Oscars of the Boating Industry: These Are The Best Powerboats And The Best Sailing Yachts of 2023

European Yacht and Powerboat of the Year 2023 – A stage set for the “Oscars of the boating industry”.

The presentation of the awards “European Yacht of the Year” for sailing yachts and “Powerboat of the Year” for motor yachts is a major highlight every year at the boot Düsseldorf and an event that gets the hearts of many watersports fans pumping. This year’s winners were selected on 21 January 2023.

Awards Ceremony 2023

At the traditional FLAGSHIP NIGHT, the major industry get-together of Delius Klasing Verlag and 2023boot, the prestigious awards are presented in a festive act – after two years of virtual awards, finally on site again in Düsseldorf.

European Yacht of the Year: tests sailings of the nominated sailing yachts

For the 20th time, the jury members from the twelve sailing magazines from Norway (Seilmagasinet), Sweden (Båtägande), the United Kingdom (Yachting World), the Netherlands, (Zeilen), Switzerland (marina.ch), France (Voiles et Voiliers), Spain (Náutica y Yates), Denmark (Bådmagasinet), Austria (Yachtrevue), Italy (Vela e Motore), Finland (Vene) and Germany (YACHT) selected the best from the 2023 boatbuilding vintage from among 50 to 70 new or significantly reworked models.

The sea trials lasting several days and setting the competition apart from all others, first took the jury to La Rochelle in autumn
2022, before the second, even more extensive test off Port Ginesta, near Barcelona, followed shortly afterwards.

These are the best sailing boats of 2023:

• Winner Family Cruiser: Linjett 39
  Modern cruising yacht with excellent processing quality
• Winner Performance Cruiser: First 36
  Convincing with contemporary design and impressive performance potential
• Winner Luxury Cruiser: Oyster 495
  Superyacht in compact format with stylish flush deck and flat cabin superstructure
• Winner Multihulls: Nautitech 44 Open
  Excellent sailing characteristics paired with a lot of comfort and thoughtful details

• Special Mentioning Sustainability: Ecoracer 25
  Successful sport boat proves that a recycled yacht made of flax fiber does not preclude good performance.
  

  Special Mentioning Sustainability: @Ecoracer 25; Copyright © A.Lindlahr

European Powerboat of the Year: Winner voting with points system

Experts from the powerboat media outlets had a difficult job selecting 28 nominees across six categories from over 250 new boat models for the European Powerboat Award 2023. This year, organisers have introduced a separate category in response to an increasing number of catamarans and electric boats. Besides the usual quality features of a powerboat, such as workmanship and handling properties, the jury particularly focused on the candidates’ layouts, safety and value for money. Ultimately, the implementation of innovative ideas and concepts can also be a decisive factor.

These are the best powerboats of 2023

• Winner Sports boats up to 8 metres: Askeladden C 78 Cruiser / Parker 780 Escape
  The two identical boats offer the perfect combination of fun, cruising and family boat
• Winner Powerboats up to 10 metres: Jeanneau Cap Camarat 10.5 CC
  Plenty of space on and below deck, fast and easy to maneuver
• Winner Motorboats up to 14 metres: De Antonio D 36
  Triple butted hull, concealed outboarders
• Winner Motoryachts up to 20 metres: Prestige M 48
  Catamaran with the well-known advantages such as efficiency, spaciousness and seaworthiness
• Winner Displacement class: SLX 54
  Many innovations, a generous space concept and a design language previously unknown in steel boat building
• Winner Electric motorboats: Candela C 8
  Intelligent combination of hydrofoils with all-electric drives and sophisticated electronics.
  

  Winner Displacement class: @SLX 54 yacht

SEAMASTER-Award

This year, the SEAMASTER Award was once again presented. With this honour, the two partners pay tribute to a personality who has made a special contribution to watersports. It was last awarded in 2020, with the exceptional German sailor and Vendée Globe finalist Boris Herrmann named as the recipient.

In 2023, the award for outstanding and sustainable commitment goes to Ukrainian Opti coach Pavlo Dontsov for mentoring his young people in times of war. When Russia invaded Ukraine, Pavlo was in Valencia training a group of young Ukrainian Opti sailors. After he learned that war had broken out, he kept the group of children and young people together and set about caring for them simply as a matter of course – an act that reflected an international commitment to help. The jury saw this as “an example of cohesion in sport and a sign of hope in bleak times”.