# Cooper 416 vs Discovery 42



## augustur (Mar 27, 2008)

I am looking for a pilot house sailboat to live aboard in the Pacific Northwest. The boats mentioned in the thread title are both pilot house sailboats listed on Yachtworld, available in BC and I'm planning to look at them next month. Does anybody have any experience with either of these Canadian made boats and suggestions of any unique things to check out when lookiing at them?

Thanks in advance.

AJ Rogers


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

AJ - If I could I would do the same thing. Liveaboard a Cooper 416 here. I'm a big fan of the boat, not necessarily of it's exterior looks, though. Of this particular Huntingford design, I have seen three different "makes" - the Cooper 416, the Discovery 42, and the US Yacht 42.

From what I understand, the Cooper yard had a fire in '82 or so which effectively put them out of business. Bayliner's parent corporation, which was making sailboats under the US Yacht moniker, obtained the molds to the 416 and began producing them around '83/'84. I'm not sure where the Discovery comes into play. Maybe the Discovery IS the US Yacht model's name. I don't know. I have heard that the Cooper's have better overall quality. But that's a very general statement, and I know of no specifics in that regard.

The first time I was in Tonga ('05) we ran into a couple from Berkely, CA who had sailed their Cooper 41 there. They had taken a leisurely 2 year trip to get to Tonga. I asked about the age-old issue of sailing a pilothouse across oceans. Never had a single issue or problem. But then he said that they always waited for good weather to make any crossings.

If you do end up looking at both the Cooper and Discovery, I would be interested in your observations. Especially as the Discovery/US Yacht models generally have lower asking prices. Or, more likely, people just ask more for the Coopers...

- Darren

PS - A few of my other "favorite" pilothouse boats to potentially liveaboard around here (in the same general price range) are the Spindrift 43/Young Sun 43, Endurance 35/37, Pan Oceanic 43, Corbin 39, even the Tayana 37 PH. I even like the Nauticat PH boats, too (more for liveaboard than anything else) - the 33 and 38 models from the early-mid 80's, but the listing prices for those have gone way up over the last few years.


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## agmiller (Apr 14, 2002)

*US Yachts vs Cooper*

I can't comment on the Cooper 416, but we have had a US35 (Bayliner version of the Cooper 352) for 11 years and couldn't be happier. The 35 is the little brother to the 42 foot and fits our needs perfectly.

Biggest among it's virtures is performance. She more than keeps up with traffic and is very easy to sail well.

Capt Al
Frozen in the mid-west


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Capt Al - Cool! Thanks! I didn't know there was a US35. Learn something new everyday...


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

There was also a Cooper 316 - a baby sister to the 352 and 416, as well as a 502, a 50' version which is where the concept and the lines come together to make a rather handsome boat. Not many 50s were builts, AFAIK.

I think US yachts only built the "35" and "42".

Here's a Discovery 42 (they were produced as both aft cockpit and pilothouse versions)










As you can see this is a DIFFERENT boat than the Cooper/US line and is designed by Peter Hadfield, not Stan Huntingford. Link: YachtWorld.com Boats and Yachts for Sale

Compare to the Cooper 416:










Here's an example of the 502 (not its best angle.....)


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## augustur (Mar 27, 2008)

Last weekend I had a chance to look at both the Cooper 416 and the Discovery 42. Both Canadian built boats, the Discovery was evidently partially built (hull, decks and maybe more) by a boat yard and then finished by the owner (interior rigging etc.) 

The Cooper was apparently offered as a complete product. It is a much larger boat in terms of interior space and storage, with a 14.5 foot beam. 

Both boats are being offered at a little north of $100,000, the Cooper being far more completely equipped (TOO equipped for my pursposes) with two radars, two GPS's a trash compactor, water maker, and the list goes on. The cooper has the setee in a lower area, galley up in the pilot house and a fully enclosed stateroom in the pilot house. As a result, it seems darker and more traditional (re submarine like) than the discovery, at least in the dining area.

I am continuing my search and hope to look at a Nauticat 36 this spring. Thanks for all the input so far, Captn's Moonfish, Al, and Faster.

AJ Rogers


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

Augustur

The Discoverys were offered as "Kit boats" but I believe some were delivered fully built as well. (owner finished is not necessarily bad... depends on the craftmanship) The Coopers were never offered that way and would be factory finished.

I think there is a one-off somewhere around here of the 416 hull with a different deck/house plan that more closely ressembles the Discovery 42 - perhaps that's where some of the confusion arises.

I doubt you'll find a more voluminous boat than the Cooper 416 in its size/type range and it has much to recommend it in our soggy climate.

Another related boat, if you're not stuck on 40ish feet, is the North Sea 34, a very similar looking boat to the Discovery in a smaller package.. Sailnetter jrd22 used to own one before moving up to his Brewer 42, and I believe he has good things to say about it.

Nauticats are pretty nice, but I don't think they are the roomiest around, and come at a price (but with the quality to go with it)


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## ecoearthyacht (Jun 10, 2009)

*usyacht35*



almiller said:


> I can't comment on the Cooper 416, but we have had a US35 (Bayliner version of the Cooper 352) for 11 years and couldn't be happier. The 35 is the little brother to the 42 foot and fits our needs perfectly.
> 
> Biggest among it's virtures is performance. She more than keeps up with traffic and is very easy to sail well.
> 
> ...


Please if you are still on sailnet, get back to me re the US 35. I just bought one and am hard pressed to get details on the boat . Any advice or issues with the boat? I understand its bayliner built and has the same hulls that it sold back to Cooper yachts for their continued production of the cooper 353 after their fire . Is the hull and deck and chainplates , etc to same specs as the 353 I assume designer Huntingford would of required for any builder of his designs. can you share your experience with your boat? TIM B.


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