7 May 2025
Cockwells Modern & Classic Boatbuilding, the award-winning Cornish boatbuilder that is part of the Pendennis Group, was delighted to welcome Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal to its South West Shipyard at Ponsharden on Tuesday 6 May.
Upon arrival at the Shipyard, which is situated between Falmouth and Penryn in Cornwall, Her Royal Highness was greeted by The Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall, Colonel Sir Edward Bolitho, who presented Mayor of Penryn, Councillor Mary May, Mayor’s Consort, Councillor Margaret Harrison, Penryn Town Clerk, Helen Perry, Member of Parliament for Truro and Falmouth, Jayne Kirkham, Commercial Director of the Pendennis Group, Stephen Hills and Cockwells’ Founder and Sales Director, Dave Cockwell.
Dave Cockwell then presented Paul Wickes MBE, CEO of Cornwall Marine Network and Board member of Maritime UK, Cockwells’ Marketing Director, Jo Cockwell and Managing Director, Dean Short, and Finance Director of the Pendennis Group, Ian Granville to The Princess Royal, before escorting her on a tour of the manufacturing facility where the company builds its larger vessels.
The Pendennis Group acquired a majority stake in Cockwells last year, which will enable further expansion to meet ever-increasing demand for its Duchy Motor Launches, Hardy Motor Yachts and luxurious superyacht tenders.
The first stop on the tour of the South West Shipyard was the Moulding Shed, where Dave Cockwell presented Moulding Production Manager, Ryan Tunnicliffe and Moulding Team Leader, Harry Burley who explained the moulding process to Her Royal Highness, which involves gelling the boat mould and adding the number of fibreglass layers relative to the surface area of the design and the thickness of its hull.
Next, The Princess Royal was introduced to Production Director, Jason Foat in the Main Parts Building Workshop, who described the different departments and how the production process is managed.
The opportunity then arose for two groups of Cockwells’ Apprentices along with their tutor, Drew Pilley, to be introduced to Her Royal Highness who took the time to ask every single apprentice where they had come from, their routes into this boatbuilding apprenticeship and their ambitions for the future.
“The Cockwells Training Academy has provided an incredibly positive route forward into my career,” said apprentice, Louis Foulkes. “I believe the skillsets and opportunities provided will allow me to spend the rest of my working life in a fantastic industry, and it was an honour to share this with The Princess Royal today.”
Then came the Boat Assembly Area where Engineer, George Kohlman and Boat Building Team Leader, George Henney were presented to Her Royal Highness, and Production Manager, Lee Sennett invited The Princess Royal to view a brand new Duchy 35, an award-winning model in the company’s popular Duchy Motor Launches range.
Her Royal Highness was then invited to unveil a plaque, draped with a Cornish flag, to officially open The Cockwells Training Academy.
This academy offers a comprehensive four-year training programme that provides young people in Cornwall with the range of skills required to prepare them for rewarding careers in the marine sector, which Cockwells has developed in partnership with the Cornwall Marine Network.
The plaque read:
The Cockwells Training Academy
Opened by HRH The Princess Royal on May 6th 2025
Applauding Cockwells for enabling young people to learn the traditional craft of boatbuilding as well as the latest technological advances that place Britain at the forefront of the marine industry, the event also highlighted the importance of investing in and making the best of local talent, and offering the right training facilities in the right areas.
Her Royal Highness then launched the all-new Hardy 45 European by pouring a bottle of Cornish Camel Valley champagne over its bow, observing the symbolic maritime tradition that is believed to bring good fortune to a vessel.
As she did so, The Princess Royal wished Cockwells well for the future.
“It was an absolute pleasure to welcome Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal to Cockwells’ South West Shipyard and mark two important developments in the company’s history – the official opening of our Training Academy and the launch of our new Hardy 45 European,” explained Founder and Sales Director, Dave Cockwell. “We discussed the importance of sharing the traditional skills of the shipwright with the next generation of boat builders and the vital contribution that the boatbuilding industry makes to our island nation. I also shared Cockwells’ ambitious plans for future growth so that we can continue to provide secure, well-paid employment for local people, ensure that we have a talent pool of highly-skilled craftsmen and women, sustain Cornwall’s reputation for boatbuilding excellence and meet global demand for our beautiful bespoke boats.”
For further information about Cockwells, visit www.cockwells.co.uk
Photos please credit: Cockwells/Toby Weller