Cruising World Boat of the Year 2022

Newport, RI (December 6, 2021) – Cruising World magazine today revealed the winners of its 2022 Boat of the Year competition. The top prize was awarded to the Hylas H57 (above), an uncompromising blue-water cruising boat designed by prolific British naval architect Bill Dixon, which was named the Overall Boat of the Year for 2022.

“The Dixon-designed Hylas H57 is somewhat of a departure for the Hylas team,” said Herb McCormick, Cruising World Boat of the Year director, who noted that the judges were thoroughly impressed by its handling, with twin rudders, and the innovative cockpit layout.

“Everyone felt it not only lived up to its design brief as a go-anywhere world cruiser, but it is also an aspirational boat, something our readers could imagine delivering them to the far horizons of their sailing dreams.”

“The H57 has a hard dodger built in, a very successful one, which I think is quite useful when you’re in the cockpit,” added longtime BOTY judge Tim Murphy. “By and large, this is just a very nice, functional cruising boat. The berths are big and luxurious, but they’re also set up for lee cloths. This is a boat meant to go places. And it’s lovely to be aboard. It’s just a very, very strong boat in many ways.”

In addition, Cruising World presented awards to winning boats in eight categories. The competition drew 27 nominees – 16 monohulls, and 11 catamarans – from France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Slovenia, South Africa, Sweden, Taiwan, and USA.

The other winners were the Beneteau First 27 (Best Pocket Cruiser/Daysailer); the Hallberg-Rassy 340 (Best Midsize Cruiser Under 40’); the Grand Soleil 44 (Best Performance Cruiser); the Hylas H57 (Best Full-Size Cruiser); the CNB 66 (Best Luxury Cruiser); the Leopard 42 (Best Cruising Catamaran Under 50’); the Balance 482 (Best Performance Catamaran); and the Xquisite X5 Plus (Best Cruising Catamaran Over 50’).

In addition, the judging panel gave Special Awards to the Kinetic KC54 performance catamaran (Judges’ Special Recognition) and the Voyage 590 catamaran (Best Charter Boat).

This year’s judging panel was comprised of systems expert Ed Sherman of the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC); Tim Murphy, longtime sailing writer and ABYC scribe; and naval architect and boat designer Gerard Douglas.

The 2022 Boat of the Year contest will be featured in full in a 24-page special report in the January 2022 issue of Cruising World.

2022 Cruising World Boat of the Year Nominees:
Balance 482
Bali Catspace
Bali 4.6
Bavaria C38
Beneteau First 27
Cigale 16
CNB 66
Contest 67
Seawind 1600
Dufour 470
Dufour 61
Elan GT6
Fountaine Pajot Isla40
Fountaine Pajot Samana59
Grand Soleil 44
Hallberg-Rassy 340
Hylas 57
J/Boats J9
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 380
Jeanneau Yachts 60
Kinetic Catamarans KC54
Lagoon Sixty5
Leopard 42
Royal Cape Majestic 530
Salona 46
Tartan 245
Xquisite X5 Plus