The largest Duchy yet heads to Southampton
Cockwells has confirmed that the Duchy 45 will make its world debut at the Southampton International Boat Show, running from 18 to 27 September 2026. The 14.75m model becomes the most spacious Duchy Motor Launch to date while retaining the range’s recognisable low-profile, traditional motor-launch character.
The yacht is aimed at owners who want classic proportions without giving up the practical systems expected from a modern cruising boat. A large aft cockpit, expansive saloon and full-beam bathing platform are combined with accommodation intended for longer coastal passages as well as day use.
Flexible layouts widen the cruising brief
Cockwells offers the Duchy 45 with either a two-cabin arrangement and galley below or a three-cabin plan that moves the galley up beside the saloon. That choice lets owners prioritise either additional sleeping capacity or a more traditional lower-deck domestic area depending on how the yacht will be used.
The master cabin is designed around a super-king berth with an en-suite heads compartment, while the saloon can open directly to the cockpit through folding doors. An optional flybridge adds a second helm and further exterior seating, broadening the model beyond the enclosed-launch format associated with smaller Duchy models.
Twin IPS power targets easy handling
The Duchy 45 uses a semi-displacement hull by naval architect Andrew Wolstenholme and is powered by twin Volvo Penta IPS 600 pod drives. Cockwells quotes a 25-knot cruising speed and a maximum of about 31 knots in its launch announcement, placing the yacht firmly in the fast-cruising category rather than the displacement end of the market.
Joystick control, dynamic positioning and virtual anchoring are intended to reduce workload in confined marinas. Owners can also specify a bow thruster, passerelle and Seakeeper gyrostabiliser, giving the yacht a systems package suited to Mediterranean stern-to berthing as well as UK coastal cruising.
A British-built alternative below 15 metres
The Southampton debut gives buyers a chance to compare the Duchy 45 directly with production flybridge and sports-cruiser models of a similar length. Its appeal is deliberately different, combining hand-finished British boatbuilding with a more restrained exterior style and a high level of owner customisation.
That makes the Duchy 45 an unusual proposition in the sub-15m luxury market, where many competitors rely on more aggressively contemporary styling. Cockwells is instead using the model to extend a recognisable brand identity while increasing interior space, cruising range and configuration choice.
