A Norfolk couple who ordered a Duchy 21 at last year’s Southampton Boat Show have taken delivery of their Cockwells-built day boat, finished in a colour scheme they chose for the Norfolk Broads.
Most boat show orders are placed on a hunch. This one was placed at the show where the boat was first shown. When Cockwells unveiled the Duchy 21 at Southampton last September, a couple from Norfolk decided it was the boat for the Broads and commissioned one there and then. They have now taken delivery, and Cockwells has passed on their reasons. I think they are worth repeating for anyone here weighing up an open launch.
From Southampton to the Broads
The Duchy 21 is the second model in the Duchy Motor Launch series, following the Duchy 27 that established the range. Cockwells picked the start of its twentieth year in business to unveil the smaller boat, and this order came out of that first showing. The boat was handed over in May.
What the owners told Cockwells is the sort of feedback I hear from people once they have actually used a boat, rather than walked around it at a show, which makes it more useful than a brochure line.
We chose the Duchy 21 because it is a spacious, beautifully-made day boat, which can easily accommodate several people to cruise and eat in comfort – it is also very user friendly for taller people.
Marc and Louise Scrimshaw, Duchy 21 owners, Norfolk
They also singled out two things that are easy to overlook on a show stand: the spray hoods fold away into the hull itself rather than living in a bag in a locker, and the colour scheme was theirs to choose, down to the last detail. Their verdict was that the boat and the Broads suit each other.
The Duchy 21 in brief
- Open cockpit with seating for ten, planned around days afloat with family and friends
- Waterproof cushions convert the forward section into a double sunbed
- The sunbed doubles as an overnight berth once the hoods are up
- Spray hoods that vanish into the hull when stowed and can close the cockpit completely in poor weather
- Composite construction, chosen to keep maintenance low
- Choice of a diesel engine or an electric motor
- Tows on a road trailer, so it can be launched at the coast, on a river, a fjord or a lake
- Owner’s choice of stainless steel fittings, joinery timber, upholstery fabric and a long list of extras
Built around the owner
Cockwells builds the Duchy 21 as a semi-production boat at its yard in Cornwall: a proven hull, hand-finished to each order. Dave Cockwell, who founded the company, puts the case for that approach in terms of what the owner gets to decide.
From custom-made stainless steel fittings and choice of timber for the interior joinery to the upholstery fabric and any number of other optional extras, we go through every detail with you to ensure that your Duchy 21 is exactly how you want it to be – a classic launch for a modern world that chimes perfectly with your way of life.
Dave Cockwell, Founder and Managing Director, Cockwells
That is also what separates a Duchy from a production runabout: the hull is the constant, and nearly everything the owner touches is chosen with them. You can read more about that philosophy on our Duchy difference page.
What a Broads boat tells an Australian buyer
Cockwells describes the 21 as a capable sea boat that is equally at home on inland water, and that pairing is what makes it interesting for owners in Australia and New Zealand. The same launch can do a picnic run on Sydney Harbour one weekend and a river or lake the next, and because it travels on a road trailer it does not need a marina berth to do either. The electric motor option is worth a conversation for anyone whose boating happens where quiet matters.
Davis Marine Brokerage is the exclusive Australian and New Zealand dealer for Duchy Motor Launches. We can arrange a Duchy 21 build with Cockwells, with the colours, timber and upholstery chosen for Australian conditions, and we handle the import, delivery and commissioning in Sydney. If a new build is the way you want to go, talk to us about the specification and about finance for a new boat. If you would rather be on the water sooner, our current listings are updated regularly.
Cockwells’ own account of the delivery is on the Cockwells website.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Duchy 21?
The Duchy 21 is an open day boat from Cockwells, the Cornish builder of Duchy Motor Launches, and the second model in the range after the Duchy 27. It has a cockpit for up to ten people, a composite hull for low maintenance, and a choice of diesel or electric propulsion. It was unveiled at Southampton last September.
Can you sleep aboard a Duchy 21?
Yes, for a night. Waterproof cushions turn the forward part of the cockpit into a double sunbed, and with the spray hoods raised the cockpit becomes fully enclosed, so the sunbed serves as an overnight double berth. The hoods fold away into the boat when they are not needed.
Is the Duchy 21 trailerable?
It is. Cockwells designed the Duchy 21 to travel by road trailer and go in the water more or less anywhere, whether that is the coast, a river, a fjord or a lake. That flexibility, along with its ability to handle open water as well as inland waterways, is a large part of its appeal for owners without a marina berth.
How do I order a Duchy 21 in Australia or New Zealand?
Through Davis Marine Brokerage, the exclusive Australian and New Zealand dealer for Duchy Motor Launches. Each Duchy 21 is built to order by Cockwells in Cornwall, with the owner choosing fittings, timber, upholstery and colours. DMB manages the import, delivery and commissioning in Sydney. Call Sam Davis on 0408 864 111.
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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