Tested: Hardy's Pocket Battleship | Hardy 50 DS Sea Trial & Review

Join us as we take the all-new Cockwells Hardy 50 DS yacht on a sea trial from Southampton to Poole! In this video, Jack Haines from YachtBuyer puts this luxurious yacht to the test, providing an in-depth tour and review of its features, performance, and design.
We're thrilled to have Dave Cockwells, the visionary behind Cockwells Modern & Classic Boatbuilding, on board. Recently acquiring the Hardy brand, Dave shares his insights on why he decided to take on this iconic name and his exciting plans for the future of Hardy yachts.
Expect a comprehensive yacht tour where you can explore the elegant interiors and cutting-edge technology of the Hardy 50 DS. Watch as we highlight the yacht's performance under various sea conditions while navigating from Southampton to Poole. Jack Haines offers his expert analysis on the yacht's handling, comfort, and overall experience.
In an exclusive interview, Dave Cockwells discusses the acquisition of the Hardy brand and his vision for future models. Don't miss this unique opportunity to see the Hardy 50 DS in action and gain valuable insights from industry experts.
#cockwells #hardy50ds #hardyyachts #seatrial #boattest #boattour #yachttour #boat #yacht #yachts #boats #boating
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At A Glance
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LOA - 15.8m (51ft 8in)
Beam- 4.9m (16ft 1in)
Draft - 1.4m (4ft 6in)
Displacement - 24 tonnes (55,115 lbs)
Fuel Capacity - 2,500 litres (660 US gal)
Test Engines - Twin Volvo Penta D13 800hp
Top Speed - 26 knots
Cabins - 3
Berths - 6
Capacity - A for 12 people
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Performance
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Top Speed - 26 knots
Cruising Speed - 18 knots
Range - Approx. 900nm @ 7.5 knots
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👇 Share your thoughts on the COCKWELLS HARDY 50DS in the comments!
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Timestamps
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00:00 Intro
00:44 Crewing a Hardy
03:22 The Technicals with Dave Cockwell
04:20 Driving from the Lower Helm
05:16 Performance & Range
05:35 Lower Helm Station
07:20 The Cockwells Takeover of Hardy
09:04 New Technology
10:07 Driving from Upper Helm
11:30 Handling
12:15 Upper Helm Station
13:36 On Deck
15:31 Flybridge
16:49 Interior
18:00 The Galley
19:21 Accommodation
19:48 VIP Cabin
20:26 Owner's Stateroom
21:09 Engine Room
22:11 Driving through some chop
23:40 Slow Speed Handling
25:55 Our Verdict

[@KatePhiz]

I think Cockwells is the UK's premier boat builder these days and you, Jack, is the perfect person to review them. This video gives such an accurate and complete picture that I am sure any buyer will watch it - and great entertainment for the rest of us. Personally I would prefer the Duchy but that's personal preference and doesn't take away from the Hardy, not from your review.

[@Yachtbuyer]

Hi Kate, thanks for the lovely comment, I really appreciate it and am so glad you liked this different style of video - Jack

[@Nezzer57]

Great tour Jack, good to see you in the 'hood again, at Ocean Village 👍 Cockwells seem to have done a great job of updating a classic hull, nice one.

[@rickydee5863]

Great tour .you covered every aspect.

[@CockwellsBoatbuilders]

Thanks for the great comment @katephiz!

[@pageant1fd]

Great review without twenty “seriously “ and “proper” terms used . Unlike some in your line of work you voice your criticisms in good practical terms too. Thank you

[@peterjordan-turner8789]

Hardy were always great, and Dave Cockwell has made them close to perfect. He's obviously brought all the experience of upgrading Harry Dwyer's 'Goodwin' into his work. Thanks for such an entertaining trial & tour.

[@Yachtbuyer]

My pleasure Peter, thanks for watching! - Jack

[@nickwebb9290]

What a fabulous boat, great review Jack. Cockwells build superb boats. Only wish I could afford one of their Hardy models

[@Yachtbuyer]

Thanks Nick! - J

[@colinritchie1510]

At last...the one I would buy. I have reserched long and hard, but a few minutes into this video and my mind was made up. Perfect for extended cruising here on the west coast of Scotland, beautifully built and appointed. Thanks for this tour and trial!

[@masaiwhite5933]

Perfect for a stranraer or troon mooring.

[@rtbinc2273]

Love the way you're changing up the style of videos, they actually match the varying styles of boats you review. You don't see these boats very often here in the US so it's great to see them here.

[@Yachtbuyer]

Thanks, really glad you like what we’re doing - Jack

[@jacktyler7599]

Quite the worthwhile presentation: A mix of marine business background, thorough performance demo, and the typical detailed YachtBuyer specs overlaid on the video, plus a showcase tour. Impressive boat, impressive video review. Applause all around.

[@Yachtbuyer]

Thanks Jack, kind of you to say - J

[@nicbennett6554]

You always get very British weather when you’re on a Hardy! At least no snow this time. Brilliant looking boat from every angle, coupled with excellent sea keeping, effortless performance and practicality. Wonderful!! Great review Jack and the YB team.

[@Yachtbuyer]

Ha! This was like a summer's day compared to the Hardy 65 test! Glad you liked the video, Nic - Jack

[@user-kz2zc7du3c]

The perfect combination Hardy and Cockwells - team work is dream work ! Great review Jack

[@stephenacs]

This would be so perfect for boating here in the PNW.

[@bisa34]

Excellent video ! This is a very capable off shore cruiser indeed, and she is build to the highest quality standards. It is perhaps a Grand Banks value for 40% less money. I think she is capable of 1500 miles range at 8 knots. The only complaints i have is about foredeck lounge arrangement and clearer galley materials. A real wolf of the sea go anywhere luxury trawler 🏝

[@cookiemonster2299]

Absolutely love it, I've always liked what cockwells do, I even really like their picnic boat and what they've done with this boat is stunning. This boat and company really deserved the yacht buyer magic. 👃👏👏👏❤️🇬🇧

[@Yachtbuyer]

Thank you CM! - J

[@wildcountry.]

Yacht club commodores are drooling everywhere. Nice professional review Jack and crew. Great to see what Cockwells have done.

[@davidweston8758]

Thanks for the tour and test , that is a proper boat , love it , so we'll put together, torn between a 2 or 3 cabin layout , looks like the perfect boat to go around the coast of the UK

[@cookiemonster2299]

Or a trip to the fjords. 👍❤️

[@MrArchie800]

Not normally a style of boat that would interest me but this looks great and ticks an awful lot of boxes for the more practical non-med type of boat. Love it!

[@peterbrameld696]

this is really my sort of Boat, doesn’t cost millions but has real style and there’s a truly “go anywhere, any time“ vessel. Another great review Jack, you really are showing the other reviews the way, clear concise, and excellent presentation of the facts. Thank you.

[@Yachtbuyer]

That's kind of you to say Peter, thank you - Jack

[@markscott554]

I usually watch Aquaholic, but you rarely see the boats out in the blue there, so I immediately subscribed here Lovely boat

[@Yachtbuyer]

Great stuff; welcome and thanks for the sub! - Jack

[@simonread732]

Beautiful boat! Perfect for the Uk.

[@clivehale397]

Thanks Jack what a beautiful yacht I love it... nice to see you crewing for a change....lol....

[@Yachtbuyer]

Ha! Dave putting me to work! 💪 - Jack

[@seanogden927]

I think that is a cracking boat, in my opinion it looks stylish both inside and outside, great lines and finishes, spacious below decks as well, really nice cabins. Great trial and tour Jack thank you.

[@Yachtbuyer]

My pleasure, Sean, thanks for watching! - Jack

[@africanpagan6338]

Great review Jack.

[@Yachtbuyer]

💪

[@nickwatkins5321]

what a fantastic boat. I could live on that quite happily

[@dtutssel]

Lovely boat and good to see a boat for the uk market without acres of sunbeds you'd only use a few days a year

[@lgriestra]

Very good video. I am glad they are back.

[@Yachtbuyer]

Thank you very much!

[@alisavas9526]

lovely boat, great review!

[@Yachtbuyer]

Many thanks!

[@bolwarracolt1]

Very very impressive..

[@Joe_1sr9]

Great to see a Great British institution brought back to the modern world. Fantastic boat suited to British weather. Thanks for the tour Jack. Ps could you please explain what a ‘quartering sea’ is ?

[@Yachtbuyer]

I quite agree, it's great that Hardy has found a new home. A quartering sea is where the swell/wave pattern is diagonally across the stern of the boat - Jack

[@leobloom4526]

Really enjoying the test drive & review You are doing and the selection you have chosen to do You seem to be doing something a little different than the rest and I like it .

[@Yachtbuyer]

Thanks Leo, I’m glad you like what we’re doing - Jack

[@joecartwright9221]

Nice 👍

[@bendixon2898]

Top job Jack

[@Yachtbuyer]

Thank you! - J

[@iancharlton678]

Nice one Jack……. I’m smitten. A boat that could be bought for good…….. no replacement for displacement, D13’s are monster sized, but effortless at a relatively modest power…….. they will never need upgrading. I liked Hardy’s of old, but this one is turned up to 11 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@chasl3443]

Excellent!

[@bartbuiring98]

Great boat. Great video

[@Yachtbuyer]

Thanks 👍

[@ianscott3180]

I love it! As a sailor of stick and canvas yachts this is what would make me hang up my genoa. Too many of the motor yachts today are suited to the Med or Florida. This I could use in Northern Europe and cross Biscay with ease when I want some sunshine. My only concern is the price and for sure I don't have that sort of cash. Great video and good luck to Cockells. 😀

[@maryholder3795]

She doesn't have pretty chrome glass and steel fittings ect. But what she does have is honest. She a honest boat that does what it says on the Hardy tin. But she had a sympathetic make over from the new firms owners. Fast or slow she'll go up or down speed wise easierly and she had good handling turning left or right. Her exterior decks and Flybridge have plenty of space to move around. Interiors, galley the heads and 3 cabins are all well planned, with the decor being very relaxing. Nice engine room, with all you needs and well insulated. If I had the money I'd be very interested in this boat..

[@guyh.4121]

She’s a Beauty.

[@justinlinnane8043]

Perfect timing ! I was only looking at used Hardy's on Yachts for sale last night ,. Amazing boats !!

[@doubletee5250]

Nothing to say other than, I want one.

[@clifbradley]

Built like a tank. A very nice, robust tank with an interior that would shame most Manhattan apartments

[@reighbh13]

brilliant bit of kit, great review too. id be curious to know if they are considering a third model that sits between the 50 and the 65.

[@jeffmcallister7040]

Great cruising boat. Something like this makes getting where you want to go alot easier. Being comfortable makes going a little slower a little more preferable.

[@vatch999]

I love a sea trial review. Beautiful boat also.

[@windycurrent]

This is next level Hardy! 👍Great layout with the exterior and interior. The detail in the finishes and indirect lighting are superbly done. The only downfall to the entire boat is engine room access. As nice as D rated big blocks are, you need to be able to work in the engine room without having to rip everything out and doing boat yoga just to get access to what you need to maintain/fix/repair.

[@jessicagarbett7334]

A pleasure to watch, Jack, but one correction viz the reference to “Hardys of old”. I commissioned from new, and still own, the first customer order from Hardy when Windboats took over, a 42 launched 2014. No teak in sight on the interior, and indeed having been put off from buying used due to the dated fit out and equipment spec, Hardy delivered then a thoroughly modern motor yacht, custom spec, which still turns heads now. So it’s incorrect to ascribe the change in fit out and style solely to Cockwells. It’s been incremental and probably started back in 2014 when myself and my then partner set out what we wanted from a contemporary Hardy. That said good to see Cockwells have taken that and built on it.

[@richardgiles2484]

I've always loved Hardy boats for the last 40 years. Unfortunately, they would always be out of my price range and are still are 😢😢 But they have always been amazing quality and more so today 👍👏👏👏

[@tonybazz53]

What’s not to like on this little ship? The only thing I would change is adding a real dryer. Those combo units are notoriously ineffective .

[@andypike4465]

OMG just need a lottery win

[@xerondenver]

well done thanks

[@Yachtbuyer]

Most welcome 😃

[@gaycha6589]

Nice boat. Does it have the proper Hardy strength and build? One thing on a boat of this size would be to have rail mounted fender brackets. Lifting hatches etc to retrieve on docking is an unnecessary hassle. I’d want proper switched controls too.

[@chrisoleary9876]

First! As always, Thanks Jack! 😊

[@Yachtbuyer]

My pleasure, Chris! - J

[@sgabriel]

Great review, as always! Love to see you review the Omikron OT60.

[@Yachtbuyer]

Funny you should say that… 👀

[@sgabriel]

@@Yachtbuyer Excellent!

[@eva-scott]

Yes please 🙏

[@long_view]

Thank you; a very tidy little ship which has significantly improved on the original. However, Hardy never sorted out the positioning of the satellite TV and internet radomes (apart from the 65), with most being mounted on ungainly quarter poles. So where would Cockwells mount them on the 50 DS?

[@WilliamPozo]

great video. loved the boat until i saw the engine room.

[@user-ru3re2nv1t]

I moor my boat at cockwells and the hulls etc are beautiful

[@teeanahera8949]

14:44 In the event of rain the upper deck is going to drip on the the seat across the stern below. Another metre longer and you’d have proper rain protection when on the lower deck.

[@Max-Bliss]

A lovely boat in deed, however I do wonder how the Hardy 50 of old would be with the "up grade" treatment ? How about a resto-mod Hardy 50 with all the mod cons but old charms has imho, a more practical layout and spacious engine room , utility area and awesome aft cabin. Still this Hardy 50 DS is a pleasure to see, glad to see Hardy rescued, all the best. and great review Jack, well done..

[@Yachtbuyer]

Thanks Max, appreciate that. A restomod Hardy would be a very cool concept 👏 - Jack

[@turbinia]

Have a look at the Hardy 53 design on the website. It is effectively an updated 50 based on the same hull. I don't like it as much as the 50 - there's something about that design that the new one is missing, and I don't like the island seating at the stern. It looks a bit odd.

[@DrClumber]

Dream yacht, all I need now is to hit the numbers on my lottery ticket.

[@Shedz46]

Those two names are a recipe for double entendres 🤣

[@Yachtbuyer]

😂

[@tom-ks4th]

Great report! What is the music for so loud during the talk?

[@amievil3697]

Can the fly bridge be covered? I like the suggestion with the walk around helm. I would push the galley aft a little to accomadate the idea. Maybe a privacy window to seperate the helm and galley as well.

[@matthewmartin1970]

I love a Hardy and this is no exception but I do worry about that engine access and also there doesn’t seem to be a bimini for those days when you wanna be up on the flybridge but don’t want sunstroke.

[@MUSTAMOMO]

What is the fuel capacity, and range? Amazing vessel.

[@jenniferstewarts4851]

900 nm will get you across 4 of the lakes, thunderbay to kingston but it would be really tight. i mean thats running pretty straight courses and coming out at about 890-920 nm. a more resonable and expected course would leave you refueling at least once on a trip like that... For americans is a new york to jacksonville run but very very tight on fuel, or seattle to baranof island alaska before refueling for the next length to anchorage Alaska. with good fuel management and not fighting winds, you COULD pull a Seattle to Anchorage with just 1 fuel stop, but given weather, likely take 2 stops just for safety. the great loop is 6000 miles, about 5200 nm, so you'd be refueling a lot on that run. in comparison the nordic 54 will make 2600 nm at 8 knots Krogen 50 will do 4300 nm at 6 knots, or 1800nm at 5 knots. both of which COULD do LA to Hawaii with a good reserve. with onboard washer/dryer. Huge fridge and freezer space, with likely the ability to add more freezer space. This would be a great live aboard option, and medium range cruiser.

[@TsZen876]

Thoughts on the Jaktar J-30?

[@jeffpierce3436]

Now Jack, be honest. Would you rather cross oceans at 7 knots or watch paint dry? 🤷‍♂️😂 This cool mini yacht has some gittyup! I think I like it! This would be great over here on our fresh water oceans, especially here in Michigan. Great vid as always! 👍

[@Yachtbuyer]

I like the option to do both 😉 - J

[@africanpagan6338]

Question: some 50's have fold down sides, are there disadvantages having fold down sides?

[@Yachtbuyer]

Not really. They add a bit of weight and there is the possibility that the mechanism might go wrong but they're generally quite simple components - Jack

[@africanpagan6338]

@@Yachtbuyer Thankyou

[@pageant1fd]

Take your shoes off Jack yer bad ‘un when showing the interior. Thanks for sharing.

[@fincorrigan7139]

A cream egg? A CREAM EGG???? LMAO!!

[@kirkwilliams2127]

I think this brand is a Nordhaven killer:-)

[@Yachtbuyer]

😯

[@nnasab]

No one can maintain the engine and specially Generator. When it’s hard to access, they don’t get inspected or maintained. Even if you have auto oil change systems.

[@jz3689]

Exactly

[@vatch999]

How much is this boat?

[@Yachtbuyer]

£1.7 million

[@adrianwarzecha2923]

Bit overpriced. For 1.7m £ I would go for PARDO E60. which is also nice and quiet. Definitely better quality.

[@phedrob3735]

Great boat but not great access in the engine room

[@marspp]

Burn your hands on these fly bridge controls on a hot, sunny day 🧐 When you’re underway it’s better to pull the fender aboard then undo it from the rail. The vents forward make no sense: they could be piped to the sides and a proper sunbed area pit there. Fix these things and this boat is great.

[@petrichor649]

That engine room is too tight.

[@josephkordinak1591]

Its a very nice boat but but that engine compartment is stupid.

[@neilchapman4037]

Dave Cockwell? Don't you mean Davie Crockett?

[@user-vk5lu1rh5i]

800 MI RANGE 6 PEOPLE NO FOOD 🤔

[@jaquigreenlees]

lets see, touch screen, Hardy pays 20 billion pounds just because a touch screen installed. then, for every hour used Hardy pays 2 million pounds. just because there is a touch screen.