Cruising World 2018 Boat of the Year Awards

Newport, RI (December 12, 2017) – Cruising World magazine announced the winners for its 2018 Boat of the Year awards, an annual selection that recognizes the best of the year’s new sailboat models introduced in North America. The Boreal 47, which topped the Best Midsize Cruiser 44 to 47 Feet category, prevailed as 2018 Boat of the Year.

2018 Boat of the Year: Boreal 47

The 2018 Boat of the Year nominees represented the most eclectic fleet in the awards’ 23 years: a group of 22 boats between 18 and 74 feet long and hailing from builders all over the world — China, France, Germany and Slovenia, among others — that defied easy characterizations and produced a diverse collection of worthy winners.

The full list of winners is as follows:
• Best Pocket Cruiser: Bavaria Cruiser 34
• Best Cruising Catamaran: HH 55
• Best Midsize Cruiser 40 to 44 Feet: Elan GT5
• Best Midsize Cruiser 44 to 47 Feet: Boreal 47
• Best Full-Size Cruiser 50 to 54 Feet: Dufour 520
• Best Full-Size Cruiser 54 to 58 Feet: Southerly 540
• Best Luxury Cruiser: Oyster 745
• Most Innovative: Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 440
• 2018 Boat of the Year: Boreal 47

“The 22 boats competing for the 2018 Boat of the Year prize comprised one of the most eclectic fleets in the history of the competition, and produced eight winners in specific size- and purpose-related categories,” said Boat of the Year coordinator Herb McCormick. “Topping the list was the surprising, rangy, all-oceans aluminum yacht from France, the Boreal 47, Cruising World’s 2018 Overall Boat of the Year.”

Judging took place during and immediately following the 2017 U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis, MD in October. A team of three independent industry experts, whose impartial task was to reward excellence without regard to the bottom line, conducted both dockside inspections and sea trials aboard each boat to determine how well they met their stated design purposes.

Additional details: https://www.cruisingworld.com/boat-of-the-year-2018

Complete list of 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

Source: Bonnier Corp.

Editor’s note: We recognize there were 25 nominees yet this announcement states there were only 22 under consideration. We’ve asked why the difference, and the response was that three nominees were not at the show as expected, but they did not say which three. We suspect it was three of the nominees that didn’t win. 😉