat that was based on the design principals that came out during the 40 years that have followed. That is not to say that I personally am a fan of the most of the more modern design trends either. But since I personally lean towards boats that are easy to handle and offer great performance, even if I had the money and inclination to buy I boat of that size, the Discovery 55 would not even be on my list and it would be nearly impossible for me to figure out why someone would ever build a boat of that design in this day and age. But that only represents my own tastes and my own view point. Which gets back to the central point, that there is little that anyone (even a current Discovery 55 owner) can do to help you without knowing more about what you personally are trying to accomplish and why a boat like the Discovery 55 appeals to you personally. Respectfully, Jeff Click to expand...

Braavos, congrats on the new-to-you Southerly. Nice boats. I also like the Discovery line, I was aboard one in Annapolis during October's show. I could swear it was a 55 or close. It was sailed across the Atlantic for the show and was returning after the show. No doubt a capable hull. I'm sure there is truth to what Jeff H describes about design. He's a naval architect and knows his stuff. Whether it matters to the average bloke, like me, is a reasonable question and I'm pretty sure he would acknowledge it. Everything is a compromise.  

Minnewaska said: Braavos, congrats on the new-to-you Southerly. Nice boats. I also like the Discovery line, I was aboard one in Annapolis during October's show. I could swear it was a 55 or close. It was sailed across the Atlantic for the show and was returning after the show. No doubt a capable hull. I'm sure there is truth to what Jeff H describes about design. He's a naval architect and knows his stuff. Whether it matters to the average bloke, like me, is a reasonable question and I'm pretty sure he would acknowledge it. Everything is a compromise. Click to expand...

Re-read my post of my reply to Jeff , I'm worried it sounds a little harsher than I meant it , sometimes written tone isn't a good reflection . Discovery has modified their hull design , especially in the last 3 years. I had originally had looked at the amel50. , amel 55 , . But I have read some reviews of owners , of the Southerly yachts.. and they seem to really really love their vessels ... Yes hull design is a compromise of different usage.. as I have recently retired and we plan on spending at least 2 seasons in the Caribbean , crossing over and spending 2 season and the Mediterranean. I'm compromising for a blue water boat for the Atlantic Crossing versus some shallow anchorage's in the Caribbean. We plan on living on board full-time For 4 seasons . With off periods , Of course , on the hard. .. I've looked at oyster , and hallberg-Rassy. , and Amel . .. for reasons I don't need to get into, I wanted to stay under 50 feet.. . It seems discovery has gone to wider Beams, on their popular yachts along with a few years, with other changes. .. they say that you don't pick the boat the boat picks you . Everyone seems to have their personal favorite , the broker that I've been working with has his own opinions, but for some reason my top two boats, that I've been drawn to were the Amel's and the discovery group. This Southerly 480 , comes closest to meeting my needs. .  

Discovery bought out the Southerly Yacht Company. It all in the same now , the 480 is basically the old southerly 47 , ( with a few modifications ) . I got a private message that said my reply to Jeff sounded harsh.. and now your reply said something about offended.. I wasn't offended by Jeff's reply, and didn't mean to offend jeff in Return , that was the last thing on my mind, so the tone of this thread is taking a Direction , that has me totally by surprise, and if I was able , I just delete this thread, because I was just asking a simple question .  

Not quite sure what you're asking Jeff. And I didn't understand 2/3's of what you wrote . I wasn't looking for that technical of a reply. . As to how I switch from a new discovery 55 to a Southerly 480.. Simple , I listened to people who were more knowledgeable than I was , that I've chosen to help guide me , in my selection , based on what I told them that my needs were .. it's a large cash purchase , a large investment .. but at this point I wish the hell I had never join this forum. ... if I offended you my apologies , and I will be studying your reply to increase my knowledge, thank you for your time , ... now let me figure out how to delete myself off this forum.  

Braavos, Please don't leave. As you have noted, the internet is a lousy conveyor of tone. At this point, I see no harm and no foul to all of the above and hope that you don't feel offended by my comments either. But at the heart of it, it sounds like you are entering into buying a new boat and at the same time seem to be suggesting that you are in a learning process. Forums like SailNet really are good places to kick around ideas and ask questions that come up along the way. Many of us have experienced the kinds of things that you are likely to ask about and are quite willing to try to be helpful. As to my perhaps too technical post, I am sorry if it is too technical to be of immediate use to you. Hopefully my explanation will make more sense to you if you discuss it with some of the people who are as you say "more knowledgeable than I was." All of us in this sport have had to learn from others at some point along the way, and places like this are also chances to give back to the sport. I am hoping that you will stick around to teach and be taught, to ask questions, and describe some of your experiences and so on. Having ridden shotgun in my mother's boat building and importing company, I typically suggest that there are few things in sailing that require more knowledge and experience than buying and commissioning a new boat. Your process will include invaluable lessons in what to do and what not to do. Bob Perry's thread on the Carbon Cutters was a great example of a thread that was jamb packed with lessons on designing and outfitting a boat from scratch. But all boat decisions include the idiosyncratic elements of taste and preference and of course those will be uniquely yours. Kumbaya and out, Jeff  

Kind of interesting that the other two boats the OP was considering in his original post are a masthead ketch and a masthead double headed sloop. Although new designs both tuck in at their sterns and have a fair bit of rocker although less than seen in the past. Really like the southerly. Enjoy. Please don’t leave the forum. JeffH is quite knowledgeable and generally gives more light than heat.  

Perhaps @Braavos would find these videos helpful? and regarding the Discovery 55;  

Thank you for the vedios , I have seen them , and have spoken to Distant Shores , over the internet. . I'm working with a broker , and contracted license captain. But thank you for your post. As to a previous comment made by someone else, as to why I had looked at totally different types of boats , perhaps you would understand. That when you have a wife , who picks out boats because they are , " pretty " you're viewing selection varies , lol ,  

Braavos. Hope you stick around and fill us in on the new boat commissioning process. No doubt many would learn from it. I got the process started many years ago and bailed to buy a near new boat instead. Long story. No doubt, the disconnect in tone and content with Jeff is the presumption on his part that most buyers of the boats you’re contemplating have a high level of understanding of boat design principals. I’m 100% certain that most do not. Nor do most luxury car buyers understand how cars are designed. Some aficionados in both camps do. It does, on the other hand, pay to listen to them. I loved the idea that the boat picks you. About as non-technical as it gets, but there is a lot of truth to it. You will need to love your boat, for it to ever be worth it. Once the boat picks you, best to learn as much as you can about it. One thing to look into a bit is how well Discovery/Southerly is doing financially. They make a nice product, but I’m not sure how many they sell. May be totally wrong, but I had the sense their combination was a life support move. Again, I could be wrong.  

Understand I gave the wife a short list too. Boreal, HR and Outbound. She picked the Outbound.  

To anyone that didn't follow Jeff's post - I highly recommend Bob Perry's book, "Yacht Design According to Perry." It goes through the technical stuff in relatively small digestible pieces, and intersperses it with great stories of how his designs of various eras came to be. https://www.amazon.com/Yacht-Design...=8-1&keywords=yacht+design+according+to+perry Maybe if you ask him nicely he will sign it for you. I'm sure there are good textbooks that Jeff and others can recommend but they may be quite dry and beyond the attention span of a lay audience.  

I think that the Southerly 480 will be a great boat, but it has a much smaller state room but is more modern and has a lifting keel. However the Discovery 55 is hardly out of date. Just go to the World Cruising Club results of their passages and you will see that Discovery 55's seem to out pace most of the other boats in the same class except the Hylas 54. I have bought a Discovery 55 and I am very happy with the build quality, the later the boat the better they are, hull number 30 onwards is the best choice for a used boat, but like any boat the manufacturers just improve them as they fond better ways of doing things. The Discovery 55 VS the Southerly 480 is all about comfort an independence. The 55 hold 1300l of fuel and 1000l of water. the Discovery 55 is a bioat built for a job, i.e. blue water cruising and does it very well, there are no right or wrong answers only choices. In a few years I can see a time when boats will have no gas on board and probably no generator and power will come from solar, wind, hydro and as a last resort the main diesel engine.  

Jeff-H - Thank you for the great description regarding the important details between the hull updates for the boats listed. This is helpful for me as I am collecting information as well. Best, Scott  

Purchase a "serious" yacht for the first time can be a real catch22. For someone with no serious experience about sailing, or the physics of design it can be a beauty contest selection where you defer to your chosen experts to steer you to a sensible boat. But once you commit to purchase you essentially forced to learn with a trial by fire. And there is a lot to learn... and it will take years. This learning curve may or may not determine when you embark on your offshore adventures. I think a prudent new skipper will learn pretty quickly how little they knew and how much they need to know. Selection of a boat with consideration to hull form, keel architecture, and rig / sail plan is very critical. The basics can be learned from many books out there. I suppose one assumption, underscored by Jeff's post is that hull, rig design and sail plan have been ADVANCING and for good reason - designed have learned from the school of hard knocks what's works better. I have to confess that I bought a new first boat with very very little knowledge and a lot of confidence and enthusiasm to learn. For me the process was about 5 years and involved all manner of "system upgrades" and equipment additions not to mention as much sailing in all conditions in Southern New England that I could get. Shiva has a fractional rig... and at the time of purchase I was unaware of the benefits of this sail plan. I learned pretty quickly and the points Jeff made are spot on. A masthead and fractional rig were offered at the time. I did not order a boat but bought the fractional that the importer had brought in to sell... so I didn't have the opportunity to sail each and see the difference. I think I was lucky and am a advocate for the fractional rig. However there are downside at anchor as the fractional will be more restless. Aesthetics are a personal matter, but things like no steps on the interior and no wide open spaces without hand holds all over the place are sensible choices for an offshore boat. The other important thing I found is a large dry cockpit is a blessing. Virtually all the time spent above decks is in the cockpit so it needs to work.. and that means also the ability to "stretch" out when sailing or at anchor. I see too many boats without this feature. My final comment is about the number of helm stations. Unless one is racing or one likes to manually helm... two helms are just no advantage and actually a disadvantage. More mechanical things to tend to, take up lots of cockpit space and add a lot of cost to the boat. People who cruise spend little time at the helm except for "fun conditions"... really challenging conditions or for photo ops. Challenging I define as conditions when a human can helm better than an AP. Regardless steering is tiring so most people are using their APs most of the time. May your passages be full of fair winds and following seas.... enjoy your new boat.  

SanderO said: Purchase a "serious" yacht for the first time can be a real catch22. For someone with no serious experience about sailing, . two helms are just no advantage and actually a disadvantage. Click to expand...

I completely agree with SO’s post on learning a new boat. Takes years, even if you’ve done it before. I was speaking to a delivery skipper about a problem he had aboard a boat he’d delivered dozens of times. Lost electrical power to a few systems, while underway. There turned out to be a fuse bank, separate from those behind the nav station, that were buried in an obscure place he never knew about. On the other hand, dual helms are a matter of personal preference, not a bright line. We find they allow the cockpit to be a better living space, as no one is ever climbing around the helm. On several hulls I’ve sailed with them, the aft section can be too wide to helm from the center and ever see around a salt sprayed dodger, so the dual helm is more functional. If anything, it is important to have autopilot controls at both helms and that does add cost. All depends.  

Minnewaska said: I completely agree with SO's post on learning a new boat. Takes years, even if you've done it before. I was speaking to a delivery skipper about a problem he had aboard a boat he'd delivered dozens of times. Lost electrical power to a few systems, while underway. There turned out to be a fuse bank, separate from those behind the nav station, that were buried in an obscure place he never knew about. On the other hand, dual helms are a matter of personal preference, not a bright line. We find they allow the cockpit to be a better living space, as no one is ever climbing around the helm. On several hulls I've sailed with them, the aft section can be too wide to helm from the center and ever see around a salt sprayed dodger, so the dual helm is more functional. If anything, it is important to have autopilot controls at both helms and that does add cost. All depends. Click to expand...

Attachments

I’ve been aboard a J boat with a single huge helm that had to be buried in the floor. Remind my self I spend 90% of my time at anchor.  

Minnewaska said: I've been aboard a J boat with a single huge helm that had to be buried in the floor. Remind my self I spend 90% of my time at anchor. Click to expand...

While this is YEARS out of date and you will probably never read it AND it probably doesn't apply to all Discovery yachts- BUT the very boat you were on in Annapolis-was found so "unfit for its intended purpose" it had to be shipped back to the UK! Discovery was sued and they LOST and the owners of the yacht won £1.5 when they paid £1.375 for delivery of the new yacht. The delivery skipper had massive problems getting it over to the States. They won the suit in 2019 - well because nothing decent has happened in 2020 - we all know that by now- sigh.... I found this out because I was trying to research if the hulls were strong enough for ice since they are reinforced with kevlar. Hope you see this little tidbit of info.  

swheel said: the very boat you were on in Annapolis-was found so "unfit for its intended purpose" it had to be shipped back to the UK! Discovery was sued and they LOST and the owners of the yacht won £1.5 when they paid £1.375 for delivery of the new yacht. The delivery skipper had massive problems getting it over to the States. Click to expand...

Couple win £1m from a yacht company for selling them a leaky ship

Braavos said: I tried to do a search on this form , but for some reason it wouldn't pull up the keywords Discovery 55, so I have to ask my question here . But if this boat has been reviewed somewhere on this form , can anyone help me find the thread ? My question is this , Discovery 55 review . I have a friend that's trying to talk me out of this boat ..because of what he calls poor Hull design , that it doesn't handle rough Seas well. Or that it takes a stronger wind to push it. versus other similar-sized yachts. Any Discovery 55 owners out there , or people with experience on this vessel, that can reply ? One of my main interest in upgrading to this discovery 55 is that I've heard the company is very easy to work with , in designing the boat purchase. I trying to ignore my friend .because he sold on only one name brand boat.. ( His boat's manufacturer of course ) so he has a very biased opinion. It's a big purchase , but now that I've sold my boat I'm anxious to move up to my next boat .. .. Coming out of a 38 footer that I frequently solo sailed . I might be buying off more than I can chew , but at this point , mostly I was looking for feedback on the Discovery 55 hull design , and handling characteristics. Click to expand...

Just adding my opinion to this very old post. Discovery 55 are great boats. Very comfortable to live on, very comfortable to sail in across oceans. And I would know because I sailed with my family across oceans in a Discovery 55. Two of us adults could sail her easily, and in addition, because so “tight” below, you aren’t going to get injured from falling down stairs or across a wide saloon when underway. Hardly needed to leave cockpit, no typical mast work to speak of, which was amazing for safety. We placed 2 whisker poles on mast so we could use two headsails for downwind,…brilliant and easy. We had small children who wouldn’t be able to reach normal handholds, but no worries, they were going to be fine in a Dicovery 55. Our dream boat. We do not regret our choice for a minute. Looking around at all other boats, only negative is that it is small for entertaining large groups of people at a time. But that isn’t what we wanted to do, so not a negative for us. It is designed so easy and sensible access for repairs, unlike many production boats. It didn’t fall apart like the production boats. It was fast as well. We did 4000 nm in 22 days.  

Sarah J said: We did 4000 nm in 22 days. Click to expand...

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Discovery 55 MkII – review and test

The discovery 55 has been around since 2000, and has established herself among the bluewater cruising elite..

The new MkII is an upgrade that features the original hull and rig, with some subtle changes to keep her contemporary 15 years on.

Sailing today’s verdict:.

If you are serious about bluewater cruising, then the Discovery 55 MkII  is a serious yacht for the job.

She has been incredibly carefully thought out and thoroughly fitted out with an eagle eye on quality.

For a couple, she’s a dream. People go sailing for all sorts of reasons, but I guarantee very few do it to look like a fool or end up having a row. The Discovery will ensure such incidents are kept to a minimum with her easy handling and spacious interior.

She also provides bags of comfort and feels reassuringly safe with her high ballast ratio and deep cockpit. You may baulk at the price, but unlike many yachts in this category, she comes fully kitted out and ready to sail away with an impressive inventory. Just choose which ocean you want to head to…

Discovery 55 Gennaker

Contemporary upgrade, fine detailing, living the dream, she sails 'nicely', the details, info heading.

info content

This is an edited version of the full test, which appears in the March 2015 issue (No. 215) of Sailing Today, on sale on January 30.

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Discovery 48 – a smaller version of the impressive bluewater Discovery 55

• Toby Hodges
• March 2, 2016

The latest from Discovery Yachts, this is a bluewater cruiser for those seeking a high-quality, luxurious yacht, but want something more manageable for the UK or Med waters. Toby Hodges reports

It was the Discovery 55 that launched Discovery Yachts 15 years ago. The Marchwood-based yard specialises in bluewater cruisers for couples and, although this 55 was considered a large yacht at the time, subsequent Discovery models have all been larger. Only now has it unveiled plans for its first smaller version, the 48.

But with average yacht sizes continuing to increase, why create the smallest Discovery now? I spoke to Discovery’s new managing director, Andrew Burrows, who explained that the decision was taken for two reasons: firstly because of feedback from previous owners who have returned to the UK after bluewater cruising – “seeking a high-quality, luxurious yacht, but something more manageable for the UK or Med waters,” he says. “And secondly for the purpose of attracting people into the Discovery brand at a lower size and price range.”

The 48 has all the Discovery hallmarks such as a centre cockpit and a large raised saloon and navstation, yet unusually it is available in two variants. The Ocean version has single wheel steering and two luxury en-suite cabins.

The Riviera has twin wheels and a more open cockpit, with a rollbar to keep the mainsheet out of the way. Down below are three double cabins, including the owner’s cabin forward.

Designers Ron Holland and Bill Dixon are responsible for Discovery’s previous designs, but the 48 is drawn by a new name, Oscar Mayr Design. Mayr is a young and promising naval architect, a recent top graduate from Solent University who worked at Discovery for a year supporting its in-house design team.

“We believe it is good to have a young designer with fresh ideas and styling approach,” Burrows says.

The 48 has a positive sheerline rising to a high stem. The yacht is specifically designed for safe and easy short-handed sailing so comes with Discovery’s tried-and-tested twin headsails (genoa and self-tacking jib) and in-mast furling main as standard.

In fact, the standard price incorporates a full spec including generator, reverse-cycle aircon/heating, bow thruster, electric winches and navigation instruments.

Price ex VAT from £645,000 for the Ocean model. www.discoveryyachts.com

LOA 14.80m/48ft 0in

Beam 4.83m/15ft 8in

Displacement (half load) 17,500kg/38,500lb

Draught (Std) 2.23m/7ft 3in

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Discovery 55 MkII

• By Cruising World Staff
• Updated: September 24, 2014

Drawing from the experience of owners with many thousands of sea miles on the original Discovery 55, the MkII has a new design for the raised-saloon windows to let in more light, an updated profile with flush deck hatches and a more spacious cockpit. Interior joinery is light and has a contemporary look. www.discoveryyachts.com

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Discovery 55

Discovery 55 is a 54 ′ 9 ″ / 16.7 m monohull sailboat designed by Ron Holland and built by Discovery Yachts between 2000 and 2019.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

Reported sail area = main + self-tacking jib. SA for furling Genoa (140%) = 87.5 sqm / 941.84 sq ft. Draft – shoal keel version 1.80m/5.92’ Also available as a cutter as well as a number of different interior layouts.

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Review of Discovery 55

Basic specs..

The hull is made of fibreglass. Generally, a hull made of fibreglass requires only a minimum of maintenance during the sailing season.

The boat is equipped with 1007.0 liter fresh water capacity.

The boat equipped with a masthead rig. The advantage of a masthead rig is its simplicity and the fact that a given sail area - compared with a fractional rig - can be carried lower and thus with less heeling moment.

The Discovery 55 is equipped with a fin keel. The fin keel is the most common keel and provides splendid manoeuvrability. The downside is that it has less directional stability than a long keel.

The boat can only enter major marinas as the draft is about 2.23 - 2.33 meter (7.32 - 7.62 ft) dependent on the load. See immersion rate below.

Sailing characteristics

This section covers widely used rules of thumb to describe the sailing characteristics. Please note that even though the calculations are correct, the interpretation of the results might not be valid for extreme boats.

What is Capsize Screening Formula (CSF)?

The capsize screening value for Discovery 55 is 1.71, indicating that this boat could - if evaluated by this formula alone - be accepted to participate in ocean races.

What is Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed?

The theoretical maximal speed of a displacement boat of this length is 9.4 knots. The term "Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed" is widely used even though a boat can sail faster. The term shall be interpreted as above the theoretical speed a great additional power is necessary for a small gain in speed.

The immersion rate is defined as the weight required to sink the boat a certain level. The immersion rate for Discovery 55 is about 480 kg/cm, alternatively 2690 lbs/inch. Meaning: if you load 480 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 2690 lbs cargo on the boat it will sink 1 inch.

Sailing statistics

This section is statistical comparison with similar boats of the same category. The basis of the following statistical computations is our unique database with more than 26,000 different boat types and 350,000 data points.

What is L/B (Length Beam Ratio)?

What is a Ballast Ratio?

What is Displacement Length Ratio?

What is SA/D (Sail Area Displacement ratio)?

Maintenance

When buying anti-fouling bottom paint, it's nice to know how much to buy. The surface of the wet bottom is about 79m 2 (850 ft 2 ). Based on this, your favourite maritime shop can tell you the quantity you need.

Are your sails worn out? You might find your next sail here: Sails for Sale

If you need to renew parts of your running rig and is not quite sure of the dimensions, you may find the estimates computed below useful.

This section is reserved boat owner's modifications, improvements, etc. Here you might find (or contribute with) inspiration for your boat.

Do you have changes/improvements you would like to share? Upload a photo and describe what you have done.

We are always looking for new photos. If you can contribute with photos for Discovery 55 it would be a great help.

If you have any comments to the review, improvement suggestions, or the like, feel free to contact us . Criticism helps us to improve.

DISCOVERY 55 Detailed Review

If you are a boat enthusiast looking to get more information on specs, built, make, etc. of different boats, then here is a complete review of DISCOVERY 55. Built by Discovery Yachts and designed by Ron Holland, the boat was first built in 2000. It has a hull type of Fin with rudder on skeg and LOA is 16.7. Its sail area/displacement ratio 14.74. Its auxiliary power tank, manufactured by Yanmar, runs on Diesel x2.

DISCOVERY 55 has retained its value as a result of superior building, a solid reputation, and a devoted owner base. Read on to find out more about DISCOVERY 55 and decide if it is a fit for your boating needs.

Boat Information

Boat specifications, sail boat calculation, rig and sail specs, auxillary power tank, accomodations, contributions, who designed the discovery 55.

DISCOVERY 55 was designed by Ron Holland.

Who builds DISCOVERY 55?

DISCOVERY 55 is built by Discovery Yachts.

When was DISCOVERY 55 first built?

DISCOVERY 55 was first built in 2000.

How long is DISCOVERY 55?

DISCOVERY 55 is 15 m in length.

What is mast height on DISCOVERY 55?

DISCOVERY 55 has a mast height of 19.33 m.

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Discovery 55, VELA VEE

Discovery Yachts Ltd., Discovery 55 Built 2003 / £425,000, VAT paid

Broker’s Comments

Discovery 55, VELA VEE is a superb cruising yacht that was thoughtfully specified for long distance family cruising. She has succeeded admirably in this role and has been carefully maintained through life.

The Discovery 55 has been extensively reviewed. Bluewater Sailing called her `innovative and eminently comfortable voyaging home’, whilst Boat International said `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. However, none of this is at the expense of performance.

The Discovery 55 was well received from the outset and there are a number of key features that have ensured the yachts enduring popularity:

• The deck layout and sail plan are unsurpassed in ease of handling with powered furling and electric winches, the white sail plan can be managed by one person entirely from the cockpit.
• The raised navigation station in her deck saloon enabling 360 views while looking at the charts/plotter.
• The raised saloon is popular with crew – keeping you out of the elements but in touch with your surrounding and the cockpit.
• A superb seagoing galley with ample stowage, large capacity fridge and freezers and spacious work surfaces with high fiddles.
• Walk in access to machinery in an airy well laid engine room.

Sales Video (2023)

Sales Video (2022)

Owner’s Comments

We bought Discovery 55, VELA VEE at the end of 2017 and really started to use her with avengeance in 2018 – sailing locally in the Solent and then further afield to the West Country and France through the course of 2018, learning more about the boat in the process.

Our real target in buying the boat was to cruise the west coast of Scotland and we therefore found ourselves headed up the Irish Sea on a cold May Day (and night), finally making our first steps on Scottish soil on a sunny but still cold day. We had a great summer learning more about the islands, the wildlife and enjoying the spectacular scenery.

Our plan for the following year to go across to Norway and up to Lofoten was scuppered by COVID but we still managed to have a few weeks exploring more of the islands once we were allowed to go into Scotland again.

The following year COVID was still limiting travel abroad and we gave up on Norway, turning our attentions instead on the Orkneys, Fair Isle (which was the jewel in the crown) and Shetland.

We then returned down south, passing the outer Hebrides before crossing over to Northern Ireland and Ireland, the Scillies and finally home to Lymington at the end of 2021.

In 2022, we felt that we deserved a bit of sunshine so headed south to the Spanish Rias.

During our time with the boat we have become very attached to it, as happens with boats! Its original design concept, to provide a boat that can be handled easily by two people, has definitely been achieved. Having the space for friends to visit but also to store two mountain bikes and kayaks was also a great advantage.

Over our ownership of the boat we have progressively updated various systems, particularly the navigational equipment.

We have greatly enjoyed owning Discovery 55, VELA VEE and will be very sad to see her go.

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Yacht Details

• Builder: Discovery Yachts Ltd.
• Model: Discovery 55
• Yacht Name: VELA VEE
• Hull Designer: Ron Holland
• Year Built: 2003
• LOA: 55’9” / 17m
• LWL: (Static) 44’9” / 13.64m - (Heeled) 49’2” / 15m
• Beam: 15’8” / 4.78m
• Min Draft / Max Draft: (Half Load) 7’3” / 2.23m
• Displacement: (Half Load) 22,500kg / 49,500lb
• Berths: 7 berths in 3 cabin(s) / 2 head/WC(s)
• Engine Count: 1 Yanmar 4LHA-HTP (140hp) Diesel
• Country: Lymington, Hampshire, UK
• Asking Price: £425,000, VAT paid

Contact Details

Harry Lightfoot Berthon UK Tel: 0044 (0)1590 679 222 E-Mail: [email protected] Click image for full broker profile.

Enquire about VELA VEE

Related yachts.

ALTARAMA £375,000 / 2002 Discovery Yachts Ltd., Discovery 55

SPIRIT OF SANGOMA €295,000 / 1977 Camper & Nicholsons, Camper & Nicholsons 70

C-QUEST £450,000 / 2007 Discovery Yachts Ltd., Discovery 55

HUAHINE £450,000 / 2007 Discovery Yachts Ltd., Discovery 55

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• Digital edition

Discovery 57 – video and review

• October 7, 2013

Easier to sail than a 30-footer, more palatial than a suite at the Savoy, and built for blue water life. Chris Beeson reports

Product Overview

Manufacturer:, price as reviewed:.

What’s she like to sail? This luxurious, supremely comfortable and beautifully crafted yacht comes with a million ocean miles of experience designed and built-in for drama-free world-girdling, but what’s most remarkable is that this gale-taming passage-eater is unbelievably easy to sail singlehanded. At the push of several buttons you can switch on the engine, push yourself out with the bow thrusters, motor into a fairway, unfurl main and genoa and trim them in. If you’ve got a fair bit of tacking to do, use the self-tacking Solent and all you need to do is turn the wheel. If you need to nip below, flip on the autopilot and keep an eye out through the huge windows at the chart table. She’s not a ‘feely’ boat like the wonderful performance cruisers we’ve tested lately, which respond to slight tweaks, but you simply don’t want that in a blue water boat. Just set her up and watch her go. Obviously you try to avoid bad weather but if you can’t, she’ll plough through almost anything. This is a boat that looks after you like a parent looks after an only child. I’m genuinely proud that she’s British. What’s she like in port and at anchor? You’ve seen the pictures – discreet opulence and tasteful practicality wrapped elegantly around a bulletproof boat. The owner’s suite is palatial, bright, well ventilated, ringed by stowage, and has a dazzling, spacious en suite heads just a few steps away. The guest suite forward isn’t en suite but it’s still immensely comfortable and can guzzle huge amounts of gear in abundant wardrobes and drawers. The chart table is a wonderful place to sit and watch the sun set on another night of ocean passage-making and the deck saloon itself brings the anchorage in, to make the journey worthwhile. The rather unlovely but immensely practical bimini does nothing for her lines but in a sun-drenched anchorage it will be deeply appreciated. Launch the RIB to explore upriver or just step down to the bathing platform for a swim. The best aspect, however, is that the problems that usually beset bluewater cruisers have all been designed out, backed-up or made very easy to fix. It’s highly unlikely that the satphone will ever be used to chase up a critical part, the want of which has brought your circumnavigation to a grinding halt. Would she suit you and your crew? Needless to say, you’ll be fired up about going round the world, in some style, or popping across the pond for a winter in the Caribbean, as our test boat is shortly due to do, or looking forward to setting her up as a luxurious holiday pad in the Med. If you’ve done some blue water sailing, you’ll know the biggest problem you’ll face is stuff going wrong, leaving you stuck in port. You’re unlikely to be able to find the part you need wherever you happen to be and you’ll spend days screaming down the phone at someone halfway round the world trying to get your widget shipped out at hideous expense while your carefully planned passages drift off into the future. This boat is built on such experiences. The Discovery 57 aims to eliminate the rare problems experienced by owners of the Discovery 55, itself commissioned by John Charnley, the man who founded Discovery – and Sunsail – so he clearly knows a thing or two about maintenance. In terms of reliability and ease of maintenance, there can’t be another boat – nor another service team – to match her.

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DISCOVERY 55 Full Specification 10 Pages

Catalog excerpts

Welcome to the world of… Full Specication for the discovery 55

Hull Construction The hull is laid up in female moulds. The immensely strong lay up specified by the Designer and Structural Engineers meets or exceeds full CE regulations Category "A-Ocean" and is constructed in a Lloyds Approved laminating facility. The hull has two coats of isothalic gelcoat. This is non-pigmented below the waterline. This is followed by powder-bound mat. Both the quality of the gelcoat and the use of non-pigmented gelcoat below the waterline make for an impervious hull surface that is highly resistant to osmosis. The hull carries a 5-year written guarantee against...

DECKAND SUPERSTRUCTURE The deck is moulded in GRP with a balsa core to provide strength and insulation. A bulwark runs around the whole deck edge to give strength and a feeling of security. Wherever there are load bearing areas plywood replaces the balsa core. All load bearing fittings have aluminium or stainless steel backing plates. The deck incorporates 2 lockers in the transom steps, 2 lazarette lockers, a self-draining gas locker, a liferaft/fender locker amidships, a large sail locker forward, and a self-draining chain locker at the bow. A fold out bathing ladder is built into the...

DECK EQUIPMENT Lewmar winches are provided as standard. (Andersen winches are 2 X Lewmar 64 EST electric self-tailing winches are provided as standard primary winches. 1 X Lewmar 48 ST self-tailing winch provides control of the main sheet. (Electric 48 EST is optional) 1 X Lewmar 48 EST electric self-tailing winch for control of the main halyard, reefing lines and self-tacking staysail sheet. 2 X Lewmar 44 ST on the mast for headsail halyards. 2 X winch handle pockets. Mainsail reefing and other control lines are led aft from the mast area to the main electric control winch on the forward...

Interior Layout Options There are three interior layouts available, with a number of variations possible within those. The main difference in the layouts is in the main saloon. The standard layout is the raised deck saloon, which provides panoramic views when seated. Two alternative versions of this are available. One offers a version of raised seating with the addition of two comfortable armchairs on the starboard side of the main saloon instead of the pilot berth. The other offers the main saloon accommodation at a lower level, utilising the full width of the hull. In all three cases the...

A ventilated wet locker is located at the aft end of the galley. This cabin is light, airy and spacious. The king size double berth is 6' 6" long by 5' 9" wide (2 m x 1.8 m). The split interior sprung mattress is set on special battens for maximum comfort and to allow it to "breathe". An alternative of two large single berths is available as an option. Lee cloths are provided. To starboard is a comfortable armchair, and there is generous drawer, locker and wardrobe stowage. There is a central vanity unit. A large hatch is positioned over the berth, with an additional opening port aft,...

Engine Room The Discovery 55 has a full walk-in engine room, with the main access door from the Owner's Stateroom Ensuite. There is good access to the engine and to ancillary equipment. There is good lighting and fan ventilation in the engine room area. Two automatic fire extinguishers The engine room is fully lined with fire retardant insulation that is faced to prevent any contamination by diesel or inflammable substances. All access panels have rubber sealing strips. All ancillary pumps and motors are rubber mounted for quietness. Ventilation ducting is also sound-insulated where...

Fresh Water System Fresh water is stored in two separate food grade high-density polyethylene tanks. These are fitted with baffles and inspection covers. They are completely taint free and do not suffer from the corrosion that can affect stainless steel tanks in some parts of the world. Total capacity of the two tanks is 1,008 litres (266 US gals). Each of these has its own deck filler and breather. The starboard tank can also be fed from the rainwater catching system. When rainwater is diverted to this tank it passes through a filter. This is ideal for showers, washing up and "hot-tub"...

Battery Charging Engine and generator start batteries are charged by their own alternators. This provides secure starting back up with the two separate batteries. These have an emergency link facility, which would also allow charging from either alternator. The 24v domestic battery bank is charged by the 110 amp hour alternator on the engine or by the Victron Energy battery charger. This charges at 70 amp hours (24v) from the generator or shore power. A second 3kW inverter / 70 amp charger is optional. An A.C. panel controls a 30 amp 230v (llOv option) ring main, with power sockets in the...

Sails by Hood Sails, UK (or comparable). Mainsail cut for in-mast reefing. Furling crosscut Genoa in Dacron (140%) - with luff pad and UV protective strip. Furling crosscut Blade Jib in Dacron - with luff pad and Vectran cloth is available as an option. ADDITIONAL LOOSE EQUIPMENT 2 X 15m nylon mooring warps 2 X 10m nylon mooring warps 2 X Locking winch handles 3 X Cowl vents for dorades 1 X Emergency handle for in mast reefing 1 X Bilge bump handle 3 X Dry powder fire extinguishers 1 X 6 kg Propane gas bottle and regulator Full Owners Manual The full Owners Manual includes drawings and...

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An all-new design by Rob Doyle. A true DISCOVERY in concept, Doyle has leveraged everything he knows from three decades of superyacht design to create a 60 foot, sector redefining boat. The D60 takes hull speed, safety, sustainability and liveaboard experience to the next level, resulting in a truly globe-girdling adventure platform for families and friends.

DISCOVERY yachts was founded on the D55. An award-winning icon, it redefined luxury sailing by offering an ocean-going, two-handed bluewater cruiser for discovering the world in total comfort and safety. Our new D55 uses world-class on-board technologies to take the marque to the next level, adding more beam, more space and more pace for limitless short-handed ocean adventures.

The reDISCOVERY 55 is an ‘as-new’ yacht with an upcycled hull from an existing Ron Holland D55 (mark I or II) which has undergone DISCOVERY’s proprietary comprehensive refit service. All reD55s carry an extensive specification of improvements and technology upgrades including interiors, exteriors, propulsion, rig, electronics and more. The result is a globally-proven ‘as new’ yacht, with outstanding sustainability credentials.

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Discovery 55

• 2002 - 2011

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