a shuttle for the 'big blue' discovery magic 50' - Multihulls World

TESTText: Philippe Echelle - Photos: P. Echelle - J. Vapillon25 years of tests to be downloaded on www.multihulls-world.comDISCOVERY MAGIC 50’A SHUTTLE FORTHE ‘BIG BLUE’A beautiful, classic and elegant silhouette, reinterpreted by Bill Dixon.The Lorient multihull boat showwas a success, due to the combinationof a long-awaited format,remarkable organisation fora first edition, and summer weather.The field was varied, representativeof the diversity ofexpertise (production, custom,racing...) and differentapproaches (catamarans, trimarans,folding boats, ocean cruisers,day sailers, coastal campingboats, Golden Oldies...).Two English builders took advantageof the show to present theirnew boats (Dazcat andDiscovery); they were delightedchronology makes us see anyevent more than 25 years ago asalmost mediaeval, however let’snot forget that Great Britain ingeneral and England in particularreigned over the western rediscoveryof the multihull, duringthe 60s and 70s. British architectsand builders played a determiningrole in the advent of thecruising catamaran, with PatPatterson’s Heavenly Twins, BillO’Brien’s Oceanic 33’ (Colin andRosie Swale’s ANNELIESE, thefirst catamaran at Cape Horn!),Tom Lack’s Catalac, the Proutbrothers’ Snowgoose, orMacAlpine-Downie’s Iroquois orComanche. Keeping an eye onthe new French supremacy,from Albion, the English craftsmenhave not said their lastword.DISCOVERY… FROMSOUTHAMPTONJohn Charnley is a rather experiencedgentleman sailor, he hasowned many boats, sailed a lot,taken part in the 1980 Transat(on a 43’ monohull, 33rd in 29days) and founded Sunsail,structural design), Ken Freivokh(interior design) and Bill Dixon(architect). The general ideabeing to end up with a luxurious,strong and reliable catamaran forocean cruising and living aboardin all climates, resolutely simpleto handle for a couple of ‘normal’people.FIRST MEETING:A CLASSIC (BUT NOTBANAL!) SILHOUETTEDuring a test sail aboard theDazcat 11.50 in Lorient bay, wemet the D50’; it gave off theimage of a beautiful object, deeplybrilliant gel coat, clean overalllines and a harmonioussilhouette give a very positivefirst impression. The generalstyle is not ostentatious, but theoriginality of the design is veryreal, and successfully revisits aclassic envelope. The result istimeless and communicates afeeling of contained creativeforce. Bill Dixon uses the ‘rostrum’concept, so dear to thePrivilèges, but this is the onlyconcession to the Frenchinfluence. The fluid ‘aero’-inspi-With its innovative rig, the Discovery isnot only easy to manoeuvre shorthanded,but also fast!fringes of the paths followed bythe competitors, the designeropens the visual space towards« Surprise: not satisfied with being functional,its efficiency is good! »before creating Discovery, in1998. Specialising in the creationof monohull yachts, from 55’ to67’, the company is deliberatelyoriented towards top of therange semi-custom production.Wanting to concretise an ambitiouscruising project with hiswife, Caroline, the managerCharnley merged with John thesailor to invent the catamaran ofhis dreams: the Discovery 50’!Changing into high-class salespeople,the couple put their bagsaboard in March 2010. Sincethen, as enthusiastic ambassadorsfor their latest creation,they share their happiness withvisitors to the Southampton,Lorient, and later, the Annapolisboat shows.red coachroof is elegant, thedesign of the frontal and lateralportholes is innovative andsuperb. The absence of a rigidbimini (available as an option) infavour of a convertible on a framework,lightens the overallsilhouette and makes a Targaversion which I appreciated.HOME SWEET HOME !The D50’s interior architecture ispositively amazing; on thethe hulls, overturns the usualpositioning of the galley and succeedsin creating an atmosphereis quite original and cosy. Thetreatment of the nav. station,with its comfortable seat, will nodoubt win a following. Add tothis obsessive finishing, a realdetail culture and sound andthermal insulation in excess ofusual standards (double glazingall around the bridgedeck) andWhen a builder who is well known in the world of monohullsstarts making multihulls, we immediately pay attention...But when this company is called Discovery Yachts, a test isurgently necessary!by their trip south; we tookadvantage of the opportunity todiscover and test the Discovery50’.THE BRITISH PIONEERSThe surprising relationship thatthe 21st century maintains withAN ASSERTED PHILOSOPHYOF QUALITYThe monohulls built by DiscoveryYachts are all big, high-techboats, and inevitably complex!But the company has made it apoint of honour to make themreliable and useable shorthanded,as well as maintaining anindividual and considerate relationshipwith the owner. For theD50’ project, Discovery choseHigh Modulus Engineering (NZ,During our test, the catamaran was ready to cross the Atlantic. However,despite the 2-tonne load, it remained perfectly trimmed...7475

TESTyou will have a foretaste of theaccomplished work. All thatremains is to appreciate thechoice, the use of materials andthe treatment of light (verticalportholes, venetian blinds, variablehalogens... or leds...) to beliterally blown away by this 3-cabin version. Functional intelligence,very safe decorativetaste, refined atmosphere: a trioof values produced with passionby committed professionals.A ONE-DAY TESTBEFORE THE BIGDEPARTUREDiscovery Magic was equippedfor crossing the Atlantic(around 2t load!), however itremained well-trimmed. TheThis bath is a real plus: rinsing dirty equipment (and sailors),water games area for the children or for keeping the adults cool…bridgedeck is a bit lower thanin the French school, but thetunnel remains completelycoherent for the programme.The detailed visit was led byMark Waterhouse (the builder’ssales manager) and JohnCharnley; attentive to all reactions,and at each interrogation,exuding their perfect knowledgeof the boat and its equipment.This n°1 is certainly theboss’s boat, but it is so faraway from the legitimate worriesof a prototype! The rationalityof the set-up and the caretaken with the installationsexplain without a doubt theserenity which reigns aboard.The single manoeuvring and sailing position is proof of a nice maturityand allows push-button control of the sail plan.A GERIATRIC RIGJohn remembered that PhilWeld, winner of the 1980Transat with Moxie (DickNewick), had sailed an exemplaryrace at 65, capering aboutin front of a pack of young madmenwith a mainsail which rolledup into the mast (which he calledhis geriatric rig!). The D50’ is thereforedelivered as standard withthis equipment, supplied bySelden; a traditional version isavailable, however, I have theA comfortable exterior saloon, sunbathing areas, an uncluttered manoeuvring gangway,and a lightweight, practical convertible bimini: advantages of the Discovery 50’.impression that this arrangementsuits it perfectly. It is completedby a genoa on a Furlex furlerand a traveller track, providedfor a self-tacking jib. The gennakeris of course part of the equipment.Thus 2 distinct sail plans,suited to more or less windyregions and different crew configurations,are available with thesame deck plan. Well thoughtout!« Even in the morning’s light airs,the D50’ remained livelyand manoeuvrable. »A 50’ CRUISING ‘BIKE’We rolled-unrolled-reduced thismainsail several times, and I mustconfess my perfect satisfactionwith regard to this overall system,which includes the intelligent realisationof the steering andmanoeuvring position with theelectric winches. Much lessdependent on fine adjustmentsand a qualified operator than thein-boom furler, this high-qualityequipment is intended for longtermcruisers who don’t attachexaggerated importance to theloss of roach and congratulatethemselves on the independencethis gives when you have passedthe age of battling with the sailsat night. Surprise: not satisfiedwith being functional, its efficiencyis good! Despite our sybariticload, the measurements carriedout throughout the day, in abreeze varying from 5 to 13knots, confirmed it (7.2 knotsGPS at 60° to an 11.4 knot truewind, 9 knots at 110° with 13knots). Even in the morning’s lightairs, the D50’ remained lively andmanoeuvrable. It accelerated inmoderate breezes and remainedeasy to understand and use; Iwas able to carry out a series of 5– 6 tacks singlehanded, after a 30-second briefing. The large-diameterwheel is linked via rigid rodsand push-pull cables to the wellbalancedand directional rudders;the boat turns in its own lengthand accelerates immediately, thesheets don’t catch. In the evening,returning to Lorient, at 9knots in a freshening 13-14 knotbreeze, John and Caroline hadnoted an average of 9 to 10 knotson a flat sea, with 15-18 knots ofbeam wind, over 25 miles.CONCLUSIONI haven’t spoken to you aboutSuperb interior and finishing. Bravo to the builder!In this 3-cabin version, the forward suite is very appealing; it includes two headsand a desk. The work on the lighting has been particularly carefully carried out.SPORT: 2/5CRUISING: 4/5MODELArchitect:Builder:Weight in t:Windward sail area in m2:Price in euros, exc. VAT:More than a chart table, a full nav. station for keeping watch in the warm...There is a slight feeling of being in the NAUTILUS in this office space (computer andscreen stowed permanently in the front cupboards).THE COMPETITORSPRIVILÈGE 515 DEAN 498 CATANA 50 PHISA XVLombard Dean Barreau NCAlliaura Dean Catana Phisa16 14 18 14.5141 135 134 146840 000 535 000 790 000 680 00076 77• Silhouette• Overall quality• PleasureTHE PLUSSESTHE MINUSES• Bridgedeck a bit low• No solar panels as standard• Price indexed to the English poundthe exterior saloon (which wasnevertheless well-tested, during‘efficient’ and refined lunches,served by the crew), or the realcomfort whilst steering, or theexternal bathroom on the foredeck;I have forgotten to describethe perfectly operationalfolding bimini, but there was somuch to say! I appreciated theserious construction, the overallquality, the availability of theelectrical installations (two 80Aalternators coupled to a bank oftop-of-the-range industrial batteriesand optimised connections).I like the simplicity of useand the philosophy of the rigand sail plan, but above all, I feltat home aboard this beautifulocean cruising boat, almost forgettingall the rest... As we leftLorient, Lou Reed murmured‘just a perfect day’! DiscoveryMagic is now at Newport, aftera crossing from the Azores tothe Bermudas in less than 16days (with three days to windwardand just one good daydownwind of more than 200miles in 24 hours). Everything isfine aboard...The Discovery 50’ resolutelyplays the ‘exceptional’ card, forrich enthusiasts, attracted bythe catamaran’s objective qualities.The approach reminds usof the Amel philosophy in anothercontext, and seems to beaddressing the same clientele.TECHNICALSPECIFICATIONArchitect: Bill DixonBuilder: Discovery YachtLength: 15.40mBeam: 7.80mLaden displacement: 14.5tDraft: 1.3mDaggerboards/Fins: FinsMaterial:foam/glass/vinylester/under vacuum,Kevlar and carbon reinforcementsMainsail: 77m² (roller)Genoa: 63m²Self-tacking jib: 40m²Engines: 2 x 54hp or 2 x 75hp(optional folding propellers2,400 euros)Fuel: 780LWater: 540LPrice: £795,000 exc. VAT