Key award schemes provide catch-up on new boat models

European Powerboat of the Year, European Yacht of the Year, Motor Boat of the Year, and Best of Boats winners announced

The European Powerboat of the Year, European Yacht of the Year, Motor Boat of the Year Best of Boats awards are four leading award programmes that collectively reflect the diversity, performance and the design and build quality, of the international boating market.

This year’s winners are as follows:

European Powerboat of the Year 2022

In normal circumstances the European Powerboat of the Year awards would be announced during the holding of Boot Dusseldorf. The awards are decided by test riders and editors-in-chief at leading European motorboat magazines in Norway, Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

These publications circulate to over one million readers in Europe, making the awards among the most important in the world. These are the motoryacht ‘Oscars’ of the global powerboat industry and the administration of these is managed by the editorial team of Boote magazine which is published by Delius Klasing in Hamburg.

The European Powerboat of the Year 2022 award winners and nominees are as follows:

Powerboats up to 8m: Axopar 22 T-Top (Nordkapp RS 800C, Quicksilver 475 aXess, Sea Ray SPX 230 OB, and X-Shore Eelex 8000 were nominated)
Powerboats up to 10m: Galeon 325 GTO (Delta 26 Open, Parker 800 Cruiser, Ryck 280 and Van Dutch 32 nominated)
Powerboats up to 14m: Marex 330 Scandinavia (Saxdor 320 GTC, Sessa Key Largo 40, Solaris Power 44 Open and Swan Shadow nominated)
Powerboat to 20m: Absolute 48 Coupe (Azimut 53 Fly, Invictus TT 460, Leopard 53 PC, and the Pardo Endurance 60 nominated)
Displacement boats: Beneteau Grand Trawler 62 (Boarncruiser 37 Lounge and Linssen GS 500 Sedan nominated)

European Yacht of the Year 2022

Usually announced at boot Düsseldorf but not possible this year due to the show’s cancellation, 2022 marks the 19th annual edition year of the European Yacht of the Year awards, known as the ‘Oscars’ of the boating industry. The judging panel comprises 12 boating journalists from across Europe and including Germany, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Switzerland, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, the UK and Sweden.

The judging process involves an initial shortlisting of the best annual models, usually into five designated categories, after which all 12 jury members trial each yacht. For the 2022 awards the trials were held at La Rochelle and Port Ginesta, Barcelona during the autumn.

The winners and nominees of the European Yacht of the Year Awards 2022 are:

Best Performance Cruiser: JPK 39FC (other boats nominated were the IC 36 Independence, the J/45, Pogo 44 and Solaris 40)
Best Luxury Cruiser: Hallberg-Rassy 50 (other yachts nominated were the Jeanneau Yachts 60; Lagoon 55, Swan 58 and X5.6)
Best Family Cruiser: Hanse 460 (other yachts nominated were the Beneteau Oceanis 34.1; Dufour 470, Jeanneau SO 380 and Neel 43)
Best Bluewater Cruiser: Outremer 55 (other yachts nominated were the Allures 51.9; Ovni 370 and Windelo 50)
Best Special Yacht: Saffier SE33 Life (other yachts nominated were the De number of Cesari 33; Revolution 24, Sunbeam 32.1 and Tricat 6.90)

Motor Boat of the Year 2022

The Motor Boat of the Year awards, run by the UK-based Motor Boat & Yachting (MBY) magazine, are a regular feature of the marine leisure market and it is suggested that the competition for this edition was tougher than ever.

Due to the relaxation of travel restrictions through the summer of 2021, the MBY team were able to try out a much wider selection of craft than the previous year and as a result the number and scope of categories were increased to cope with the rise in new models. This led to the Sportsboat category being divided into craft up to 30ft and craft over 30ft to reflect the growth of this expanding market segment.

A new SUV (Sports Utility Vessels) category was also introduced to address the growing number of boats being built into this new section of the boating market.

The results were announced during a virtual streamlined event sponsored by Sleipner. The winners are as follows:

Sportsboats up to 30ft: Axopar 22 Spyder (Highly Commended: Candela 7)
Sportsboats over 30ft: Saxdor 320 GTO (Highly Commended:Supermarine Spearfish 32)
Sports Utility Vessels (SUVs): Brabus Shadow 900 XC
Sportscruisers up to 45ft: Bavaria SR41 (Highly Commended: Fairline Targa 45 GT)
Sportscruisers over 45ft: Sunseeker 65 Sport Yacht
Flybridges up to 60ft: Princess F45 (Highly Commended: Grand Banks GB54)
Flybridges over 60ft: Princess Y72
Custom yachts: Bluegame BG72 (Highly Commended: Princess X95)
Judges’ Special Award: Candela

Best of Boats (BOB) 2021

The BOB (Best of Boats) Awards are traditionally announced in the last quarter of the year. The BOB awards represent one of Europe’s leading marine leisure award schemes and it dates from 2014. It was founded by boating journalists from across Europe who make up the judging panel.

The judging jury includes marine boat journalists from Poland, the Netherlands, the US, Russia, Germany, the UK, Finland, Spain, Italy, Austria, Denmark, Croatia, Ukraine, Greece and Slovenia.

The Best Of Boats award 2021 winners are: