Motor Boat Awards 2026 winners announced in Düsseldorf
The winners of the Motor Boat Awards 2026 were announced at the Hyatt Regency in Düsseldorf
The winners of the Motor Boat Awards 2026 were announced last night (20 January 2026) at a ceremony held at the Hyatt Regency in Düsseldorf.
The annual awards are organised by Motor Boat & Yachting magazine. The ceremony is designed to coincide with boot Düsseldorf, which runs until 25 January 2026.
Motor Boat & Yachting editor Hugo Andreae hosted the event alongside MBY deputy editor Alex Smith. During the presentation, Andreae outlined the principles that underpin the judging process.
“When we first set up these awards back in 2007, I insisted on three things,” Andreae says. “First, we would only ever give awards to boats that we had physically sea trialled, so we know that it performs on the water as well as in the showroom.
“Second, every boat we test must automatically qualify for the awards free of charge – we’re here to judge the best boats of the year, not just those that someone has bothered to enter.
“And third, we should be scrupulously fair and thorough in our judging process.
“Inevitably, that causes upset on occasions because everyone rightly expects their own boats to win and inevitably that’s not possible, but it does mean that when you do win, it’s that much more special.“
Motor Boat Awards 2026: Full list of winners and finalists
Customer Service Award
Winner: Wessex Marine.
The Customer Service Award is determined through public nominations. Andreae says: “As always I personally read every single email nomination that comes in [for this publicly nominated award], some of which extended to many hundreds of words explaining and extolling what you did for them but one company stood out for the extraordinary lengths it goes to look after its customers through thick and thin. The award [for 2026] goes to Wessex Marine.”
Finalists: Approved Boats, Boats.co.uk, Mallorca Marine Group, TingdeneMarinas & Boat Sales and Ventura Yachts.
Sportsboats up to 30ft
Winner: Nordkapp Enduro 830.
Alex Smith: “A fast, open family boat that looks superb, drives beautifully and is rammed so full of design intelligence and real-world versatility that it’s impossible to ignore.”
Highly commended: Aquaspirit 700 and Windy 29 Huracán.
Weekenders up to 40ft
Winner: Navan S30.
Andreae: “A cutting-edge centre-console sportsboat with the style, character, performance and build quality to rival the best.”
Highly commended: Fjord 39XL
Family cruisers up to 45ft
Winner: Viknes 10.
Andreae says: “With its extraordinary combination of cruising capacity, indoor and outdoor day spaces, value for money and unstinting clarity of design, our winner is the brilliant new Viknes 10.”
Highly commended: Marex 390.
Passagemakers
Winner: Absolute Navetta 62.
Smith says: “With its bold deck layouts, big interior volume, stunning fit out and beautifully judged balance of practicality, comfort and style, our winner is the Absolute Navetta 62.”
Hardy 45 European received a highly commended award.
Sportscruisers over 45ft – Sponsored by JL Audio
Winner: Pardo GT75.
Smith says: “[The Pardo GT75] feels like a world-class day boat, a capable four-season cruiser, a proper driving machine and a mini superyacht all in one.”
Highly commended: Bluegame BGF45.
Flybridges up to 55ft – sponsored by Garmin
Winner: Beneteau Swift Trawler 37 Fly.
Andreae says: “A boat that takes all the proven qualities of its highly revered predecessor and makes everything bigger, better, slicker and (remarkably) cheaper.”
Merry Fisher 1095 Fly received a highly commended mention.
Flybridges over 55ft – Sponsored by Lumishore
Winner: Princess F58.
Smith says: “Our winner is a boat that knows exactly what its customers want and delivers on every single level from looks, space and style, to performance, seakeeping and refinement.”
Highly commended: Pershing GTX70.
Custom yachts over 80ft
Winner: Azimut Fly 82.
Andreae says: “[The Azimut Fly 82] is a boat that won over our judges with its elegant style inside and out, its fabulous deck spaces and its impressive pace, refinement and efficiency.”
Highly commended: Arksen 85 and Sunseeker Ocean 82 Enclosed.
Technical Development
Winner: Volvo Penta Electric IPS.
Smith comments: “There’s some really clever kit here and all of it capable of improving the safety, convenience, comfort or efficiency of life on the water. However, our winner combines a highly efficient propulsion system with a high-power electric motor to create an off-the-shelf hybrid solution for large motor yachts.”
Highly commended: SEA.AI Watchkeeper.
Judges’ Special Award
The Judges’ Special Award was presented to Sakari Mattila of Saxdor Yachts, recognising a 48-year career in the marine industry and his involvement in the creation of brands including Aquador, Axopar and Saxdor.
Andreae says: “A true polymath with an exceptional eye for design, an instinctive understanding of what boat buyers want, an unshakeable entrepreneurial spirit and a visionary ability to spot and set new trends, [Mattila] has been behind many of the industry’s most innovative boats and brands of recent years; and yet his propensity to shun the spotlight and let his products do the talking means that few outside of his immediate circle know just how influential he has been.”
Entering the Motor Boat Awards
Entries are assessed through on-water sea trials conducted by the editorial team, with awards covering design, engineering, and customer service.
The Motor Boat Awards 2026 were sponsored by Sleipner, with individual categories supported by Garmin, Lumishore and JL Audio. The event drinks sponsor was Marinedi.
Awards were presented across multiple categories, reflecting different types and sizes of motor boats as well as technical development and customer service.
