“And the winner is…“. On 29 November at BOAT & FUN BERLIN 2018 the winners of the Best of Boats Awards will be announced.
That is when, in the presence of representatives of international boatbuilders, one of the biggest and best-known prize-giving events for motorboats in Europe will take place. The red carpet will be rolled out for 21 finalists who came out ahead of their competitors and were nominated in five categories for the finals. The announcement of the finalists took place yesterday during the Cannes Yachting Festival.
Over the course of this year’s boating season the judges of the Best of Boats Awards tried out well over 500 new boats from 20 countries and put as many new and interesting 2018 models as possible to the test. The final selection at the Best of Boats Awards is regarded as a seal of approval for the relevant boats. The following were chosen for the finals of the Best of Boats Awards 2018:
Best for Beginners
AMT 190 R (FIN)
Falcon BR 7 (FIN)
Silver Fox Avant / BR (FIN)
Zodiac Open 5.5 (FRA)
Best for Fishing
Beneteau Barracuda 6 (FRA)
Boston Whaler 170 Montauk (USA)
Invictus 200 HX (ITA)
Wellcraft 202 Fisherman (USA)
Best for Travel
Beneteau Swift Trawler 35 (FRA)
Grand Banks Eastbay 44 (MYS)
Greenline 39 (SLO)
Linssen Grand Sturdy 45.0 Sedan (NED)
Prestige 520 (FRA)
Seafaring 44 Flybridge (SLO)
Best for Fun
Buster Magnum (FIN)
Glastron GTD 220 (USA)
Grandezza 25 S (FIN)
Jeanneau Cap Camarat 9.0 (FRA)
Frauscher 858 Fantom Air (AUT)
Best for Family
Jeanneau NC 33 (FRA)
Parker Monaco 110 (POL)
Targa 27.2 (FIN)
The Best of Boats Awards highlight all aspects of motorboat use and take owners’ needs into account. This is reflected in the practical aspects of the relevant categories: boats for sports and amateur fishermen, cabin cruisers, boats for fun and active water sports and boats suited to families.
The jury, made up of 18 experienced boat magazine journalists, represents 16 nations as well as all of Europe’s main markets and sailing regions. In 2018, Dominique Salandre (formerly France) is representing the USA, which is the world’s largest market for leisure boats and on the jury for the first time. Vincent Borel, editor of the French boating magazine ‘Hors Bord’, is now the jury member for France at the Best of Boats Awards. Total Vene, a magazine from Finland, is taking part for the first time.
Jury of the Best of Boats Awards 2018:
Alfred J. Boer (Varen und Yacht-View, Belgium/Netherlands)
Vincent Borel (Hors Bord, France)
Neale Byart (Motorboat Owner, UK)
Anton Cherkasov (Motorboat & Yachting Russia, Russia)
Gerasimos Gerolimatos (Skipper ONDECK, Greece)
Enrique Curt Iborra (Mares, Spain)
Stanislaw Iwinski (Żagle, Poland)
Uwe G. Meiling (float, Germany)
Krunoslav Mihic (Burza Nautike, Croatia)
Bernd Hofstätter (Ocean7, Austria)
Bogdan Parfeniuk (Farvater, Ukraine)
Arek Rejs (Wiatr, Poland)
Dominique Salandre (Yacht & Sea, USA)
Anna Sandgren (Båtnytt, Sweden)
Jan Sjölund (Venemestari und Total Vene, Finland)
Julijan Višnjevec (Val Navtika, Slovenia)
Maurizio Zacchetti (Vela e Motore, Italy)
Kerstin Zillmer (float, Germany)
The Best of Boats Awards will be presented at BOAT & FUN BERLIN, which takes place from 29 November to 2 December 2018. As one of Europe’s leading boating exhibitions for motorboats BOAT & FUN BERLIN is the premium partner of the Best of Boats Awards, a status it has held since 2014.
