Motor Boat Awards 2025: Winners revealed in Düsseldorf

Thursday, January 23rd, 2025

Leisure Marine

Motor Boat Awards 2025 winners.

The winners of the Motor Boat Awards 2025 have been announced at a reception at the Hyatt Regency in Düsseldorf. The event brought together professionals from the boating industry to recognise achievements in design, engineering and innovation.

Organised by Motor Boat & Yachting magazine, the awards acknowledge leading motor boats across a range of categories, focusing on excellence in manufacturing and customer service.

The ceremony was hosted by MBY editor Hugo Andreae, alongside boat tester Alex Smith. The event was supported by Sleipner, with additional sponsorship from Garmin and Lumishore.

Motor Boat Awards 2025: Winners and categories

This year’s awards included 11 categories, highlighting innovation and craftsmanship. The winners are:

Sportsboats up to 30ft:

Winner: Axopar 29 – A class leader. “Bigger, better, more capable and more versatile than its predecessor, it has once again become the benchmark for the class. Our winner is the Axopar 29,” said Andreae.
Highly commended: Windy SR28 – Recognised for its handling and build quality.

Adventure Boats:

Winner: Targa 41 – A robust vessel performing well in varied conditions. “[The Targa 41] is one of the most complete, capable and entertaining boats of the entire year; a boat that surprised and delighted us at pretty much every turn,” said Smith.
Highly commended: Saxdor 400 GTC – A versatile design balancing adventure and comfort.

Passagemakers:

Winner: Beneteau Swift Trawler 54 – Designed for extended cruising. “A boat that sums up what this category is all about, with a cruising range of over 500 miles at 10 knots and a wonderfully bright, spacious saloon,” said Andreae.
Highly commended: Nimbus 495 Fly – Noted for its performance and living space.

Sportscruisers up to 45ft:

Winner: Princess S72 – Offers speed and comfort. “So polished, so refined, so quick and yet so comfortable that it’s hard to know how they could have made it any better,” said Andreae.
Highly commended: Sunseeker Predator 55 – Combines style and onboard luxury.

Flybridges up to 60ft:

Winner: Absolute 52 Fly – Features a spacious interior and high-quality finish. “Thoughtfully designed, excellent cruising manners at sea and a sense of open space, natural light and unobstructed views that puts it right at the top of its class,” said Smith.
Highly commended: Galeon 560 Fly – A versatile yacht with a luxurious layout.

Flybridges over 60ft:

Winner: Pearl 82 – Stands out with its design and performance. “We simply couldn’t deny victory to a boat that offers so much space, style and luxury on such a cleverly packaged and well-priced platform,” said Andreae.
Highly commended: Azimut Fly 72 – Combines luxury with strong performance.

Custom Yachts:

Winner: Riva 82 Diva – A blend of elegance and advanced technology. “A stylistic tour de force, beautifully designed and beautifully built,” said Smith.
Highly commended: Otam 90 – Recognised for speed and bespoke craftsmanship.

Innovation Award:

Winner: Azimut Seadeck 6 – Focuses on sustainability with hybrid propulsion and eco-friendly materials. “[The Azimut] stood out for demonstrating that being sustainable doesn’t have to mean sacrificing on style, luxury, range or speed,” said Andreae.

Customer Service Award:

Winner: Ventura Yachts – Acknowledged for exceptional customer care. “The examples of service given [by Ventura customers] managed to secure the win for Ferretti Group’s long-serving and hugely popular dealer,” said Smith.

Judges’ Special Award:

Winner: Bill Dixon of Dixon Yacht Design – Honoured for his contributions to yacht design. “Given that two of the boats he worked on in tonight’s shortlist went on to win their respective categories, it makes perfect sense that this year’s judges’ special award goes to Bill Dixon of Dixon Yacht Design,” said Andreae.

“These awards are a testament to the incredible talent and dedication of the boat builders, designers, and innovators in our industry,” said Andreae.

The ceremony also included a tribute to Dottore Paolo Vitelli, founder of Azimut-Benetti Group, with a toast in his memory.