Classic Boat Awards winners 2018

The winners of the Classic Boat Awards 2018 were revealed last night during a champagne reception and ceremony at The Royal Thames Yacht Club in London

The Classic Boat Awards is organised by Classic Boat’s parent company Chelsea Magazines, in association with the event’s title sponsor Classic Marine.

Guests included Royal Thames Vice Commodore George Ehlers and Gstaad Yacht Club Rear Commodore Manrico Iachia. Around 130 classic boat owners, designers, builders and other key individuals involved in the classic world travelled from Scotland, Ireland, Holland, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, the Caribbean and the USA to join the ceremony.

Now in its 11th year, The Classic Boat Awards is a widely respected celebration of all that the magazine stands for and, voted for by the readers themselves, is the truest reflection of the classic industry.

The Classic Boater of the Year 2018 was Max Campbell, a 21-year-old who restored a wooden boat on his own and then sailed it solo across the Atlantic. Max sent a video message from his yacht, anchored in Grenada, thanking Classic Boat’s readers for their votes.

The Gstaad Yacht Club Centenarian of the Year went to Folly, a Charles Nicholson design from 1909 that is sailed in authentic period fashion on the Mediterranean classic circuit. The boat is owned by naval architect Germán Frers.

There was a Lifetime Achievement Award made to multihull designer and builder James Wharram, who made the first transatlantic crossing by multihull in 1956 and has gone on to have an unparalleled career, his name synonymous worldwide with affordable multihull cruising under sail.

He told those assembled: “I am honoured to receive this award from a magazine I value and admire.”
Simon Temlett, Classic Boat’s publisher, said: “The Classic Boat Awards has grown over the past 11 years to become one of the key events for the classic world and a real celebration of the industry. This year’s event was as successful as ever and we are excited to see how the event can grow in future years.”

Classic Boat editor Rob Peake said: “The Classic Boat Awards celebrates oustanding craftsmanship and design, be that on a clinker rowing boat or a new J-Class yacht. Many thousands of votes are cast by classic boat enthusiasts around the world to decide the winners and this year we had a real mix of boats big and small, new and old. It’s clear that interest in this thriving scene is higher than ever.”

The evening’s headline sponsor was Classic Marine, the classic chandlery business owned by Suffolk Yacht Harbour. The marina, on the River Orwell in Suffolk, is known as being a classic boat hub, with a classic chandlery, classic boat yard, classic regatta as well as other related on-site services for classics new and old.

The evening was also supported by Simon Winter Marine, which offers a specialist classic boat insurance policy, and Astins Sailing Sculptures, which made the awards.

The Classic Boat Awards winners 2018:
Restoration of the Year (over 40ft)
Mah Jong, Sparkman & Stephens yawl built in 1957, restored by Gannon & Benjamin

Restoration of the Year (under 40ft)
Bessie, Sweden’s oldest fishing boat built in 1909, restored by Nyhamns Sag & Batbyggeri, Skane, Sweden

Traditional new build
Polly, gaff cutter built by David Moss Boatbuilders

Spirit of Tradition over 40ft
Svea, new J-Class designed originally in 1937 by Tore Holm, modern optimisation by Hoek Design, build by Bloemsma and Vitters

Spirit of Tradition under 40ft
Guapa, an Etchells (original design by Skip Etchells), redesigned and rebuilt by Alchemy Marine

Powered vessels, restorations
Gelyce, designed by Charles Nicholson, restored by Classic Restoration Services

Powered vessels, new build
Bristol 32 and 16, design Andrew Wolstenholme, built by Star Yachts

Classic Boater of the Year
Max Campbell

Classic Boat Lifetime Achievement Award
James Wharram

Gstaad Yacht Club/Classic Boat Centenarian of the Year
Folly, 1909 Charles Nicholson design

Story by Rob Peake