Motor Boat Award Winners for 2021 unveiled

The awards are run by Motor Boat & Yachting magazine and recognize the best in production yacht models for sale with every single boat on the shortlist was tested and reviewed by the British-based publication.

Editor Hugo Andraeae and Deputy Editor Jack Haines handed out the Motor Boat Awards 2021 across the relevant categories.

With much competition amongst the many RIBs and sportsboats for sale, the Saxdor 200 Sport was highly commended with the judging panel saying: “This Innovative little craft is not just a breath of fresh air it is also enormous fun to drive, remarkably capable for something so small and fantastic value for money.”

The panel praised the winner, the Nimbus T8, for its “safe walkaround decks, solid build quality, versatile cockpit seating and useable overnight accommodation”, summing it up as “the consummate all-round day boat and weekender.”

The winning Grandezza 37 CA was lauded as “a sensible and well built and cleverly designed boat” that was rewarding to drive. The panel noted it stood out as it retained the core virtues associated with sports cruisers but offered a “best of both world’s main deck with an open cockpit and fully enclosed upper saloon”.

This was the category judges found hardest to agree on and it took three rounds of deliberation to agree on a winner.

That winner was the Azimut S6. It was praised for its “peerless design and detailing that looks sensational works well and exudes class” with the panel noting it was a boat that “makes you feel special every time you step onboard it”. Strong performance and impressive fuel economy were also recognized, as was the lavish Owner’s suite.

The Delphia Bluescape 1200 Fly was highly commended by judges for offering “masses of space, low running costs and astonishing value for money”.

However the winner was the Prestige 420 Fly, with it noted that not only did it improve on its predecessor, the 400 Fly it pushed it to the very top of its class. The judging panel summed the Prestige 420 Fly up as a “good looking, good value, well-proportioned family flybridge that ticks all the boxes.”

Highly commended was the Absolute 64 Navetta, which gained particular praise for its beach-club that can be transformed into an aft cabin. Judges noted it stood out amongst the range of flybridge yachts for sale as “one of the most stunning pieces of design we have seen all year”.

The winner was the Pearl 62. The panel noted that it accommodated four “stellar” guest cabins and a stunning interior. Its performance and sea keeping also were praised, but the judges felt the biggest achievement was “Pearl has managed to deliver all this whilst still undercutting its key competitors”.

The Spirit P70 was highly commended as a “stunning achievement from the Suffolk yard and a credit to the owner’s vision and the artisan’s who designed and built her”.

The winner was the Pershing 8X, with the judging panel feeling it was “considerably more spacious, comfortable and easier to drive than its predecessor”. Her top speed of just short of 50 knots was noted, with the judges concluding this proved “you really can have your cake and eat it.”

The evening saw two other awards handed out.

The award for Outstanding Customer Service was won by Approved Boats, who stood out “both for the number of nominations sent by their customers, but also the heartfelt comments they included”.

The Judges Special Award is given to a person, company or an institution that has made an exceptional contribution to the world of motor boats. This year the award went to Knut Heiberg-Andersen of Windy Boats, with the judges concluding that since joining the company in 1990 that “not only has he helped make Windy’s reputation as one of the world’s leading manufacturers of performance sports cruisers, but he also succeeded in the far more demanding task of maintaining that success for over 30 years”.

The awards will return in 2022 to celebrate the best boats in the industry.

If reading about these award winning yachts has roused your interest in buying a boat you can view all new and pre-owned yachts for sale.