Nominees Announced for 2018 Boat of the Year

The editors at Cruising World and Sailing World have released the nominees for the 2018 Boat of the Year awards, the sailing industry’s premier program for recognizing the best new sailboat models in North America.

Nominated boats move on to the judging round, where they will be inspected and sailed by an independent panel of judges from each magazine, beginning at the U.S. Sailboat Show on October 5-9 in Annapolis, Md.

“No one else puts the fleet of new boats through their paces during dockside inspections and on-the-water testing,” said Herb McCormick, Cruising World executive editor and Boat of the Year director. “This year’s group of more than two-dozen nominees will face a rigorous examination from our independent panel of judges.”

Cruising World judges focus on production boats laid out and equipped for coastal and offshore sailing and voyaging, while Sailing World concentrates on boats designed and built with racing in mind.

“Our Boat of the Year testing is more than an annual awards program,” says Sailing World editor and Boat of the Year director Dave Reed, “It’s an opportunity for us to get into the latest designs and share the excitement and innovation with our audience.”

2018 Sailing World Boat of the Year Nominees:
Nautor’s ClubSwan 50
Elan GT5
J Boats J/121
Fulcrum Speedworks UFO Foiler
Stilletto Catamarans XC
HH Catamarans 55
HH Catamarans 66
RS Neo
RS Zest

2018 Cruising World Boat of the Year Nominees:
Malbec 18
Hallberg-Rassy 412
Elan GT5
Jeaneau SO 440
Gunfleet 43
Allures 45.9
Jeanneau 51
Dufour 520
Beneteau Oceanis 51.5
Southerly 540
Moody 54
Hanse 588
Discovery 58
Bavaria C57
Oyster 745
Corsair 760 Sport
Stiletto Xc
Maine Cat 38
Seawind 1260
FP Saona 47
Outremer 4X
HH 55
Bali 5.4
HH 66
Swan 54

The 2018 Boat of the Year winners will be announced in the January issue of Cruising World and the January/February issue of Sailing World, both available in late December.

Source: Bonnier Corp.