The Duchy 45, the most spacious Duchy Motor Launch built to date, makes its world debut at Southampton International Boat Show on 18–27 September and can be ordered for Australia and New Zealand through Davis Marine Brokerage.
Cockwells has confirmed that the Duchy 45 will be shown in public for the first time at SIBS26, the Southampton International Boat Show, which runs from 18 to 27 September. The builder will be on Stand M111. This is the most spacious boat Cockwells has put the Duchy name on so far, and from the details released it takes the Duchy Motor Launches range beyond day boats and weekenders into a cruiser you could live aboard for a week or more.
Anyone who has stepped off a Duchy 35 and wondered what a bigger Duchy would look like now has an answer. The profile is still unmistakably Duchy: the same classic sheer and the same restraint in the styling. What changes is the amount of boat behind it.
Saloon and cockpit: one space, not two
The layout is built around the idea that the saloon and the cockpit should work as a single area. A pair of bifold doors folds right back to join the two, the side windows are big enough to give an all-round view from the settee, and there is a sunroof overhead. With the doors and roof open you are effectively sitting outside with a roof over your head, which is exactly how most of us use a boat in a Sydney summer.
Saloon seating is upholstered in waterproof fabric and wraps around a veneered table. An electric bimini is on the options list for shade over the cockpit. Aft, a gate in the transom leads onto a bathing platform that spans the full beam and lowers hydraulically into the water, so swimming off the back is simple and a tender can be floated onto the platform and lifted clear of the water. Sunpads on the foredeck are another option.
The master cabin has a super-king berth and its own en-suite heads, and Cockwells has paid attention to where everything stows, which matters more on a boat intended for longer trips than it does on a day boat. The galley is specified for cooking properly rather than reheating:
- Four induction cooking zones and a combination oven
- A twin-bowl sink
- Full-size refrigerator and a full-size freezer, not a bar fridge
A new Wolstenholme hull and Volvo IPS power
The hull is new rather than a stretch of an existing one. Naval architect Andrew Wolstenholme has drawn a semi-displacement form that Cockwells says is equally at home on an open-sea passage and idling along a sheltered waterway, in whatever the weather serves up. Construction is composite, chosen to keep upkeep low.
Power comes from a pair of Volvo Penta IPS 600 pods, a drive system that brings the engines, drivelines and propellers together as one integrated system. Cockwells quotes a 25-knot cruise and a top speed of 31 knots. IPS also brings joystick handling, a virtual anchor function and dynamic positioning, so holding station off a fuel wharf while you wait your turn is a matter of a button rather than two throttles and a prayer. A bow thruster is fitted, a Seakeeper gyrostabiliser is optional for a steadier boat at sea and at anchor, and an optional passerelle takes care of stern-to berthing.
Our new Duchy 45 blends intelligent design and outstanding performance with the superior build quality of the Duchy Motor Launches brand to elevate your on-the-water lifestyle to new heights.
Henry Ward, Head of Design and Sales, Cockwells
Two cabins or three, and a flybridge if you want one
Below decks there are two ways to go. The first pairs two cabins with a galley down on the lower level. The second fits a third cabin below and moves the galley up next to the saloon, which keeps whoever is cooking in the conversation and gives the lower deck over to sleeping. Either way the master keeps its en-suite.
Cockwells will also build the 45 with a flybridge, adding an upper helm and cockpit seating. On a boat this size that is a second outdoor living area and, for anyone threading through a crowded mooring field, a much better view of what is around you.
What the Duchy 45 means for Australian and New Zealand buyers
Davis Marine Brokerage is the exclusive Australian and New Zealand dealer for Duchy Motor Launches, Hardy Motor Yachts and Cockwells SuperYacht Tenders, and the Duchy 45 can be ordered through us for delivery to Sydney. We import each Duchy, handle delivery and commissioning in Sydney, and can arrange demonstrations on Sydney Harbour from Fergusons Marina at The Spit in Mosman.
A semi-displacement hull that its builder rates for open water as much as for sheltered coastal waterways is the right starting point for the east coast, where a run north out of Sydney Heads means a real sea rather than a flat harbour. The 31-knot top speed and the gyro option are the other two things I would point a prospective owner to. The Duchy difference page explains what sets these boats apart from a production cruiser.
If the 45 is more boat than you need, the Duchy 35 remains the core of the range; the first one for Australia was sold in December 2022 and arrived in Sydney in May 2023. The Duchy 27 is here too, with Coolabah, the first Duchy 27 in Australia, arriving this year. For anyone who would rather not wait for a build, we currently have a 2019 Duchy 35 for sale, and boat finance can be arranged for new and pre-owned boats alike.
Cockwells’ own announcement and the full photo set are on the Cockwells website. To talk through a Duchy 45 specification for Australian waters, contact Sam Davis at Davis Marine Brokerage.
Frequently asked questions
When and where is the Duchy 45 being shown for the first time?
Cockwells is giving the Duchy 45 its world debut at SIBS26, the Southampton International Boat Show, which runs from 18 to 27 September, on Stand M111. Australian and New Zealand buyers who cannot get to Southampton can discuss the boat with Davis Marine Brokerage in Sydney, the exclusive dealer for the region.
What engines does the Duchy 45 have and how fast is it?
Two Volvo Penta IPS 600 pods drive the Duchy 45. Cockwells quotes a 25-knot cruising speed and a maximum of 31 knots. The pods are handled by joystick and include a virtual anchor function and dynamic positioning. A bow thruster is fitted, and a Seakeeper gyrostabiliser and a passerelle are optional extras.
What cabin layouts are available on the Duchy 45?
Two layouts are offered: two cabins with the galley on the lower deck, or three cabins below with the galley moved up beside the saloon. The master cabin has a super-king berth and an en-suite heads in both versions. A flybridge with an upper helm and cockpit seating can also be added.
Who designed the Duchy 45 hull?
The Duchy 45 uses a new semi-displacement hull drawn by naval architect Andrew Wolstenholme. Cockwells says it is suited to open-sea cruising as well as sheltered coastal waterways, and the boat is built in low-maintenance composite rather than timber.
Can I buy a Duchy 45 in Australia or New Zealand?
Yes. Davis Marine Brokerage is the exclusive Australian and New Zealand dealer for Duchy Motor Launches. We take orders for the Duchy 45, import the boat, and handle delivery and commissioning in Sydney. Demonstrations on Sydney Harbour can be arranged from Fergusons Marina at The Spit, Mosman.
Davis Marine Brokerage is the exclusive Australian and New Zealand dealer for Duchy Motor Launches, Hardy Motor Yachts and Cockwells SuperYacht Tenders. To talk about a new build, a demonstration on Sydney Harbour or a pre-owned Duchy, call Sam Davis on 0408 864 111 or send an enquiry.
About the author
Sam Davis is the Director and Lead Broker at Davis Marine Brokerage, Fergusons Marina, Mosman. Brokering on Sydney Harbour for over a decade, he is a NSW State Councillor of the Boating Industry Association and the Australian and New Zealand dealer for Duchy, Hardy and Cockwells SuperYacht Tenders.
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