Submit entries for DAME Design Awards
Published on July 10th, 2024
The DAME Design Awards for leisure marine equipment is now open for nominations, with the 34th edition alongside METSTRADE 2024 held November 19-21 at the RAI Convention Centre in Amsterdam.
METSTRADE is the world’s largest trade exhibition for equipment, materials, and systems for the global leisure marine industry.
Across its 33 editions, the DAME has achieved unrivaled recognition in the global marine equipment sector for encouraging excellent end-to-end design practices that make boating more accessible, pleasurable, and sustainable for the industry’s customers.
Its roll call of winners and nominees include many products from small businesses to large companies that have influenced the development of the whole marine equipment sector.
Jury members assess the total design of each entry in all design aspects including aesthetics, functionality, efficiency, environment, and innovation. The awards highlight the efforts of manufacturers who bring completely new design concepts to market and equally recognizes incremental design improvement of equipment that have been in use for years or decades.
METSTRADE exhibitors are encouraged to submit entries online from now until the September 16 deadline. A month-long process of virtual and physical assessment will follow, led by a highly experienced Jury comprising leading boat, interior, and industrial designers, and user experts.
In a final two-day product inspection meeting at RAI Amsterdam, the Jury selects a nominated shortlist of entries, before identifying the best product in each category. An eventual DAME Design Awards overall winner is chosen from this best of the best list.
Details: damedesignawards.com
Each year, all DAME entrants pay a fee to submit their products which is donated directly to a charitable cause chosen by the METSTRADE Exhibition Committee from a list of applications. In 2024, the DAME Design Awards charity is SailWise, a Dutch organization providing active multi-day water sports activities for those with disabilities.
Each year, more than 1500 people aged between 10-90 participate at Robinson Crusoe Island, its watersports center in the Loosdrechtse Plassen, located to the south of Amsterdam, and on its specially adapted two-masted clipper. The charity has much specialist equipment to accommodate a wide range of disabilities including wheelchair users.
The 2024 DAME Design Awards proceeds will be applied directly to provision of a completely new, low maintenance and long-term sustainable jetty and terrace on the wheelchair-accessible Robinson Crusoe Island, in time for the April-November 2025 season.
This upgrade is essential to retain safe and easy accessibility for people in wheelchairs and those with a visual impairment. DAME entrants will therefore be directly contributing to a valuable, long-term facility that will serve many European people with disabilities in years to come.
The DAME (Design Awards at METSTRADE) was launched in 1991 to promote design across all disciplines and recognize the best-designed products at the METSTRADE show. Participation is open to manufacturers and authorized suppliers who are registered as exhibitors or co-exhibitors at the METSTRADE Show.
The DAME Categories were completely revised in 2023, to bring them in line with latest industry trends. The category headings are followed by a brief explanation illustrating where a boat user or marine industry professional might encounter the products being entered:
• Personal Equipment
If I was going on a charter, had a boat share arrangement, went boating with a friend or have my own boat, what would my personal kit be?
• Comfort & Entertainment Afloat
If I don’t want to go boating in a bare hull, what kinds of equipment am I likely to need to ensure the comfort and enjoyment of all afloat?
• Navigation & Communication
If I was on the helm of a boat or bridge of a superyacht, what electronics and other equipment would I use to control and safely navigate it?
• Electronic & Electrical systems
If I need electrical power anywhere in the boat or to make networkable devices speak to each other, what systems and equipment would I use?
• Propulsion & Dynamics
If I want to move, steer, stabilize and trim the boat, what machinery and systems will I use?
• Deck Equipment
If I am sailing, mooring, anchoring and using the outdoor spaces on my boat, what hardware and equipment will I use?
• Security & Safety Aboard
What is the equipment aboard that serves specifically to keep my boat secure, safe and capable of dealing with emergencies afloat?
• Shoreside Equipment & Materials
What are all the items of off-vessel equipment, hardware, materials and software that help to construct and then support my boat from cradle to grave?
The Jury will additionally name a product from among the field of DAME nominations as an Environmental Design Award winner if it finds an exemplar product that is well designed and has clear and obvious merit.