Cockwells is unveiling the Duchy 35, a composite-hulled weekender for ten day guests with a choice of one or two cabins, on stand M200 at the Southampton Boat Show this week.
Cockwells is marking the start of its twenty-first year of boatbuilding with its biggest Duchy yet. The Duchy 35 is being revealed at the Southampton Boat Show on stand M200, with the covers due to come off on Friday afternoon at 3.15pm. It is the third model in the Duchy Motor Launch series, and the yard is pitching it as a weekender and family cruiser rather than a pure day boat, which puts it in a different conversation from the two models that came before it.
The brief from the yard is simple enough: a cockpit and saloon large enough for ten guests on a day out, and a cabin arrangement below that lets the owner decide what the boat is for. Cockwells’ in-house design team worked with naval architect Andrew Wolstenholme on the 35, and the stated aim was to leave nothing out that makes a boat comfortable to live aboard for a weekend.
How a Duchy is built
Duchy launches are semi-production boats. The hull is composite, which keeps upkeep down in a way a timber launch never will, and everything above it is finished by hand at the Cockwells yard in Cornwall. Each boat is specified with its owner, and the options list stretches from a teak deck through to purpose-built stowage for the owner’s own china and glassware. That is the Duchy difference in a sentence: a classic launch in appearance, a modern boat to own.
One hull, two layouts
The first decision an owner makes is below decks. Order the twin-cabin version and the galley moves up into the saloon, freeing the lower deck for two double berths. Order the single-cabin version and the 35 becomes a day boat and weekender for a couple, with more space to spread out.
With the twin cabin layout, the Duchy 35 is a comfortable family cruiser with the galley located in the spacious saloon and two double berths below. But with the single cabin layout, she becomes a luxury day boat or weekender for two.
Dave Cockwell, Founder and Managing Director, Cockwells
Either way the specification reads like a larger boat. There is a shower compartment with room to stand up straight, an electric sunroof that opens across the whole width of the wheelhouse, and glazing all round so the view comes in with the air. The galley is properly equipped, and the owner chooses the hardwood for the joinery, the electronics package and the leather for the seating. A gyro stabiliser is on the options list for anyone who wants less roll at anchor.
Details for a short-handed crew
Every week someone asks me whether a boat can be run by a couple without drama, so these are the points I noted. The side decks on the 35 are wide and the bulwarks higher than you expect on a launch, so going forward to a cleat feels secure. There is a door beside the helm that opens directly onto the side deck, so the person steering can step out to the foredeck without climbing through the cockpit. And the on-board systems are controlled from one touchscreen at the helm, which means one screen to learn rather than a row of switch panels.
A sea boat that is also a river boat
Cockwells is clear that the 35 is meant to be both seaworthy and at home on inland waters, and expects interest from continental Europe as much as from British owners. For Scandinavia, where boats are routinely moored bow-to a rock or a quay, the yard has gone further and drawn up a dedicated version.
We have even created a version specifically for the Scandinavian market by adding an aft windlass for bow-to mooring, a pulpit with gate and the option of a bow passarelle or ladder.
Dave Cockwell, Founder and Managing Director, Cockwells
A builder willing to change the deck gear for a regional mooring habit, rather than sell one specification everywhere, is a good sign for owners a long way from Cornwall.
Specifying a Duchy 35 for Australian and New Zealand waters
Davis Marine Brokerage is the exclusive Australian and New Zealand dealer for Duchy Motor Launches, and we can arrange a Duchy 35 build with Cockwells for delivery to Sydney. We handle the import, delivery and commissioning here. Because every 35 is built to its owner’s specification, the joinery, upholstery, electronics and deck gear can be chosen for local conditions from the first drawing, in the same way the Scandinavian version was developed for its market.
The layout question is the first one to settle. A family that will overnight on the boat wants the twin cabins; a couple who mostly run day trips with guests may prefer the single-cabin version. The sunroof and all-round glazing, the shower compartment after a swim, and the stabiliser option for a busy anchorage are the features I would expect to earn their keep in our climate. To talk through a specification, or to discuss finance for a new build, contact us. Once the boat is in the water, our vessel management service can look after it between outings.
If you are at Southampton this week, stand M200 is where the 35 will be. Cockwells’ own announcement is on the Cockwells website.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Duchy 35?
The Duchy 35 is the third model in the Duchy Motor Launch series from Cockwells in Cornwall. It is a composite-hulled weekender and family cruiser whose cockpit and saloon seat ten guests for a day out, designed by Cockwells’ in-house team with Andrew Wolstenholme, and it is being unveiled at the Southampton Boat Show.
What cabin layouts does the Duchy 35 offer?
There are two. The twin-cabin layout puts the galley in the saloon and gives two double berths below, which suits a family. The single-cabin layout turns the boat into a day boat and weekender for a couple. Both include a shower compartment you can stand up in and an electric sunroof spanning the wheelhouse.
Is the Duchy 35 suitable for a couple to handle?
Cockwells has designed it with short-handed mooring in mind. The side decks are wide, the bulwarks are higher than usual, and a door beside the helm gives direct access to the foredeck. All on-board systems are controlled from a single touchscreen display, so one person at the helm can manage the boat.
Can a Duchy 35 be ordered for Australia or New Zealand?
Yes. Davis Marine Brokerage is the exclusive Australian and New Zealand dealer for Duchy Motor Launches and arranges new builds with Cockwells, including import, delivery and commissioning in Sydney. Each boat is built to order, so the specification can be tailored to local conditions. 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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