An international jury has announced the 23 finalists of the Best of Boats Awards 2023 in six categories – the presentation will take place on 30 November 2023 in Berlin.
“And the Winner is …“ On the evening of 30 November 2023 the Best of Boats (BOB) Award winners will be announced seven times at BOAT & FUN BERLIN 2023. It marks the tenth occasion that Europe’s best motorboats will receive the award.
Honours will go to the most impressive new boats for 2023 which have come out on top after extensive tests over the past 12 months. The 14-member jury comprising chief editors and head motorboat testers from all over Europe and the US took a close look at the most fascinating new motorboats and tested them in numerous water sports regions.
What sets the Best of Boats Award apart is that the jury considers future boat owners’ needs rather than the size of boat. Only boats tested by several jury members were examined for possible selection. New models still under development do not participate in the BOB Award. The extensive and intense nature of the tests is what characterises this competition and makes the Best of Boats Award a seal of approval for the relevant boats. The award is one of the most coveted honours in the boat industry both in Germany and around the world.
After a busy season in which hundreds of boats were tested the 23 finalists of the Best of Boats Award 2023 have been announced in the categories Best for Beginners, Best for Family, Best for Fun and Best for Travel. The new Best for Performance category honours especially luxurious pleasure craft. This is the first time that Best for Electric for pure electric and hybrid boats is listed as an independent category. With its award in the Best for Future category the jury honours a groundbreaking concept in the boat industry.
The finalists of the Best of Boats Award 2023 are:
BEST FOR BEGINNERS
Bayliner M19 (USA/Portugal)
Beneteau Flyer 8 (France)
O’boats 550 (Poland)
Quicksilver 805 Open (USA/Portugal)
BEST FOR FAMILY
Bavaria SR 33 (Germany)
De Antonio D50 Coupé (Spain)
Parker 100 Sorrento / Askeladden C97 (Poland)
Targa 32 (Finland)
BEST FOR FUN
AMT 240 DC (Finland)
Navan C30 (USA/Poland)
Quarken 27 (Finland)
Saxdor 270 (Finland)
Sea Ray SLX 260 (USA)
BEST FOR PERFORMANCE
Jeanneau Cap Camarat 10.5 CC (France)
Frauscher 1212 Ghost Air (Austria)
Sterk 31 RC (Germany)
XO DFNDR 8 (Finland)
BEST FOR TRAVEL
Northman 1050 Trawler (Poland)
Prestige M 48 (France)
Sargo 45 Explorer (Finland)
BEST FOR ELECTRIC
Axopar 25 Electric (Finland)
Sialia 57 (Poland)
X-Shore 1 (Sweden)
BOB 2023: A wide-ranging spectrum of boats
The choice of finalists for the Best of Boats Award 2023 mirrors the entire spectrum of this year’s models. It includes recently established makes such as Sterk, Sialia with its 17-metre boat featuring an electric drive, as well as Navan, a marque newly introduced by the industry giant Brunswick in September 2023.
Traditional boatbuilding nations such as France, Finland and Poland are represented in much larger numbers than last year. From pleasure craft for beginners, family cruisers and passenger boats to high-performance boats – the Best of Boats Award 2023 features every kind of boat currently on the market.
BOAT & FUN: Premium partner and host of the BOB Award
The Best of Boats Award will be presented at BOAT & FUN BERLIN which takes place from 30 November to 3 December on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds. The awards ceremony together with the jury members, representatives of international shipyards, their CEOs and international members of the boat industry will be held in exclusive surroundings at 6.30 p.m. on Thursday, 30 November 2023.
This year BOAT & FUN BERLIN, a premium partner of the Best of Boats Award since 2014, is also the host and presenter of the party for the winners of this year’s best motorboats.
