Discovery 50 BOTY Import Winner
The Discovery 50 catamaran earned high marks from the judges at the dock, and when they returned to deliberate its merits after its test sail, they came to the conclusion that this British entry was not only the 2011 Best Catamaran but also earned the right to be named the Import Boat
of the Year.
Overall, the judges were impressed with the boat’s construction quality and attention to detail. They liked the high-quality joinery in the interior and thought the owner’s suite, spanning the width of the hulls forward of the main saloon, was the best out of all the boats they tested. They felt that the main saloon was truly luxurious, that the view from the forward-facing nav station was excellent for watchkeeping, and that the guest cabins, aft in each hull, were bright, airy, and spacious. The judges were also taken with the quality, accessibility, and redundancy of the systems that are well suited to the demands of offshore passagemaking.
On deck, the judges were impressed with how easy the boat is to sail and—maybe just as important for a boat that’s specifically designed for a cruising couple to cross oceans—how easy it is to reef, all from the safety of the helm station. They were concerned that the in-mast furling main might not provide the necessary horsepower, but they soon realized that the designer got that right, too. The Discovery flew along at 9 knots in 15 knots of wind. In short, all aspects of this capable boat have been thoroughly figured out by the folks who built it.
Winning Details
- Everything from construction quality to systems installation is top-notch.
- The in-mast furling main makes the boat easy for a cruising couple to handle.
- The innovative interior layout provides bright and airy guest cabins and one of the best owner’s cabins the judges have seen.
