It’s not a surprise that when Marshall “Duffy” Duffield wanted a new cruising boat for himself that fuel efficiency and quiet operation were top priorities. After all, Duffield owns the Duffy Electric Boat Company, and electric boats are nothing if not quiet and fuel efficient.
To design his new trawler, which Duffy will run himself, he turned to Doug Zurn, the Marblehead, Mass., designer who’s already drawn fuel-efficient, quiet – and beautiful – boats for MJM Yachts, Marlow, Vanquish and Samoset, plus the Shelter Island Runabout and Vendetta for Billy Joel. “I wanted a traditional-looking boat that was proportionally correct and would still perform well while using much less fuel,” Duffield said.
The result, the single-engine Duffield 58, will launch this spring. The elegant semi-custom design has Zurn’s traditional low profile, narrow beam and lightweight composite construction. The new boat has a master forward, with a queen berth and en suite head and shower, a second VIP stateroom, also with a head and shower, and a third smaller cabin for children or occasional guests. The salon offers 360-degree views all around, and is an open plan with the galley up. The flybridge is protected by a hardtop, with a boat deck over the salon.
The single 600-hp CAT diesel is placed well aft, with a V-drive, to keep noise away from living spaces on the boat. The projected cruise speed is 15 knots, with a fuel burn of just 16.6 gph, giving a range of 550 nm. Top speed is 19 knots.
Specs: LOA: 58’11”; Beam: 16’6”; Draft: 3’6”; Disp.: 48,053 lbs.; Fuel: 672 gals.; Water: 80 gals.; Power: 1×600-hp CAT C-12. For more:
