10 top tips to win at the 2025 Boat Builder Awards

The Boat Builder Awards 2025 will mark a major evolution for this prestigious event. Now in its 11th year and held in association with long-term partner Raymarine, the awards evening will take place on 19 November 2025 in a brand-new entertainment facility adjacent to Hall 8 at RAI Amsterdam, forming a key part of the expanded Metstrade experience.

This year’s awards will also feature a streamlined structure with expanded shortlists in each of the six key categories – including the coveted Lifetime Achievement Award. This change opens up more opportunities for recognition across businesses of all sizes in the global boatbuilding and superyacht sectors.

To help entrants craft compelling, successful submissions, we spoke with Kim Hollamby, who has served as the awards’ non-voting secretary since its launch. Drawing on a decade of experience, he shares these top 10 tips to maximise your chance of being shortlisted—or even winning:

Top 10 Tips to Win at the Boat Builder Awards

• 1. Entry is free – You can submit as many nominations as you like, provided each one is unique and category-appropriate.
• 2. Be clear and factual – Provide a concise, well-structured explanation of what you’re nominating and why it deserves to win.
• 3. Avoid marketing fluff – Focus on logic, facts, and evidence that the judges can evaluate—subjective or promotional language won’t help.
• 4. Use supporting materials – Videos, visuals, and documents are welcome and strengthen your case. Just be sure to upload them correctly.
• 5. Choose the right category – Don’t assume based on title—read the full definitions at ibinews.com.
• 6. Suppliers can enter too – Marine equipment businesses can nominate themselves jointly with a builder under the Collaborative Solution category.
• 7. Size doesn’t matter – Judges assess the quality of the nomination, not the scale of the company. Small players can and do win.
• 8. Note the age update – The Rising Star category now accepts nominees aged 40 or under, widening the field.
• 9. Submit early – Early entries are seen first and may get more attention from judges. Deadline is 27 September 2025.
• 10. Proof and revise – There’s no autosave, so prep your entry offline and double-check before submitting. Amendments are allowed until the deadline.

Entries are open now, and submissions will be accepted until 27 September 2025. While the awards spotlight innovation, excellence, and collaboration in boatbuilding, they also provide a valuable platform for global visibility—especially for those who make the shortlist.

Enter today at: www.ibinews.com/bba2025/enter-now

To explore the category definitions and terms, visit:

www.ibinews.com/bba2025/categories-2025

For further assistance or clarification, contact: boatbuilderawards@ibinews.com