The Boats of the Show for the 2020 Helsinki International Boat Show have been chosen for the 22nd time from the new boats on display.
This year the Outboard Motorboat of the Show is the AMT 165 BR, the Day Cruiser of the Show is the Sting TG 7.9 KingCruiser, and the Cabin Cruiser of the Show is the Beneteau Swift Trawler 30. The winners were chosen from the three finalists of each category.
The jury, with Skipper On Deck being among the official members representing Greece, has paid special attention to the novelty value of the shortlisted boats. In addition, design, build, and space utilization ideas, functionality of the rooms and ergonomics, price-quality and suitability for the intended use. The accolades of the Best Boat of the Show seek to advance the boating industry's development and give credit to companies for successful product development.
The jury selecting the Boats of the Show described the winning boats as follows:
The AMT 165 BR, selected as the outboard motorboat of the show, is a well-designed and expertly manufactured boat with efficient use of the space. Despite being shorter than 5 metres, the boat has capacity for six people and features solutions often seen in larger boats, such as single-level swim platforms and a one-piece door in the middle of the centre panel. Thanks to its moderate fuel consumption and weight, the AMT 165 BR is easy to handle and transport, and it also benefits from reasonable price tag and running costs.
The Day Cruiser of the Show, the TG 7.9 KingCruiser boasts the most spacious cabin in its size class with generous seating capacity and storage space. Dividing the bow into a walkway and a mini cabin is a new and bold solution that seems to work. The customisation options of the mini cabin and the details of the lounge area on the back make the boat an ideal day cruiser. The jury lauds the reasonable recommended engine performance of the TG, which contributes to the extremely competitive price options, making the TG 7.9 KingCruiser a very attractive option.
The Cabin Cruiser of the Show is the Beneteau Swift Trawler 30, the perfect choice for comfortable and relaxing long-distance cruising. This boat benefits from excellent habitability, and the jury is especially pleased with its pantry. Moving around on board is easy thanks to the sliding side door to the indoor cockpit and the lowering transom and opening side gate. Beneteau’s single diesel engine and shaft drive form a simple and reliable propulsion system which requires very little service and maintenance. Considering the boat’s size class, its also benefits from a reasonable purchase price.
Over 500 new boats were on display at the 2020 International Helsinki Boat Show. From these, the preliminary jury consisting of editors of boating magazines chose the finalists for the Boats of the Show. The winners were chosen by jury members Sampsa Kärnä from Eurofins Expert Service,editor of the Kippari magazine Karel Kakko, Juhani Pappila from the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, editor of the Vene magazine Tomi Peurakoski and the editor-in-chief of the Venemestari magazine and Totalvene.fi portal Jan Sjölund.
The finalists of the different categories of the Boat of the Show were the following:
Outboard Motorboat of the Show: AMT 165 BR, Buster XL, Candela Seven
Day Cruiser of the Show: Nimbus T8, Nordkapp Gran Coupe 905, TG 7.9 KingCruiser
Cabin Cruiser of the Show: Axopar 37 XC, Beneteau Swift Trawler 30, Fairline F//Line 33
