Cockwells’ twin-cabin Duchy 35 is on this year’s Classic Boat Awards shortlist for Powered Vessels, with the winner decided by a public vote that closes at midnight on Monday 9 March 2020.
Awards season has come around in the UK, and the newest layout of the Duchy 35 is on the ballot. Classic Boat magazine runs annual awards for the best new builds and restorations in the traditional-boat world, and this year it has placed the twin-cabin Duchy 35 on its Powered Vessels shortlist. Cockwells, the Cornish yard behind the whole Duchy Motor Launch range, has a second entry in the same awards: Bessie, a Falmouth working boat restored by its apprentices, is up for the under-40ft Restoration of the Year class.
The twin-cabin version made its first appearance at the Southampton International Boat Show last year. It is the latest model in the Duchy series, drawn by Andrew Wolstenholme, built at Cockwells’ yard, and the change is in the accommodation: two double berths below decks, with the galley brought up into the saloon.
What the judges saw in it
The judges’ note on the shortlisting picks out the family resemblance. In their words the twin-cabin 35 has the ‘good harbour launch looks of her sisters’, meaning the Duchy 21 and the Duchy 27. That is the whole point of the range: the same Wolstenholme pedigree and the same proportions, scaled from a day launch up to a boat with two double cabins.
Beneath the looks, the build is what Cockwells calls semi-production: a repeatable composite hull and structure, chosen for low upkeep and finished by hand, with an options list long enough that each owner can push the boat in their own direction. On a Duchy that list runs from a teak deck and leather seats through to glassware made to fit purpose-built stowage. The twin-cabin 35 takes the idea a step further, because this time the option changes the layout of the boat rather than the finish.
How the twin-cabin layout works
- Two double berths below decks.
- The galley sits in the saloon rather than below, so whoever is cooking stays in the conversation.
- A shower compartment with generous headroom.
- An electric sunroof spanning the full width of the saloon roof, with windows all round for the view.
- Joinery in the owner’s choice of hardwood, plus their own pick of electronics and upholstery.
The Duchy 35 is for cruising and relaxing, and offers unrivalled seakeeping with style. The twin cabin layout transforms the boat into a comfortable family cruiser with a galley located in the spacious saloon and two double berths below.
Dave Cockwell, Founder and Managing Director, Cockwells
The other nomination: a 1904 Helford oyster boat
Bessie deserves a paragraph, because she says something about the yard. She was built at Looe in 1904 for the Helford River oyster beds, raced at Falmouth later in life, and will carry passengers on Bideford Bay over the coming summer. Cockwells’ apprentices did the restoration: re-planking, which meant learning to spile a new plank from the shape of an old one, re-fastening the planking that could be saved and replacing frames. Apprentice Jack Sullivan says the heritage side of the job was the appeal. A yard that still teaches those skills is the same yard laminating and fitting out a Duchy, which is part of why the Duchy difference shows in the joinery.
Voting and the result
The shortlist came from the judges; the winner comes from a public vote. Voting closes at midnight on Monday 9 March, and the results will appear in Classic Boat’s May issue, on sale from 3 April. If you have been aboard a Duchy and liked it, a vote for the twin-cabin 35 in the Powered Vessels class is the easy way to say so, and Cockwells is asking for support for Bessie in hers as well.
What it means for Duchy buyers in Australia and New Zealand
A second double cabin changes who a Duchy 35 is for. With two doubles below it becomes a family boat, or one that can take another couple away for a long weekend without anyone sleeping in the saloon. Davis Marine Brokerage is the exclusive Australian and New Zealand dealer for Duchy Motor Launches, and the twin-cabin layout can be specified on a new Duchy 35 ordered through us. We import the boat and handle delivery and commissioning in Sydney, from our base at Fergusons Marina, The Spit, in Mosman. Sam Davis, our Director and Lead Broker, is the contact for build slots and options: send an enquiry or call 0408 864 111. If finance is part of the picture, our boat finance page explains how we approach it.
Cockwells’ own announcement, including the apprentices’ account of the Bessie restoration, is on the Cockwells website.
Frequently asked questions
What is the twin-cabin Duchy 35?
It is the newest layout of Cockwells’ Duchy 35 motor launch, first shown at the Southampton International Boat Show in 2019. Designed by Andrew Wolstenholme, it places two double berths below decks and the galley in the saloon, with an electric sunroof across the full width of the roof, all-round windows and a shower compartment with generous headroom.
Which award is the Duchy 35 shortlisted for?
Powered Vessels, in Classic Boat magazine’s 2020 awards. The Classic Boat Awards recognise the best new builds and restorations among traditional-style vessels. The winner is decided by public vote, which closes at midnight on Monday 9 March 2020, and is announced in the May 2020 issue, published on 3 April.
Can I order a twin-cabin Duchy 35 in Australia?
Yes. Davis Marine Brokerage is the exclusive Australian and New Zealand dealer for Duchy Motor Launches. A new Duchy 35 can be ordered through us in the twin-cabin layout; we import the boat and handle delivery and commissioning in Sydney from Fergusons Marina, The Spit, Mosman. Call Sam Davis on 0408 864 111 to discuss a build.
What is Bessie?
Bessie is a Falmouth working boat built at Looe in 1904 for the Helford River oyster fishery. She was restored by Cockwells’ apprentices, who re-planked and re-framed her, and is nominated in the under-40ft Restoration of the Year class in the same 2020 Classic Boat Awards. She will carry passengers on Bideford Bay over the summer.
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.
MORE ARTICLES
