The winners of the World Superyacht Awards 2019

The winners of the World Superyacht Awards 2019 were announced at a glittering ceremony held at historic Old Billingsgate in London on 18 May 2019. Click through or use the links below to see all the winners.

Rebuilt yachts: Haida 1929

Length: 71.1m

Original builder: Krupp Germaniawerft

Refit yard: Pendennis

Refit naval architect: Cox & Stevens

Refit exterior design: Cox & Stevens

Refit interior design: Adam Lay

Of the yachts entered for this class, the standout winner was Haida 1929, a motor yacht that was designed by the American naval architects Cox & Stevens for Max C. Fleischmann, a Santa Barbara businessman. This yacht, one of several of the same name owned by Fleischmann, was launched in 1929 in Kiel by her builders Krupp Germaniawerft. Since then she has sailed under many flags and names, perhaps the most recognisable being Rosenkavalier and the most recent being Doña Amelia.

She was in bad repair in 2017 when purchased by her new owner and was taken to Pendennis Shipyard for refitting, a task that he correctly anticipated would reveal hidden issues. The whole ethos of the work was of respect for the integrity of this historic yacht, a decision that was admired by the Judges, who were aware that while an ill-conceived rebuild would have destroyed this classic vessel, one that did not upgrade her interiors to meet modern standards of comfort might be money wasted. During the very detailed and well executed 17-month refit, 110-tonnes of steel and 90% of the pipework were replaced, the whole interior was tastefully reworked to the design of Adam Lay to create interiors evocative of her era, while a Hammam spa, massage room, and hairdressing room were added.

Early external features, such as stairways, were reinstated and her previous dip-pool was replaced with a larger swimming pool. Perhaps most notably, her original engines – built by Krupp in 1928 and probably the oldest marine diesels in their original installation – were rebuilt to their original specification rather than replaced, despite the inconvenience of having to stop them and restart them in reverse to go astern. The Judges considered this an eminently worthy rebuild that saved a historic yacht.

Refitted Yachts: G2

Length: 39m

Original builder: Vitters

Refit yard: Pendennis

Refit naval architect: Tripp Design

Refit exterior design: Tripp Design

Refit interior design: Nauta Design

Of the yachts in the highly competitive Refit category, the Vitters-built 38.2-metre sloop G2 was selected by the Judges as the winner. Built from advanced composites to a design by Bill Tripp and launched in 2009, the original owner’s requirement was for a fast yacht suited to long range cruising. Her new owners had a clear vision of their needs which, with a circumnavigation in mind, were similar in scope to the original but their personal interior taste called for enhanced interior light and clean modern design.

On deck, the aft cuddy was surplus to their needs and was removed to create a flush open deck, to which sunbathing cushions were added, while 40% of the old teak was replaced, the caulking changed to grey, and the main cockpit extended to permit a larger guest dining area. To lighten the interior, two large new skylights were cut into the deckhead of the main saloon, while 11 larger portlights were fitted to the guest cabins, where the original, and now dated, honey-toned wood was replaced by a lighter, contemporary style created by Nauta Design.

At the same time, the owners' cabin was increased in size and its layout modified, a complex task which necessitated moving some structural bulkheads. Additionally, the yacht was made as maintenance-free as possible for her upcoming circumnavigation by servicing, upgrading or replacing all machinery and systems, and bringing forward the 10-year Class Special Survey. Navigation and communication equipment was also replaced while the hull, mast and deck structures were repainted. The Judges considered that the extent, quality and outcome of the 11-month refit was exemplary – and well worthy of a Neptune.

Sailing Yachts 60m and Above: Black Pearl

Length: 106.7m

Builder: Oceanco

Naval architect: Dykstra Naval Architects/Oceanco

Exterior design: Ken Freivokh/Nuvolari Lenard

Interior design: Gerard P. Villate/Nuvolari Lenard/Ken Freivokh

Black Pearl, the Judges considered, was a huge step forward from the first yacht of this type, Maltese Falcon, surpassing her on practically every level.

Here was a sailing vessel with all the facilities, comfort and performance of a motor yacht, but one that has the potential to cross oceans without the use of any diesel fuel whatsoever, as propulsion is left to the wind and the total demand for household electricity could be met from her shaft generators. Interestingly, provision has been made for the future integration of solar power generated from her sails – an emerging technology that is not yet ready for service. This, and a host of other attributes, was more than sufficient for the Judges to award a Neptune to this remarkable yacht.

Semi-Displacement or Planing Motor Yachts 30m to 32.9m: RJ

Length: 31.6m

Builder: Arcadia Yachts

Naval architect: Arcadia Yachts

Exterior design: Arcadia Yachts

Interior design: Hot Lab

All six yachts in this class were of a similar size, and while this made comparison easier for the Judges, the high quality of the entries still made choosing a winner difficult. It soon became apparent that their focus was concentrated upon RJ, an Arcadia 105, that not only impressed them as being very well built but also displayed contemporary good looks while satisfying many of today’s ‘must have’ trends.

Particularly admired was the connectivity with the marine environment through an abundance of large windows, many of which open to provide a cooling breeze without the need to run air conditioning. The combination of sliding doors that open to fold-down balconies on either side of the main saloon with the room’s fully-glazed aft portion makes this whole area open and airy, while offering wide views spanning almost 300-degrees. Forward, there is an observation lounge that once again provides panoramic views forward over the yacht’s bows and through the glazed bulwarks, while the glass deckhead, overlaid by solar panels, adds both light and power. The aft deck, set out as a lounge, and the extensive sun deck were also praised for their design and functionality as social areas.

The Judges are highly aware of a yacht’s environmental impact and took note of RJ’s abundance of solar panels that can feed between 4kW and 4.5kW into the yacht’s power system, as well as her modestly-sized engines that reduce emissions and provide long range, albeit at the expense of high speed. The secret ballot revealed her to be a clear winner.

Displacement Motor Yachts Between 300GT and 499GT - 30m to 47.9m:Viatoris

Length: 40m

Builder: Conrad Shipyard

Naval architect: Diana Yacht Design

Exterior design: Reymond Langton Design

Interior design: Conrad Shipyard

This class was made up of five very significant yachts with overall lengths falling between 40m and 47.9m, all of which were most enviable in their appearance and quality of construction. After hearing the views of Judges who had visited individual yachts, attention was turned to the detail of their general arrangement plans, traffic flow, and other technical issues.

A yacht that seemed to attract praise in all these areas was Viatoris, a 40-metre built in Poland by Conrad Shipyard, with naval architecture by Diana Yacht Design and exterior design by Reymond Langton. Following the secret ballot, this yacht was subsequently confirmed as the winner. The Judges had predominantly admired her lines, which were considered to be both timeless and elegant, while her interior layout was praised for its ideal distribution of the yacht’s volume between guest, crew, public and technical spaces.

Viatoris is not a yacht for those who yearn for speed as, powered by a pair of economical Caterpillar 500kW diesels, she has a cruising speed of 12-knots, but the benefits she reaps from this are a huge range of 11,100 nautical miles at her economical delivery speed of 8-knots and, aided by excellent sound insulation, also a supremely quiet interior. The Judges also noted that her four ideally positioned fold-down balconies and adjacent sliding doors create a very airy interior, while her abundance of large windows and portlights provide excellent intimacy with the surrounding scenery and seascapes. The owner requested a yacht in which he could ‘feel at home and not like a guest in a hotel’ and the Judges felt that this long range ocean traveller has successfully provided this – and more.

Displacement Motor Yachts 2000GT and Above:DAR

Length: 90m

Builder: Oceanco

Naval architect: Azure/Oceanco

Exterior design: Luiz de Basto

Interior design: Nuvolari Lenard

This largest and most luxurious class, in which six yachts contended for the title, provided the Judges with their most difficult decision of this event. This spread of views was also reflected in the secret ballot that realised a narrow victory for the 90-metre DAR, built by Oceanco.

Many aspects of this yacht were particularly admired. The first to draw the Judges' attention were her sculptural lines and elegantly shark-like, ‘organic’ exterior styling created by Luiz de Basto of the Florida-based design company De Basto Designs. The Judges felt that one of the most spectacular highlights of this spontaneous and original design is the delightful deck area at the bridge deck aft, where a waterfall cascades into a large swimming pool and the huge umbrellas that shade the casual seating fold into compartments concealed within the curve of the bulwark. The interior also impressed the Judges, the majority of whom visited the yacht in person. Bright and fresh in its palette, it contains visual themes from nature, such as blossom and sea life, all cleverly combined with pale timbers, rich fabrics and luxurious leathers, thus providing an elegant sense of calm and harmony.

Almost 400-square-metres of darkened glass panels form part of her superstructure, allowing dramatic views from the interior while ensuring privacy when viewed from the exterior. The Judges appreciated the complexity of installing the completely flush panels, each 1.8-metres wide and up to 3.0-metres in height, to the superstructure in a way that they are resistant to the inevitable movement of the yacht in a seaway. DAR, they considered, is a great yacht and a deserving winner.

Judges' Commendation: Elandess

This magnificent vessel, built by Abeking & Rasmussen, drew the admiration of the Judges for its extremely attractive exterior design, superb deck facilities, its semi-submerged ‘Neptune Lounge’ and a general arrangement plan incorporating a wide range of amenities that were perfectly tailored to the requirements of the owners’ family.

Judges' Commendation: White Rabbit

White Rabbit, built in Western Australia by Echo Yachts, was admired for her timeless exterior lines which provide an elegant profile, and the huge volume of her interiors, as well as her diesel-electric propulsion package in which three generators located in each outrigger hull drive a pair of electric motors and variable-pitch propellers in the central hull.

Sailing Yacht of the Year:Black Pearl

Length: 106.7m

Builder: Oceanco

Naval architect: Dykstra Naval Architects/Oceanco

Exterior design: Ken Freivokh/Nuvolari Lenard

Interior design: Gerard P Villate/Nuvolari Lenard/Ken Freivokh Design

The title of Sailing Yacht of the Year is awarded to the yacht that is considered by the Judges to be the most notable of the two class winners in this year’s sailing yacht categories. These winners were the 42.24-metre sloop Vijonara, built in Falmouth, UK by Pendennis Yachts and Black Pearl, the 106.7-metre, three-masted, Dynarig schooner built by Oceanco in Alblasserdam, the Netherlands.

Selecting the winner is not a matter of merely choosing the yacht that won its class by the greatest margin, as the Judges are required to consider how each of these vessels might have advanced the design, construction and appearance of future generations of sailing yachts, whilst also taking into consideration all the other elements that led to their selection as class winners. During discussions, it was clear that although the Judges admired Vijonara as a beautiful and well-built yacht, she could not be given the same credit as Black Pearl for her technological advances, so it was Black Pearl that was selected as the Sailing Yacht of the Year. Perhaps the most notable aspect of this vessel was her capacity to provide all the space, facilities and luxury of a modern motor yacht, yet have the low fuel consumption and, hence, reduced environmental impact of a sailing yacht. The fact that Black Pearl, a yacht of 2,550 tonnes displacement, might cross the Atlantic without using any diesel fuel was central to the Judges’ reasoning. As such, she provides an example to current and future owners of large yachts that it is possible to own such a vessel and, at the same time, also be environmentally responsible. This, the Judges felt, is a message worth broadcasting.