Back to Search
Discovery 37
Designer: Peter Hatfield  ·  Builder: Icl Engineering  ·  First built: 1969
+ Add to Compare
About the Discovery 37

Designed by Peter Hatfield and first launched in 1969, this classic cruising yacht represents the enduring appeal of traditional British yacht design. Built by ICL Engineering with fiberglass construction, the Discovery 37 features a long keel configuration that provides exceptional directional stability and comfortable motion in seaway conditions. The cutter rig offers versatility for various wind conditions, allowing sailors to balance sail area effectively whether coastal cruising or making longer passages. With a displacement of 12,800 pounds and a beam just under 10 feet, this yacht strikes a balance between seaworthiness and reasonable accommodation space below decks. The boat's comfort ratio of 30.15 indicates a motion that favors comfort over speed, making it well-suited for extended cruising where crew comfort takes priority. The capsize screening formula of 1.7 suggests good stability characteristics for offshore work, while the moderate sail area to displacement ratio points to civilized sailing performance rather than racing-oriented speed. This design appeals to sailors seeking a traditional cruising yacht capable of handling coastal waters and moderate offshore passages with confidence. The long keel configuration, while limiting shallow-water access, provides the tracking ability and sea-kindly motion that made British designs of this era highly regarded among serious cruising sailors.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 37.00 ft / 11.28 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 28.25 ft / 8.61 m
Beam 9.92 ft / 3.02 m
Max Draft 6.50 ft / 1.98 m
Displacement 12,800.00 lb / 5,806 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 619.00 ft² / 57.51 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Long Keel
Rigging Type Cutter
Construction FG
Designer Peter Hatfield
Builder ICL Engineering
First Built 1969
Related Sailboats Endeavour 37 · Valiant 37 · Pacific Seacraft 37 · Gulfstar 37 · Tartan 37
Owner Reviews

No owner reviews yet — be the first to share your experience with this boat.

Performance Ratios
PHRF Rating PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) is a national racing handicap measured in seconds per nautical mile. Lower values indicate faster boats. Ratings are sourced from US Sailing's national database (median across 60+ regional fleets).
Under 0 — Ultralight racer0–90 — Performance racer90–150 — Cruiser/racer150–210 — Typical cruiserOver 210 — Heavy/slow cruiser
 153
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
 18.16
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 253.46
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
 30.15
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
 1.7
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 7.12 kn
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
 2.25
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 1,001.33 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc) Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure. 18.17
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 45.00 ft / 13.72 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 14.70 ft / 4.48 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 39.80 ft / 12.13 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 14.50 ft / 4.42 m
SA Fore 330.75 ft² / 30.73 m²
SA Main 288.55 ft² / 26.81 m²
SA Total (100%) 619.30 ft² / 57.53 m²
Est. Forestay Length 47.34 ft / 14.43 m
How It Compares

vs. Endeavour 37, Gulfstar 37, Pacific Seacraft 37, Tartan 37, Valiant 37

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Discovery 37 ★
37.0 ft
Endeavour 37
37.0 ft
Gulfstar 37
37.0 ft
Pacific Seacraft 37
36.9 ft
Tartan 37
37.0 ft
Valiant 37
37.0 ft
LWL
Discovery 37 ★
28.3 ft
Endeavour 37
30.0 ft
Gulfstar 37
32.0 ft
Pacific Seacraft 37
27.8 ft
Tartan 37
25.5 ft
Valiant 37
31.6 ft
Beam
Discovery 37 ★
9.9 ft
Endeavour 37
11.6 ft
Gulfstar 37
11.8 ft
Pacific Seacraft 37
10.8 ft
Tartan 37
10.5 ft
Valiant 37
11.5 ft
Displacement
Discovery 37 ★
12 lbs
Endeavour 37
20 lbs
Gulfstar 37
19 lbs
Pacific Seacraft 37
16 lbs
Tartan 37
14 lbs
Valiant 37
17 lbs
Ballast
Discovery 37 ★
—
Endeavour 37
8 lbs
Gulfstar 37
8 lbs
Pacific Seacraft 37
6 lbs
Tartan 37
4 lbs
Valiant 37
6 lbs
Sail Area
Discovery 37 ★
619 sq ft
Endeavour 37
—
Gulfstar 37
614 sq ft
Pacific Seacraft 37
618 sq ft
Tartan 37
654 sq ft
Valiant 37
667 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Discovery 37 ★
153 s/nm
Endeavour 37
174 s/nm
Gulfstar 37
153 s/nm
Pacific Seacraft 37
189 s/nm
Tartan 37
174 s/nm
Valiant 37
—
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Discovery 37 ★
18.2
Endeavour 37
—
Gulfstar 37
13.6
Pacific Seacraft 37
15.6
Tartan 37
17.6
Valiant 37
16.2
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Discovery 37 ★
—
Endeavour 37
40.0 %
Gulfstar 37
—
Pacific Seacraft 37
—
Tartan 37
—
Valiant 37
39.4 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Discovery 37 ★
30.2
Endeavour 37
—
Gulfstar 37
33.5
Pacific Seacraft 37
34.0
Tartan 37
34.0
Valiant 37
30.6
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Discovery 37 ★
1.70
Endeavour 37
—
Gulfstar 37
1.76
Pacific Seacraft 37
1.72
Tartan 37
1.72
Valiant 37
1.79
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Discovery 37 ★
253
Endeavour 37
330
Gulfstar 37
—
Pacific Seacraft 37
—
Tartan 37
—
Valiant 37
240
Hull Speed
Discovery 37 ★
7.1 kts
Endeavour 37
—
Gulfstar 37
7.6 kts
Pacific Seacraft 37
7.1 kts
Tartan 37
6.8 kts
Valiant 37
7.5 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Discovery 37 ★
2.3
Endeavour 37
—
Gulfstar 37
1.8
Pacific Seacraft 37
1.4
Tartan 37
1.1
Valiant 37
2.2
Find a Discovery 37 For Sale
Y YachtWorld Brokerage listings S Sailboat Listings Sailboats only C Craigslist National search F Facebook Marketplace Local listings B boats.com Global marketplace