UK. John Charnley, the Founder & Chairman of Discovery Yachts, was awarded the MTA/Boating Business Lifetime Achievement Award at a prestigious dinner held at London Boat Show. Friday, 15 January 2016 John, a former BA pilot, has been involved with the marine industry for more than 40 years. John was instrumental in the start-up and growth of the yacht charter holiday industry in the 1970’s and founded Greeksail/Island Sailing which went on to become Sunsail, one of the largest yacht charter companies in the world. Early forays into yacht designing and building included the Atlantic 43 racing yacht and the highly successful Swift 18 trailer-sailor.
In 1998 John and his wife Caroline commissioned Ron Holland to design the perfect short-handed cruising yacht that the two of them could easily sail around the world in safety and comfort. The highly acclaimed Discovery 55 was born and more than a decade later Discovery Yachts is a thriving business with a team of expert craftsmen building an award-winning range of four blue-water monohulls from 48 to 67 feet and the luxurious Discovery 50 catamaran. The company is going from strength to strength with a used management team in place. John has had a keen interest in sailing for more than 60 years; he is a veteran of single-handed transatlantic and other long distance races. In 2010 John and Caroline set off in their Discovery Cat 50 to sail across the Atlantic, explore the Eastern Seaboard of the US and meander through the Caribbean down to South America. As Founder and Chairman of Discovery Yachts John continues to be involved in the strategic development of the business and is very much involved with the launch of the used Discovery 48 in 2016.
Commenting on the award, John Charnley, Founder and Chairman of Discovery Yachts said, “I was really honoured to receive the MTA/Boating Business Lifetime Achievement Award. I have enjoyed a long and varied career in the UK marine industry and firmly believe that the boatbuilding and designing skills and expertise found in the UK set us apart in terms of the quality and build of British yachts. This award is a real accolade for the team at Discovery Yachts who are all so passionate about building the highest quality blue-water cruising yachts for our international client base.” The Marine Trades Association/Boating Business Awards recognise excellence in individuals and companies working in the UK marine industry and are sponsored by Boating Business, Kudos, Ocean Safety and URICA.
Source: BYM
