Cruising World Boat of the Year 2023

The winners of the 2023 Cruising World magazine Boat of the Year competition are the Lyman-Morse LM46 (Domestic Boat of the Year), a performance cruiser from New Zealand naval architect Kevin Dibley, and the Hallberg-Rassy 400 (Import Boat of the Year), a cruiser with versatility penned by naval architect German Frers. 

“The Lyman-Morse LM 46 is a heck of a boat,” said judge Mark Pillsbury. “Cold-molded construction, top-notch systems, a powerful sail plan, and an interior that is both practical and lovely at the same time. Purpose-built for an experienced owner, for sure, but in terms of a pure sailing machine, the 46 was the standout boat in this year’s lineup of new models.”

The judging panel was “thunderstruck” by both the formidable sailing prowess and the exacting level of execution of the LM46, which received their unanimous nod for Domestic Boat of the Year.

Of the Hallberg-Rassy 400, contest director Herb McCormick stated: “As cruising sailors, we’ve long been enamored with Swedish builder Hallberg-Rassy, and that respect has been reflected in past editions of our Boat of the Year contest, where the company has enjoyed numerous successes.

It’s oftentimes not easy for a company with proven results to change what’s already a successful formula, but this latest 40-footer is a yacht that has certainly evolved, and in doing so, it’s the 2023 Import Boat of the Year. Its versatile layout, with a variety of options, is unusual in a 40-footer, and it sealed the deal. This ain’t your old man’s Hallberg-Rassy.”

The 2023 award nominees were reviewed on Chesapeake Bay following the U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis, MD. This year’s entries arrived from nine different nations: Denmark, France, Germany, Poland, South Africa, Slovenia, Sweden, the United States, and Ukraine.

In addition, Cruising World presented awards to winning boats in four categories.

This year’s category winners were the Tartan 365 (Best Midsize Cruiser); the Moody DS41 (Best Full-size Cruiser); the J/Boats J/45 (Best Performance Cruiser); and the Fountaine Pajot Tanna 47 (Best Cruising Multihull).

The judging panel also gave Special Recognition Awards to the Beneteau First 36 (Best Sportboat) and to French boatbuilders Groupe Beneteau and Fountaine Pajot for Clean and Innovative Building Practices.