Sailors’ Choice Awards announce inaugural winners
The winners were selected through a public vote by sailors and boat owners
The winners of the inaugural Sailors’ Choice Awards have been announced following a public vote across 10 marine equipment and services categories.
The Sailor’s Choice Awards, run by sister sailing titles Practical Boat Owner and Yachting Monthly, were based on nominations from the public. The number of nominations determined the shortlist, with the top three in each category then put forward for a public vote.
The full list of award categories and winners:
- Deck Equipment: Hydrovane
- Electronics, navigation & communication: Savvy Navvy
- Clothing & accessories: Heni-Lloyd Ocean PRO range
- Maintenance & boat building products: Bruntons Autoprop
- Engines & outboards: ePropulsion eLite
- Safety gear: Spinlock Deckvest lifejacket range
- Domestic systems: Renogy Bifacial solar panels
- Dinghy, tender & water toys: 3D Superlight Twin Air 270
- Insurer (overall provider): Haven Knox-Johnston
- Customer service award: Icom UK
“It’s fantastic just to be nominated, and then, of course, to win the safety category for our Deckvest Vito AFS lifejacket is even better,” says James Hall, marketing and sales manager at Spinlock. “It’s a product we’ve had in development for many, many years, having had the opportunity to take a fresh look at flotation and in-water performance.
“The fact that it is the yachting public that voted for us is even better again – we know that the boating community in the UK are very demanding of their products, so actually to be recognised by the public makes it extra special.”
A Special Lifetime Achievement Award for services to the marine industry was also presented to surveyor Ben Sutcliffe-Davies. The award recognised his work on safety and maintenance education for the wider sailing public over several decades.
“Firstly, I feel very humbled to receive this award from the readers and the group of publications I’ve written and contributed to for many years,” says Sutcliffe-Davies. “As a surveyor through my writing, talks at the shows, yacht clubs and YouTube all I’ve tried to do is make going on the water safe and fun for everyone. I’d like to pay tribute to John Goode who pushed me into writing and talks at the boat shows back in 2009.”
Katy Stickland, sail group editor at Future Publishing, says: “The fact that the nominees and the winners were chosen by sailors who are using these products and services, rather than our editorial teams or industry insiders gives a true reflection on how valued they are by sailors, and I want to congratulate all of the winners and nominees.”
Paul Knox-Johnston from Haven Knox-Johnston, which sponsored the awards and picked up the ‘best overall insurer’ accolade, says: “Sponsoring the inaugural Sailors’ Choice Awards was an easy decision for us at Haven Knox-Johnston.
“At the heart of what we do is helping boat owners feel more prepared and confident out on the water, through sensible insurance, practical advice, our webinar series and the free guides we produce for boaters.
“What makes these awards stand out is that they’re decided by sailors themselves, not by us or anyone else in the industry. That kind of honest, first-hand feedback is invaluable, and it’s exactly what we wanted to support.”
He adds: “A huge congratulations to all of this year’s winners, every one of them thoroughly deserved. Being chosen by your own customers and fellow boaters is about as genuine a form of recognition as it gets.
“It’s brilliant to see the sailing community come together like this, and we’re proud to have played a part in celebrating it.”
