Insuring Duffy: cover and premium
motorboats and sports boats · several countries
Duffy: californian builder of electric boats. NAMMERT insures a Duffy regardless of year built or where you bought it, liability, hull, legal expenses and personal accident cover from one house, taken out online in five minutes.
At a glance
Origin
several countries
Class
motorboats and sports boats
Typical sizes
4,3 to 6,7 m
Premium from
from €49 a year for liability
Worth knowing
Duffy; cover, cost and conditions
Duffy is a Californian name in electric boating. The story starts in 1968, when a young Marshall Duffield, known as Duffy, fitted the motor from a second-hand golf cart into a motorboat hull. He built the prototype with his friend Jack Heiser outside a Quonset hut in Costa Mesa. In 1970 he launched the Duffy Electric Boat Company, based in Newport Beach and building boats from 14 to 22 feet. In the early nineties Duffield was granted several US patents, among them one for the Power Rudder, which combines drive and steering: a gear inside the rudder turns a propeller shaft that leaves through the back of the blade, and the boat can turn within its own length. Duffys are quiet, unhurried boats that top out at about five miles per hour.
Our model records list 15 designs, all entered as motorboats. The number in each name follows the length in feet: one 14, four 16s, five 18s, two 21s and three 22s. The oldest entries, the 18 Snug Harbour and the 21 Old Bay, start in 2005. The Lake series, made up of the 14 Lake, 16 Lake, 16 Sport Cat Lake, 16 Tri Cat Lake and 18 Lake Series, is listed for 2013 to 2017. Six designs run into the most recent build years: the 16 Back Bay, 18 Bayshore, 18 Snug Harbour, 22 Bay Island Harbor, 22 Cuddy Cabin and 22 Sun Cruiser. Lengths range from 4.27 metres for the 14 Lake to 6.71 metres for the 22s, so no Duffy reaches seven metres.
An electric boat asks for different checks from a petrol runabout. On a used Duffy the battery bank comes first: its age, how it has been charged and whether it still holds its capacity over a full afternoon on the water. Cables, terminals and the charger deserve a close look for corrosion, especially on boats kept in salt water. The Power Rudder combines drive and steering in one unit, so play in the rudder bearing or noise from the gear is worth noting on a test run. Hulls and upholstery spend a lot of time in the sun, and a fitted tarpaulin helps. Most Duffys are used for slow cruising on harbours and lakes, often with family and friends aboard.
Questions and answers
Frequent questions
What do the numbers in Duffy model names mean?
For Duffy: They follow the length in feet.
The 14 Lake measures 4.27 metres,
while the 22s such as the Cuddy Cabin and Sun Cruiser come to about 6.7 metres.
Our model records include sizes 14, 16, 18, 21 and 22.
Which Duffy designs run into the most recent build years?
For Duffy: Six of the 15: the 16 Back Bay, 18 Bayshore, 18 Snug Harbour, 22 Bay Island Harbor,
22 Cuddy Cabin and 22 Sun Cruiser.
The 18 Snug Harbour has the longest run, with build years from 2005.
The cover that fits
motorboat insurance
Tariffs, cover and FAQ for motorboat insurance in detail.
Third-party liability
The foundation for a boat from Duffy: damage to third parties, worldwide,
from €49 a year for liability.
Hull cover
Partial or full hull cover for a Duffy, at replacement value with an agreed fixed value.
For the whole class of boat
For Duffy: What matters for motorboats and sports boats is the same across every brand;
engine output, how a claim is settled, cruising range and theft protection.
The class page lists every point and every brand in this class, Duffy included.
Insuring motorboats and sports boats, every brand and every condition
Other builders in this class
Nautical information What counts before you cast off, papers, equipment, waters
Licence
A powerboat licence (inland or coastal) is required from 15 hp (11.03 kW).
Registration
Registration from 3 hp; for trips abroad carry the boat certificate or flag document.
Waters
Inland, coastal and abroad; plan fairways, bridge clearances, draught and tides.
Equipment
Lifesaving gear, fire extinguisher, anchor, signalling equipment and correct navigation lights.
Cruising range
The agreed cruising range is stated in the policy and can be extended at any time.
Weather
Check wind force in Beaufort and wind direction before casting off, and allow for gusts.
General guidance, not a complete account;
what governs are the rules of the waters you are on and the manual of your Duffy.
Current wind force and direction for your waters are shown on the Home.
Series by Duffy, build years and cover
Duffy 16 Back Bay is a motorboat from Duffy, built since 2017.
Duffy 18 Bayshore is a motorboat from Duffy, built since 2018.
Duffy 18 Snug Harbour is a motorboat from Duffy, built since 2005.
Duffy 22 Bay Island Harbor is a motorboat from Duffy, built since 2013.
Duffy 22 Cuddy Cabin is a motorboat from Duffy, built since 2011.
Duffy 22 Sun Cruiser is a motorboat from Duffy, built since 2012.
Duffy 18 Packet II is a motorboat from Duffy, built from 2009 to 2018.
Duffy 18 South Coast is a motorboat from Duffy, built from 2006 to 2018.
Duffy 21 Old Bay is a motorboat from Duffy, built from 2005 to 2018.
Duffy 21 Sun Cruiser is a motorboat from Duffy, built from 2009 to 2018.
Duffy 14 Lake is a motorboat from Duffy, built from 2013 to 2017.
Also a motorboat, built from 2013 to 2017.
Duffy 16 Sport Cat Lake is a motorboat from Duffy, built from 2013 to 2017.
Duffy 16 Tri Cat Lake is a motorboat from Duffy, built from 2013 to 2017.
Duffy 18 Lake Series is a motorboat from Duffy, built from 2013 to 2017.
As the Duffy 16 Back Bay, Duffy 18 Bayshore,
Duffy 18 Snug Harbour by Duffy and 3 more series are still in production,
parts are available and repair costs are predictable.
Even so, value it at replacement cost including retrofitted electronics, not at list price.
For the Duffy 18 Packet II, Duffy 18 South Coast,
Duffy 21 Old Bay by Duffy and 6 more series the market value and the replacement cost often differ
widely.
An agreed value removes the age-based scale, and the figure in the policy stands.
For the Duffy 16 Back Bay, Duffy 18 Bayshore, Duffy 18 Snug Harbour by Duffy and further series:
On a motorboat the drive is the single most valuable part.
Damage after grounding is covered, an engine failure from wear is not.
The Duffy range in figures
These figures come from the model records we keep for Duffy: boat type, build years and length,
nothing estimated.
- motorboat
- 15 models, since 2005, mostly 4.7 to 6.7 m
Which model was built when?
What does a used Duffy cost?
We hold today’s price ranges by year for 2 models by Duffy.
The table shows what boats in average condition are worth,
from the oldest to the youngest year on record.
Choose your exact model, year and condition in the calculator.
| Model | Years built | Range today |
|---|---|---|
| Duffy 18 South Coast | 2009 to 2014 | €24,100 to €35,300 |
| Duffy 22 Cuddy Cabin | 2014 to 2024 | €36,300 to €74,000 |
Estimate from our boat records, October 2026.
Not a survey.
Duffy insured in five minutes.
Boat type, year built, length and value of your Duffy are all we need.
Work out the premium online or call us: +49 3375 29 12 77.
