Motor Boat & Yachting has reviewed the Cockwells Duchy Sport, reporting twin 370 hp Yanmar V8 diesels, a top speed near 40 knots and an optional wakesurfing package on a heavily constructed planing hull.
Motor Boat & Yachting (MBY) has run the Duchy Sport through its new-boat pages, and the findings deserve a close read from anyone here who has followed Cockwells’ newest model since it made its debut at Southampton last September. As the Australian and New Zealand dealer for Duchy Motor Launches, I have set out below what the magazine concluded, in my own words, with some context for buyers on this side of the world.
An unusual commission that became a production model
MBY opens by observing that a Cornish builder of launches and tenders is not the obvious place to go for a dedicated watersports boat. The commission came from an owner of a contemporary American wakesurf boat who wanted to move up in size without losing the wave. Cockwells built it, was pleased enough with how it turned out, and has since added the Duchy Sport to its composite Duchy range as a standing model rather than leaving it as a single custom job. The magazine’s verdict on the looks was that it would struggle to name a more regal watersports boat.
Engines, hull and the wake package
The review’s headline numbers come from the engine room. The boat MBY reviewed runs a pair of 370 hp Yanmar V8 diesels, and the magazine puts top speed at a little under 40 knots. The hull is a planing design that MBY describes as heavily built, which is consistent with the way Cockwells constructs everything else in the range.
- Two Yanmar V8 diesels, each of 370 hp
- Top speed approaching 40 knots, according to MBY
- Two ballast tanks of 250 litres each, plus oversized trim tabs, fitted to the boat reviewed to shape a surfable wake
- Ballast and tabs are options, so the boat can be ordered as a pure fast day boat
That last point is the one MBY was keen to make. The wake equipment is a choice, not a given: leave it off and you still have a quick, comfortable open boat with the same hull and the same engines, and the magazine expects that version to appeal to a broad group of buyers who have no interest in towing anyone.
On deck: Cornwall rather than Costa Smeralda
MBY’s line on the styling is that it reads as Cornish rather than Sardinian, and the deck plan supports that. There is a large T-top over the helm and seating, sunpads aft, a sociable arrangement of seats in between, and walkaround side decks that the magazine describes as safe, leading forward to a second set of sunpads on the foredeck. The magazine frames the Duchy Sport as a British answer to the big open day boats from Fjord, Pardo and Axopar that fill Mediterranean anchorages every summer.
What the MBY review tells an Australian buyer
Three things stand out for anyone weighing up a Duchy Sport for Sydney Harbour, Pittwater or the Gold Coast waterways. First, the Fjord, Pardo and Axopar comparison is a useful one, because all three are familiar sights in Australian marinas, so the Duchy Sport is being measured against exactly the boats a local buyer would cross-shop. Second, because the ballast and trim-tab package is optional, a family that mainly wants a fast harbour day boat can order it that way, while a wakesurfing household can have the full set-up from the start. Third, the combination of a T-top and walkaround decks suits our climate: shade where you sit, open sun where you want it.
The construction approach Cockwells takes is the reason the planing hull is as solidly built as MBY describes, and it is the same approach that gives the rest of the range its reputation. If you would rather watch the boat than read about it, Aquaholic’s video review of the Duchy Sport is a good companion to the MBY piece.
Ordering a Duchy Sport for Australia or New Zealand
Davis Marine Brokerage is the exclusive Australian and New Zealand dealer for Duchy Motor Launches, Hardy Motor Yachts and Cockwells SuperYacht Tenders, and we handle the import, delivery and commissioning of each Duchy in Sydney from our base at Fergusons Marina, The Spit. The first Duchy 35 ordered for Australia was sold in December, so the process is already under way for the range. If a Duchy Sport is on your list, get in touch to talk through the specification, including whether the wake package belongs on your boat, and the finance options for a new build. The full MBY review appears in the magazine’s print edition and on its website, and Cockwells has reproduced it on its own press pages.
Frequently asked questions
What engines and top speed does the Duchy Sport have?
According to Motor Boat & Yachting, the Duchy Sport it reviewed carries twin 370 hp Yanmar V8 diesels and reaches a top speed of a little under 40 knots. The hull is a heavily constructed planing design, so the performance comes with the solid build that Cockwells applies across the whole Duchy range.
Do I have to order the wakesurfing equipment?
No. The two ballast tanks, 250 litres each, and the oversized trim tabs that shape the surfing wave were fitted to the boat MBY reviewed, but the magazine notes they are optional. Ordered without them, the Duchy Sport is a fast and comfortable open day boat with the same hull and engines.
How does the Duchy Sport compare with an Axopar, Fjord or Pardo?
MBY positioned the Duchy Sport as a British alternative to those large open day boats, with a T-top, aft and foredeck sunpads, sociable seating and protected walkaround side decks. Its styling is traditional Cornish rather than Mediterranean, which is the main point of difference for a buyer choosing between them.
Can I buy a new Duchy Sport in Australia or New Zealand?
Yes. Davis Marine Brokerage is the exclusive Australian and New Zealand dealer for Duchy Motor Launches. We work through the specification with you, place the order with Cockwells in Cornwall, and manage the import, delivery and commissioning in Sydney. Call Sam Davis on 0408 864 111 to start the conversation.
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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