discovery yachts

Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Discovery Shipyard site taken over by UK shipyard

• Katy Stickland
• March 1, 2022

Ocean Shipyard has secured exclusive rights to hand build the Southerly 42, Southerly 48 and Bluewater 50 Catamaran following the demise of Discovery Shipyard

The Southerly 48 will be built by Ocean Shipyard. Credit: Richard Langdon Credit: Richard Langdon

Discovery Shipyard Limited’s Southerly 42, Southerly 48 and Bluewater 50 Catamaran are to be built by a new UK shipyard

Ocean Shipyard Ltd has secured exclusive rights to hand build the vessels following the demise of Discovery.

Run by Discovery Shipyard’s former general manager, Steve Edwards, Ocean Shipyard will also offer joinery and refit facilities, and is now operating from Discovery Shipyard’s former Southampton yard.

Discovery went into voluntary liquidation in January, with 77 staff made redundant.

The COVID-19 pandemic, declining orders and supply chain issues were blamed for the closure.

Continues below…

Discovery Shipyard in voluntary liquidation

It has now been confirmed that Discovery Shipyard has gone into voluntary liquidation. The COVID-19 pandemic is being blamed for…

First look: Southerly 42 – bluewater beauty

There are few high-end bluewater cruising yachts that can boast a draught of just 84cm (3ft). While this increases to…

Discovery 57 – video and review

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

In a statement to Yachting Monthly , liquidators Interpath Advisory said it was progressing with the sale of assets.

‘Discovery Shipyard Limited owned minimal assets. A third party agent has been appointed to market those assets and offers have been received and accepted.

‘The assets include a forklift truck, a van, IT equipment and assorted hand tools and consumables,’ concluded the statement.

According to the UK’s Companies House records, Steve Edwards is now a director of Binti Marine Holdings Ltd, the original holding company of Discovery Shipyard. It follows the resignation of the previous director/owner Werner Schnabele.

Binti Holding GmbH is still listed as a ‘Persons with significant control’ of Binti Marine Holdings Ltd .

According to Company House records in Germany, Schnabele is the managing director of Binti Holding GmbH .

Steve Edwards and Binti Marine Holdings Ltd are listed as ‘Persons with significant control’ of Ocean Shipyard Ltd , according to Companies House records.

Wener Schnabele was one of 401 people who invested £2.2 million in Discovery after a fundraising campaign via Crowdcube.

He became the sole owner of the shipyard in December 2019.

In January 2021, it was announced that Schnaebele had invested a further £2 million in Discovery to be used exclusively on capital expenditures as well as project development including the newly designed Bluewater 50 Catamaran Mk 3, a redesigned Southerly 42 with lifting keel and improvements to the yard’s existing tooling.

Last year, Discovery announced a surge in its order books, including five new models sold off plan.

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History of Discovery Yachts

Discovery Yachts was founded in the year 1998 by John and Caroline Charnley. It was their shared passion for sailing and commitment to producing high-quality blue-water cruising yachts that laid the foundation for the company. The brand was officially launched at the Southampton Boat Show later in September 1998, marking the inception of a company that would soon become a significant player in the yacht manufacturing industry.

The company's initial offering was the Discovery 38, a vessel that set the tone for the quality, innovation, and craftsmanship that would come to define the brand. Over the years, Discovery Yachts has expanded its portfolio, offering a range of yachts that includes the Discovery 55, 58, and 67 models among others. The development of these models has seen the brand set new benchmarks in yacht design, providing top-tier seaworthiness and unparalleled comfort.

Today, Discovery Yachts is situated in Marchwood, Hampshire on the shores of Southampton Water in England. The location boasts an impressive purpose-built facility, allowing all production stages to be conducted in-house. This includes hull moulding, deck fitting, engineering, and even interior design and fitting. Retaining control over each stage ensures the incredibly high standards set by Discovery Yachts' founders continue to be met. The company's vision, dedication and determination have resulted in Discovery Yachts earning a prestigious reputation as a world-leading manufacturer of premier blue-water cruising yachts.

How much does a boat from Discovery Yachts cost?

Used boats from Discovery Yachts on TheYachtMarket.com range in price from £316,000 GBP to £980,000 GBP with an average price of £599,000 GBP . A wide range of factors can affect the price of used boats from Discovery Yachts, for example the model, age and condition.

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Discovery 58 – tested

Sam jefferson tested discovery’s latest model on a delivery trip to guernsey.

The company has gradually expanded its range to include the 55, 48, 57 – now the 58 – a 67 and also a catamaran. In all cases, it has tried to leave no stone unturned in making the vessel as safe, comfortable and practical as possible.

She retains her slippery Ron Holland-designed hull but the deckhouse styling of the 57 has been replaced with something a little more harmonious.

The big innovation – and unique selling point of the 58 – is that she must be the only centre cockpit yacht where you have the option of twin or single wheels.

She’s undoubtedly designed for extended bluewater cruising – her massive keel with a high ballast ratio means high levels of stability and the engine is so quiet you barely register it at all. There is also a marvellous walk-in engine room.

You can enjoy an almost 360° view from the chart table within the deck saloon, which doubles as a sort of inside helming position thanks to the autopilot.

The yacht’s weight is substantial at 27,000kg and she really needs a good Force 4 to get her going properly. With the weight of the water and fuel tanks located low down and centrally, the motion when below is easy, with a minimum of slamming.

LOA: 58ft 9in (17.9m)

LWL: 51ft 10in (15.8m)

Beam: 16ft 9in (5.1m)

Draught: 7ft 9in (2.4m)

Displacement: 27,250kg (60,075lb)

Engine: 150hp Yanmar

Sail area: 166.9m 2 (1,796sqft)

Displacement/LWL: 193

Sail area/displacement: 18.7

Price (base): £1,260,000

As tested: £1,299,000

ST’s verdict:

Discovery Yachts puts a lot of care and thought into designing and building its boats, and it really shows. From the easily accessed inspection hatches for water and fuel tanks through to the voluminous fridges, no stone has been left unturned in its quest to build the ultimate bluewater yacht.

She is really designed to be sailed short-handed, and the push button handling makes her ideal for a couple or a young family. I found her a joy to sail, while the layout below (linear galley, lee-cloths) lends itself very well to comfortable passagemaking.

All this comes at a price, of course, and there is no doubt that this is a luxury cruiser. There are cheaper yachts in the 50-60ft size range, but they can’t match the Discovery 58 for finish or detail.

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Discovery Luxury

• By Bill Springer
• Updated: June 13, 2011

Discovery 50

We 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 Singlehanded Transatlantic Race along with running the growing company.

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 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 hands-on 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 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.

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 Conanicut 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-to-day 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.

Bill Springer is a Boston-based marine writer.

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British sailboat builder Discovery Shipyard reborn under a new name

After the liquidation of Discovery Shipyard, a new company named Ocean Shipyard Limited intends to relaunch the British monohull and multihull yacht ranges by avoiding the pitfalls of the past.

Ocean Shipyard takes over Discovery Shipyard's buildings

In the absence of a buyer, the sailboat manufacturer Discovery Shipyard was finally placed in receivership in January 2022 after its main shareholder refused to invest again in the company, which still employed several dozen people.

Only a few months later, a new shipyard , called Ocean Shipyard Limited, was formed and took over the production facilities in Southampton, southern England. The new company is headed by Steve Edwards, former managing director of Discovery Shipyard .

Do not limit yourself to the production of new boats

The new shipyard wants to take advantage of the quality of its industrial tool and its personnel, many of whom are Discovery Yachts employees. In particular, it intends to offer the services of its carpentry workshop for the fitting out of boats and its boat maintenance facilities. He also intends to offer his services to companies beyond the maritime sector to be less dependent on the vagaries of the nautical market.

However, Ocean Shipyards is the heir of Discovery Shipyards and its objective is to continue building new yachts. The company has secured the intellectual property rights and tooling related to the production of the former shipyard's boats. The new entity offers its customers the Southerly brand of monohull sailboats, as well as the Bluewater 50 catamaran, a semi-custom range designed for wealthy yachtsmen.

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Your Local Broker, Internationally

Berthon UK (Lymington, Hampshire - UK) Sue Grant [email protected] 0044 (0)1590 679 222

Berthon France (Mandelieu La Napoule, France) Bruno Kairet [email protected] 0033 (0)4 93 63 66 80

Berthon Scandinavia (Henån, Sweden) Magnus Kullberg [email protected] 0046 304 694 000

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Berthon are the acknowledged experts for the sales of pre-owned Discovery boats, having been closely involved with the Discovery fleet for a number of years. Please browse the listings below for Discovery brokerage yachts that are available on the brokerage market worldwide.

Berthon works closely with John Eustace at JE Marine. John is the go-to expert for Discovery owners and offers a comprehensive after sales service to the pre-owned Discovery fleet. In addition, Berthon is experienced in refitting Discoverys at our Lymington shipyard where we have around 100’ skilled craftsmen on the shop floor. Our service operation in Palma de Mallorca also provides guardiennage and refit services for Discovery with a strong knowledge of the yachts and a team of 25 technicians operating from a 2,000 msq workshop facility.

Berthon offers Discovery owners the very best service through their international network of offices and comprehensive marketing service. The 55’, 57’, 58’, 67’ and Discovery 50 Catamaran are superb blue water cruising yachts built to the highest standards

For information about the yachts listed below contact – Sue Grant and Alan Mcilroy .

Read our Discovery blog posts here.

Discovery Yachts

Sapphire II of London

Class: Discovery 67 Year: 2011 Location: Brisbane, Australia Price: £980,000 (VAT Paid)

Class: Discovery 55 Year: 2012 Location: Portland, UK Price: £590,000 (VAT Paid)

Florence of Dart

Class: Discovery 55 Year: 2017 Location: Lymington, UK Price: £695,000 (VAT Paid)

Class: Discovery 55 Year: 2006 Location: Newport, RI - USA Price: US$399,000

Class: Discovery 55 Year: 2008 Location: Tahiti Price: £550,000 (Plus VAT)

Class: Discovery 58 Year: 2016 Location: Palma de Mallorca Price: £1,050,000 (VAT Paid)

Ticketeeboo

Class: Discovery 55 Year: 2009 Location: Slano, Croatia Price: £498,500 (Plus VAT)

Class: Discovery 55 Year: 2003 Location: Lymington, UK Price: £425,000 (VAT Paid)

Class: Discovery 55 Year: 2012 Location: Grenada, Caribbean Price: €675,000 (Plus VAT)

Class: Discovery 55 Year: 2009 Location: Roses, Spain Price: €636,500 (VAT Paid)

Class: Discovery 67 Year: 2009 Location: Palma de Mallorca Price: €845000 (VAT Paid)

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What makes a good bluewater yacht? Discovery thinks it has the answer in its Discovery 58

• Toby Hodges
• November 10, 2015

The Discovery 58 has everything a short-handed crew might need for bluewater cruising supplied as standard. Does it fit the bill? asks Toby Hodges

Lying in the lower berth of the Pullman cabin as we beat to windward across the Channel during a cold spring night, I could appreciate the creature comforts offered by a luxury ocean cruiser such as the Discovery 58. I was snugly contained against the leecloth, with the heating pumping out.

I could feel the raked stem softly parting the head seas, the lack of pitching gained from having centralised tanks. But the most comforting thought as we traversed the shipping lanes, alive with passing container ships, was the thought of her structure.

The 10 tonnes of lead below the 58, the equivalent of having a 45ft Beneteau moulded into the keel, is joined to the hull by 17 keel bolts. There is a Kevlar wrap around the hull waterline for impact resistance, and there are four water-tight bulkheads bonded to both hull and deck.

Safe to say that during my two-hour off-watch, I slept rather soundly. And this benefit of feeling rested during a passage is a significant one for bluewater cruisers.

Heading out through the Needles – a self-tacking blade jib is ideal for short-tacking through chop. Twin headsails include a large genoa

If you were to go long-distance cruising, what would be the primary features you would look for in a yacht? I would wager that both looks and reward on the helm might play second fiddle to more practical concerns such as comfort throughout and the ability to access and service systems.

Discovery knows this. It has employed a tried and tested formula, putting practicality before fashion, since the launch of its first yacht designed for short-handed cruising in the late 1990s. So while its cruising yachts may seem a little dated, they have a popular niche following, particularly from couples going bluewater sailing.

We wanted to find out why this recipe works so well, so we sailed this first new Discovery 58 from the Solent to Jersey in late April to explore in detail the features that go into making the ideal short-handed cruising yacht.

Other than looks, the main differences are the versatile options the Discovery provides. Owners can now choose between either single or twin wheels – the only centre cockpit yacht I believe that has this option – and a fourth cabin instead of a technical room.

Two need space

The appeal of a Discovery yacht lies with its exhaustive specification, luxury build quality and design specifically tailored to suit a cruising couple. John and Caroline Charnley founded the company after unsuccessfully searching for a 50ft yacht to suit their long-term cruising goals. When they realised how much gear they wanted to ship aboard and the space needed to stow it properly, they settled on a 55ft design. Nearly 50 of the Discovery 55s have since been launched, plus a 67, 58 and a 50ft cat.

As the Charnleys discovered, the provision of enough stowage and tank space is a key factor for bluewater sailors. So the Discovery 58 can carry 1,300lt of fuel and 1,000lt of water for long-term cruising. Cold storage is generous, with a 300lt fridge and 170lt freezer as standard. I was also impressed with the bottle stowage below the galley sole, plus the tall, deep wardrobes in the cabins.

A deep self-draining anchor locker houses 100m of 12mm chain. Note the reel on the left for the hosepipe of the saltwater anchor wash

A sail locker is a prized cruising asset. On the Discovery 58 this is vast, yet practical – it lights up when the hatch opens and there are sensibly placed cleats for hanging up spare sheets and halyards. A gas locker and bosun’s locker are recessed below the side decks amidships. To give an idea of depth, the gas locker can house two 6kg propane bottles. Consider that there are deep quarter lockers too and you realise stowage space on deck will never be an issue.

Keep rested for best performance

The layout of the Discovery 58 is designed to promote rest and prevent exhaustion. There are just three shallow steps from saloon to cockpit, for example. And the company is aware that the constant sound of mechanical noise can be draining, so the engine room is so well insulated it can be difficult to tell when the engine or genset is running.

The Discovery is rigged to be as easy to sail from the cockpit as possible. The twin furling headsails and an in-mast furling mainsail are standard. Unusually, the owner of the test boat had opted for a slab-reefed main – which is “against the Discovery ethos of easy cruising,” says Charnley.

The choice of two different-sized headsails is arguably the most practical solution for long-distance cruising, and one offered by many yards producing this size of yacht today. The ability to swap sails, or tuck in a couple of reefs without leaving the cockpit is ideal for short-handed sailing.

What the Discovery 58 lacks in helming pleasure she makes up for in comfort. She provides a lovely soft motion, whether punching through sharp chop or parting swells. You really notice and appreciate this below decks. Above all, she makes you feel safe, the most important aspect for a couple, especially if caught out in bad weather.

During a typically cold UK spring night, where the wind cut straight through regardless of the number of layers we wore, the deep cockpit came into its own.

We spent most watches hand-steering, but the more realistic mode is a snug one: engage autopilot, sit by the companionway with sheet controls on electric remote switches, and you have good views both forward and to the plotter at the chart table below. Or there is the option to keep even warmer on watch at the raised navstation.

Details that impress

The layout below is a tried and tested one for a centre-cockpit design, with a passageway galley, owner’s stateroom aft and a walk-in engine room. The raised saloon may provide the wow factor, but I found the galley a highlight, a real pleasure to work in. It is light, spacious, yet narrow enough to brace yourself at heel. Those things you need to get at regularly are positioned at the forward end, close to the companionway, including a drinks fridge and a sweep-top bin recessed into the worksurface.

Liveaboards need to prepare three meals a day in the galley, so practical working and stowage space is essential. The Discovery 58 excels here. She has front-opening fridge-freezers that extend out to the hulls and use keel-cooled compressors. There is capacious worksurface with deep fiddles and I liked the generous sinks.

The cabins are as comfortable as her premium price would suggest, including the standard luxury mattresses, but it’s the small extra touches that impress. There are numerous plug sockets, the windows all have dual blinds (insect and blackout) and there is plenty of ventilation.

The heads include details such as heated towel rails, soap dishes, shaver sockets – there is even dedicated toilet brush stowage. These may sound like inconsequential aspects to some, but in my experience they are anything but. Having wet towels or toilet paper, or nowhere to store essentials quickly becomes frustrating, and can be a considerable annoyance when living aboard for long periods.

Behind the scenes

It is the behind-the-scenes details that Discovery incorporates, however, that that really impress. Lengths are taken to ensure longevity of the fittings. The seacocks, for example, are made from a type of Nylon that guards against corrosion. Likewise, tanks are polyethylene and marine-grade tinned cabling is used for all circuitry.

One benefit of a centre cockpit is a walk-in engine room. Machinery is rubber-mounted and insulation so good you can barely hear the engine running

Changing the working tanks over can be a fiddle on many yachts. The 58 has a locker beside the steps to the forward cabins that contains a very neat manifold switchover. It is easy to access and, along with breakers, battery switches and aircon pumps, is clearly labelled.

Other details I appreciated are the saltwater anchor wash hose, automatic bilge pumps in the sail locker and the rubber-mounted floorboards for sound insulation.

Most yards offer the bare minimum of equipment to keep the base price low. But the danger with buying a boat with scant specs is that she may never be fitted out properly. It could become a job that’s put off until that elusive day.

But Discovery takes the opposite approach. The 58 comes with everything you could possibly need and all to a premium standard.

Another benefit of this thorough approach is that each item has been properly thought through from the design stage, avoiding the headache of where to try to fit optional extras. The walk-in engine room has a 5kW Northern Lights generator neatly installed. And the path for each duct leading from the standard Eberspacher heater is as carefully considered as the rest of the plumbing runs.

Discovery yachts come ready to sail, so the full specification includes navigation instruments (both chartplotter and radar), electric winches and traveller. But there is little point in having such comprehensive kit and stowage space if it is impossible to access it for servicing.

John Charnley explained that he had instigated a 15:10 rule at Discovery Yachts. This means that, according to his requirements, it should take only 15 seconds to access every major piece of equipment and ten minutes to remove it (engine excluded).

Two people sailing bluewater

The Discovery is an exceedingly well-finished and comfortable yacht. And as the founder John Charnley says: “Everything aboard is designed to support two people sailing bluewater.” And this model benefits from the feedback of over 50 owners out there doing just that.

Stowage is bountiful throughout and the quality of the joiner work exemplary. The yard offers a flexible, semi-custom build – the owner of the test boat wanted to visit the yard every month and specified a year-long handover.

The concept may look and feel a little dated now – the big heavy cruiser that needs a Force 4 to get her moving – but the security the Discovery 58 provides from her build and level of standard fit out, help you sleep well at night. Whether this level of comfort is enough to make up for the lack of reward on the helm is arguable.

But if a yacht can be rated on how well rested it delivers its crew, the Discovery is hard to beat.

Sailing performance

During our photoshoot in the western Solent, we sailed upwind under self-tacking jib and offwind with full genoa, both accompanied by a reefed main. Despite the ideal conditions – a sunny, Force 5 south-westerly – it was not overly enjoyable on the helm, as there is little feedback from the lengthy geared steering linkage.

It was difficult to get the yacht into a groove and too easy to wander off course if you didn’t have an eye on the wind gauge, compass or, later, a star.

I sailed the twin wheel set-up on the original 57, and initially thought I would prefer to have that royal box-style set-up in the wings, rather than helm from down in the centre circle.

You certainly get a better view forward with twin wheels, but on passage, it felt secure to be more central when helming.

Specifications

LOA 17.90m/58ft 9in

LWL 15.80m/51ft 10in

Beam (max) 5.10m/16ft 9in

Draught 2.35m/7ft 9in

Displ (half tanks) 27,250kg/60,075lb

Ballast 10,000kg/22,046lb

Sail area (100% foretriangle) 166.9m 2 /1,796ft 2

Engine 150hp Yanmar

Water 1,000lt/220gal

Fuel 1,300lt/286gal

Sail area:disp 18.7

Disp:LWL 193

Price (ex VAT) £1,260,000

Designed by: Ron Holland/Ken Freivokh Design

www.discoveryyachts.com

This is an extract from the September 2015 issue of Yachting World

90 Sunreef Power yacht honored with the Golden Crown in the category Discovery of the year on the Russian market

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Please contact CharterWorld - the luxury yacht charter specialist - for more on superyacht news item "90 Sunreef Power yacht honored with the Golden Crown in the category Discovery of the year on the Russian market".

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RADISSON Boats - Moscow River Boat Tours

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• Moscow River Boat Tours

I got a nice luxury boat. It has good restaurant inside too. Boat tour is around 1.5 hours. The... read more

I would recommend the Moscow Sightseeing River Cruise. Definitely great value for a two hour... read more

RADISSON Boats

Seriously now, how it is even possible to have a girl in the tickets issuing white building , in the Gorky Park Pier, who is exceptional RUDE and she doesn't know even a simple word of English and she seem that she doesn't care to sell any tickets to tourists ?! We left the ticket office because she couldn't answer to anything and because she was really aggressive because we don't speak Russian!!! Despite the fact that we were really kind and smiling, trying to speak to her. We found completely unacceptable the fact that they work with tourists but they demand from them to know Russian! Even though, a kind and gently mannered person will find a way to explain something. Unfortunately the specific ...lady was a savage-like one, coming from the mountains and never having met other people again. What a shame.

Dear Efstathios D! Thank you for your feedback! First of all we are so sorry about this situation! Next time we are highly recommend to purchas tickets online/ Best regards, Rivertickets.ru

Starting out for an 8:00 p.m. cruise on a poor or rather dull August 1st day, we had to wait for a later boarding at about 20:15! We were shepherded upstairs to the upper deck, which was thankfully enclosed with glass windows, with seats facing both forward and backwards or better… fore and aft facing! As we reached the top deck (about 7 steps, but steep) we walked about 6 meters and had to jog to the right, in order not to disturb a mic boom and speaker setup, denoting our impending entertainment for the evening! 2 chairs, padded, adorned with 2 very well used 6-string guitars… plus a load of other equipment, including 5' high speakers and amps, etc. My party (4 of us) including my wife, her half-sister with her husband, whom we had only known about 14 months, after belatedly finding out about each other, who were visiting us from a European country for a few days! Super people! My wife had arranged this trip at the tentative request of her half-brother-in-law. The boat was nothing special as far as comfort was concerned, but we had front seats! I was a little worried about volume from the massive speakers! No worry needed! We left, with perhaps one third full of passengers only and the 2 chairs were almost immediately occupied by 2 men, pleasant looking, both nicely dressed, who picked up the guitars and the first, Dmitry, began to narrate our passage along the Moscow River. Shortly afterwards, the narration comfortable allowed the introduction of the first song, with basic chords being played by Dmitry with Alexei playing, expert accompaniment to Dmitry's vocals. He thoroughly enjoyed his role, as did Dmitry. For 21/2 hours, we plied the river, with an ever deepening dusk, bringing forth romantic Russian songs by well-known Russian composers, making the river trip a really enjoyable experience, particularly as both my wife and I are both fans of this type of music along with our newly-found family. The engine noises could hardly be heard, the cabin was pleasantly warm, but not hot, and tea and coffee was served an hour before landing. Docking happened at about 22:20 with no rush and we alighted at the same point that we had boarded… a very enjoyable evening all told! Thank you Moscow River Tours or Art_Stolitsa!

Dear granmar! Thank you for your feedback! We will be happy to see you again. Best regards, Rivertickets.ru

It’s very bad that when we enter the boat they told us go upstairs! Then a russian guiding started to talk from the starting point! No respect to other nationalities or tourists languages! At least do something in international languages! My money went for nothing Understand nothing in this beautiful country’s History!!!!!!

Dear Mrmretta! Thank you for your feedback! It is helps us to be better. We will start our English speaking guided cruise soon. Best regards, Rivertickets.ru

Loud music. No service. Look like that they did not want to sell anything. Taste less food. Exhaust in the resturant. No safety informasjon. Cheap tour Cheap food. Crappy service. Try some other place.

Dear Tore S! Thank you for your review. It helps us become better. Best regards, Rivertickets.ru

Today we decided to do a river cruise to orientate us to Moscow. With no knowledge of Russian we purchased an audio guide. We walked 9kms in very hot weather to get to the departure point and asked several people for directions. Number one frustration is that muscovites don't get tourism or customer service and look straight thru you. We finally found the wharf and with several boats departing we got the same 'look straight through you' until finally we had to shame someone into finding our boat the Cahta Mapnr, which then departed 35 mins later then the booking agent advised. We went to the top deck which had no cover and tried to find some shade.And you guessed it the audio didn't work. The staff had no idea how to handle a disgruntled passenger and i got nowhere asking for a refund. Go back to the booking agent they said to which i replied ' how would they know i didnt get what i paid for. I have worked in tourism for most of my working life so know a bit about the industry. You have a wonderful product but you must train your operators! There was one young man,Bec, who tried valiantly to placate me and he will go far. I admit I lost my cool after being ignored by so many and frying in the hot sun and not being able to identify the magnificent buildings..

Dear Julie B! Thank you for your feedback! First of all we are so sorry about this situation! Next time we are highly recommend to purchas tickets online. Best regards, Rivertickets.ru

No tour info in English. Mostly Russians on this boat. We were the only non-Russian tourists. If you don't buy the ticket online, they charge more than double the price at the pier. (If you are looking at a tablet or computer screen you will see this info, but not on a phone screen.) As a result many customers were complaining and arguing with the ticket sellers. The boat was playing LOUD unbearably awful music. Website stated that music would be played and we were expecting Russian folk tunes with balalaikas. Instead, we got really bad rock with English lyrics. The cruise was 2+ hours and it would have been impossible to enjoy with the noise. It was so bad that we asked for our money back before the boat departed. They said they could not provide a refund because the tickets had been torn already. After we caused a minor insurrection --luckily we had a Russian friend with us -- the captain turned off the music. (He said he didn't like it either but he was required to play it.) There are numerous river tour companies in Moscow and most seem to be in the same price range. I recommend asking them if the boats have outdoor shaded places where you will not be subjected to loud music.

Dear JanetOO! Thank you for your feedback! On our website we have all information in English. Best regards, Rivertickets.ru

Researcher makes career-changing discovery while on walk during Covid-19 lockdown: '[It] really got us down that path'

A rare mushroom was spotted in southwest England for the first time in eight years, shifting the career focus of one researcher who is now helping to protect native fungi.

In January, the Guardian reported that Henry Jephson, the head of research at the Bristol Fungarium, identified a lion's mane mushroom on a countryside walk during a lockdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The fungus, which is a protected species in the United Kingdom, ultimately inspired Jephson to take on the mission to reintroduce native fungi into the area, with biodiversity as one key consideration.

"Mushroom farming is getting more and more popular, which is great. But all these commercial strains coming in, all these spores being put out in the environment, we just don't know what they're doing to local ecology," Jephson told the Guardian, adding that a non-native species of mushroom was found by someone "in the middle of nowhere." 

According to the UN Environment Programme , there are thousands upon thousands of fungi types that have already been cataloged, but it's estimated that millions of varieties are out there.

Some people may have a negative association with the often squishy organisms, but fungi play an important role in our environment, providing nutrition to plants, soaking up planet-warming carbon, and, in some cases, even helping to break down human-made pollutants like plastic .

Watch now: Solar-powered boats from the Honnold Foundation are making a difference in the Amazon

While the idea of eating a " bad mushroom " may be hard to shake for some, many types of fungi contain important nutrients or medicinal qualities. 

The lion's mane mushroom is the latter kind of fungi.

Not everyone is aware of how special it is, though, as the landowner ended up chopping down the mushroom's host tree, according to Jephson. 

"The mushroom was smashed all over the ground in big soggy pieces. And so finding ourselves in a slightly unique situation because they're illegal to collect, we picked up a solid lump of lion's mane and took it back to the mushroom farm and started trying to get a clean culture of it," he t o ld the Guardian. 

He added that he chatted with the landowner , who is allowing the mushroom to continue growing on the stump. Jephson also turned the situation into an opportunity. 

"It was finding the lion's mane that really got us down that path of cloning rare mushrooms. And now people have been approaching us wanting natural strains," he explained to the news outlet. 

Jephson is now collaborating with Natural England and the Royal Horticultural Society, which he said are using his strains for mushroom-based research intended to benefit the environment. 

A mushroom farm he helps run, meanwhile, is growing native species that can be used in health supplements. 

"The commercial strains have been selected for high yield, fast growth. Our mushrooms are the opposite," he told the Guardian. "But they taste amazing, and our UK strain of lion's mane has been tested for medicinal compounds in it, and the wild clone has 30% more beta glucans than the commercial strains."

Researcher makes career-changing discovery while on walk during Covid-19 lockdown: '[It] really got us down that path' first appeared on The Cool Down .