[Sea Crusader]

I think that the Southerly 480 will be a great boat, but it has a much smaller state room but is more modern and has a lifting keel. However the Discovery 55 is hardly out of date. Just go to the World Cruising Club results of their passages and you will see that Discovery 55's seem to out pace most of the other boats in the same class except the Hylas 54. I have bought a Discovery 55 and I am very happy with the build quality, the later the boat the better they are, hull number 30 onwards is the best choice for a used boat, but like any boat the manufacturers just improve them as they fond better ways of doing things. The Discovery 55 VS the Southerly 480 is all about comfort an independence. The 55 hold 1300l of fuel and 1000l of water. the Discovery 55 is a bioat built for a job, i.e. blue water cruising and does it very well, there are no right or wrong answers only choices.

In a few years I can see a time when boats will have no gas on board and probably no generator and power will come from solar, wind, hydro and as a last resort the main diesel engine.