The winners of the 2021 World Superyacht Awards have been revealed. From the newly crowned Motor Yacht of the Year to the prestigious Voyager's Award, find out which yachts scooped this year's coveted Neptunes...
Motor Yacht of The Year – ARTEFACT
Sailing Yacht of The Year – GEIST
Refitted Yachts – BROADWATER
Rebuilt Yachts – ISTROS
Sailing Yachts – GEIST
Semi-Displacement or Planing Motor Yachts 30m to 39.9m – SX112
Semi-Displacement or Planing Motor Yachts 40m and Above - CLUB M
Displacement Motor Yachts 499GT and Below, 30m to 39.9m – AURELIA
Displacement Motor Yachts 499GT and Below, 40m and Above – REBECA
Displacement Motor Yachts, 500GT to 999GT – BLUE II
Displacement Motor Yachts, 1,000GT to 1,599GT – ALFA
Displacement Motor Yachts, 1,600GT to 2,999GT – ARTEFACT
Displacement Motor Yachts, 3,000GT and Above – MOONRISE
Voyager’s Award – V6
Judge's Special Award
Displacement Motor Yachts, 1,600GT to 2,999GT – LA DATCHA
Judge’s Commendation Winners
Sailing Yachts – CEFEA
Displacement Motor Yachts 499GT and Below, 30m to 39.9m – K-584
Displacement Motor Yachts 499GT and Below, 40m and Below – AMARE II
Displacement Motor Yachts, 3,000GT and Above – LUMINOSITY
Motor Yacht of The Year: Artefact
Length: 80m
Builder: Nobiskrug
Naval architect: Nobiskrug
Exterior design: Gregory C. Marshall Naval Architects
Interior design: Reymond Langton Design
As the most hotly contested and coveted of all classes, this category is only open to the winners of the eight motor yacht classes covering displacement, semi-displacement and planing vessels. Almost inevitably, the judges’ attention almost always tends to be concentrated on the larger yachts that are often built without serious budgetary restriction, but this year several smaller yachts were very much in contention for key developments in their design and technology. But this award is emphatically a holistic one, considering every element of the yacht from appearance to build quality and technology, and in the final vote the judges were almost unanimous in choosing 80-metre Nobiskrug yacht Artefact as the Motor Yacht of the Year.
Praise has already been heaped upon this yacht as the winner of the second largest displacement class, but this award will further emphasise the outstanding craftsmanship, attention to detail and careful consideration that went into all aspects of her design and construction, through cutting-edge exterior and interior design, an innovative and practical general arrangement to environmental and technical considerations. The construction of a successful custom-built yacht depends on a number of factors, as well as excellent teamwork and communication between the yard and many exterior agencies. Above all, it requires a knowledgeable and far-sighted owner to drive the process towards the fulfilment of their wishes, and in this respect the build of Artefact was well served. The judges offer their congratulations to all those involved in the build of this remarkable yacht, a worthy winner of this most prestigious award.
Sailing Yacht of The Year: Geist
Length: 33.9m
Builder: Spirit Yachts
Naval architect: Sean McMillan; Spirit Yachts
Exterior design: Sean McMillan
Interior design: Tom Smith; Spirit Yachts; Rhoades Young Design
In previous years, several sailing yachts would have contested this award but, sadly, this year saw the launch of such a small number of “super-sailers” that all were accommodated in a single class. The effect of this was that the class winner would also be the winner of the Sailing
Yacht of the Year Award – with the proviso that the judges must agree that in all respects she was of equivalent standard to past winners of this award. With this agreed, the 33.9-metre Geist, built from FSC-certified timber by Ipswich-based Spirit Yachts, was declared the winner of the coveted prize.
The owner’s wish was for a yacht with classical beauty built with sustainable materials, while minimising the impact on the environment. Having previously owned a Spirit 52, he also knew that Spirit’s craftspeople and the design genius of the Lymington-based Rhodes Young Design had the necessary talent to execute his ideas, and he emerged from the build a satisfied customer.
The advanced technology present in this yacht is hidden away for aesthetic reasons, and it would be easy to miss, but this is the yacht’s environmental heart and should not be overlooked. Under power, Geist is propelled by a 100kW electric motor powered by four BMW lithium-ion battery banks that can propel it for 30 nautical miles at eight knots, or can feed the yacht’s household demand for four days. Under sail, the motors become shaft generators to recharge the batteries, which are then used to power the sailing systems. This yacht, the judges felt, was a refreshing mix of top quality, traditional beauty, innovative interior design and advanced technology and, as such, Geist truly deserves her accolade.
Refitted Yachts: Broadwater
Length: 56m
Original builder: Feadship
Refit yard: Huisfit (by Royal Huisman)
Refit exterior design: Adam Voorhees
Refit interior design: Adam Voorhees
Having been chosen as the winner via secret ballot, Broadwater, a 52-metre classic Feadship originally launched as Rasselas in 1994, was refitted by Royal Huisman’s Huisfit yard in Amsterdam. Slowed by the difficulties of the Covid-19 pandemic, the project took almost two years to complete. During this period her interior was transformed from being a panelled “Gentleman’s Club” with highly varnished woodwork, traditional mouldings and leather seating, to a spacious, bright and light modern style.
First, the stern was extended by four metres to allow for a beach club and swim platform and the sundeck having a three-metre extension. Next, the whole interior was updated, saving the original mahogany joinery but painting it white so that the process could be reversed should a future owner prefer a darker style. A new master suite, crew quarters and service areas were installed, and the bridge deck’s exterior dining area was enclosed in a winter garden to make it weatherproof. All lighting, IT systems and instrumentation were also replaced.
Rebuilt Yachts: Istros
Length: 42.1m
Builder: De Vries Scheepsbouw Makkum
Naval architect: De Voogt Naval Architects
Exterior design: De Voogt Naval Architects
Interior design: Van Geest Design
This class is reserved for yachts that have been given a completely new interior, machinery and systems, and just two of this year’s entrants – Istros and Rossiya – qualified to enter. Built by the De Vries Lentsch shipyard in 1954, Istros lay neglected since 2001, until her new owner decided to completely discard her decayed steel superstructure and strip her to a bare hull and totally rebuild her. Despite this being more costly than building afresh, the decision was justified by the accepted philosophy that such a process preserved the original identity of the vessel.
Delivered to the Feadship shipyard, the hull was meticulously measured to allow the use of modern 3D-design techniques. This done, a new superstructure was created in aluminium, and her interior and machinery was replaced during an 11-month stay in the yard – an incredibly short duration only made possible by six months of preparation before her arrival. Today, guests on Istros will experience the atmosphere of a 1950s yacht, with the period looks and elegant lines of yesteryear, but this is a classic with a modern heart that ensures the reliable functioning of every item of machinery and technology aboard.
Sailing Yachts: Geist
Length: 33.9m
Builder: Spirit Yachts
Naval architect: Sean McMillan
Exterior design: Sean McMillan, Spirit Yachts
Interior design: Tom Smith, Spirit Yachts; Rhoades Young
While she is not the bluewater cruising yacht of the type that tends to dominate this award, Geist is beautiful in a classical sense while showcasing a new and organic style of interior design. Like all the boats built by Spirit Yachts, her exterior design takes inspiration from the Golden Age, where long overhangs, low freeboard and flush decks reveal the majestic hull lines that once ruled the waves. In the judges’ view, the exterior’s notable operational feature is that her classic Bermudan rig and uncomplicated systems allow the yacht to be sailed by the owner and a few family and friends, rather than placing undue reliance on a professional crew.
“Build me a work of art” had been the owner’s request for the yacht’s interior, and Rhoades Young has delivered just that. Inspired by Antelope Canyon in Arizona, its flowing wooden walls create focal points within the rooms. But while the past may inspire her looks, Geist is technically modern with a minimal effect on the environment, with a 100kW electric motor and a wealth of other notable features including battery-powered sailing systems.
Semi-Displacement or Planing Motor Yachts 30m to 39.9m: SX112
Length: 34.2m
Builder: Sanlorenzo
Naval architect: Sanlorenzo
Exterior design: Zuccon International Project
Interior design: Studio Lissoni
As the owner made clear in his statement, it was the vast beach area at the Sanlorenzo SX112’s stern that initially attracted his attention, and our judges wholeheartedly agreed. The seamless beach area has a close connection to the main deck aft, a shaded beach lounge and is close to the water, making it the standout area of this yacht. Fold-down side platforms on each side of the stern serve to further increase the area of this deck, while providing an alternative route into the spacious gymnasium and lounge. This, the judges agreed, is a simply spectacular design that ideally meets the need for a close connection with the sea that is demanded by today’s yacht owners.
The yacht’s calm and sophisticated interior is also well-connected to the exterior surroundings through large windows that flood the interior with light. Long sightlines fore and aft also enhance the sensation of size and space that this outstanding yacht provides for those lucky enough to be aboard. Powered by four Volvo IPS3 units that feature a fully integrated propulsion and azimuthing pod drive, this yacht is also technically advanced as well as being one of the more environmentally friendly yachts of its size. These units provide a top speed of 23 knots and a range of 563 nautical miles, while at an economical 10 knots, the range more than triples to 1,574 nautical miles.
Semi-Displacement or Planing Motor Yachts 40m and Above: Club M
Length: 40m
Builder: Baglietto
Naval architect: Baglietto
Exterior design: Horacio Bozzo
Interior design: Achille Salvagni
The judges had been attracted by Horacio Bozzo’s strikingly masculine exterior lines and Club M’s fully featured, cutting-edge interior by Achille Salvagni, whose bright and modern design provides a satisfying blend of visual excitement and calm tranquillity. The judges particularly admired its huge and most unusual upper deck alfresco living area. This extends from bow to stern, with its semi-enclosed central portion shaded by a hardtop and edged by lowering side windows to offer a delightful inside-outside dining and conversation area, flanked by wide decks on either side that connect the fore and aft lounging zones.
The yacht’s chic interior also attracted many complimentary remarks from the judges, who praised the quality of finish and its well-conceived lighting as well as the soft curves that enhanced its rooms and much of its loose and inbuilt furnishings. This, they considered, is an ideal modern interpretation of elegant living conceived after close cooperation between the designer and the yacht’s owner, an experienced property developer. The modest maximum speed of 17.8 knots and an economical cruising speed of 12 knots that provides transatlantic range, is a good example of an environmentally friendly design.
Displacement Motor Yachts 499GT and Below, 30m to 39.9m: Aurelia
Length: 39.7m
Builder: Cantiere Delle Marche
Naval architect: Hydro Tec
Exterior design: Hydro Tec
Interior design: Paszkowski Design, Margherita Casprini
As the first of a new line of explorers from a specialist builder, CdM, Aurelia is labelled as a Flexplorer, as its 115m2 aft deck area can easily be reconfigured from a tender platform to other specialist roles, or into a beach club when the fold-down bulwarks greatly improve the visual connection with the sea. This and just about every other aspect of this yacht impressed the judges, including her purposeful exterior lines by Sergio Cutolo, efficient hull design from naval architects HydroTec, 1,500kW engines that squeeze a 5,000-nautical-mile range from her 60,000-litre tanks at 10 knots, and comfortable top speed of 14 knots.
Deeper investigation revealed a well-engineered A-frame tender launching system invisibly concealed beneath the aft deck and two pairs of stabilisers that provide useful redundancy for an explorer along with improved tracking. A good-sized bathing platform equipped with a practical passerelle/submersible platform, meanwhile, allows easy access to the water. The judges also admired the interior layout and sophisticated loft-style design by Francesco Paszkowski and, of course, the experienced owner, a second-time client of this yard.
Displacement Motor Yachts 499GT and Below, 40m and Above: Rebeca
Length: 40.8m
Builder: Benetti
Naval architect: P.L. Ausonio Naval Architect; Benetti
Exterior design: RWD
Interior design: Bonetti/Kozerski
The judges’ initial focus was on the 40.8m Benetti Oasis Rebeca’s exterior design by RWD, which drew compliments for its stylish appearance and spacious, fully-featured decks. They unanimously admired the beach area at the yacht’s stern, where fold-down bulwarks and a submersible bathing platform/passerelle greatly increase its size and connection with the sea, while they considered the large six-square-metre, glass-backed infinity pool to be a rare feature for a yacht of this size.
The judges admired the seamless division between the outdoor living spaces and the spacious accommodation, designed by Bonetti/ Kozerski Architecture. This makes the most of the huge panoramic windows, many of them fully opening, and brings chic sophistication to a relaxed and uncluttered living space. Other notable features include a completely rethought wheelhouse with a minimalist steering console and floor-to-ceiling windows. The icing on the cake is its perfectly optimised naval architecture from P.L. Ausonio that provides a top speed of 18 knots, good seakeeping and a low fuel consumption of 89 litres per hour at its economical cruise of 11 knots.
Displacement Motor Yachts Between 500GT and 999GT: Blue II
Length: 56m
Builder: Turquoise Yachts
Naval architect: Hoek Design
Exterior design: Hoek Design
Interior design: Hoek Design; Vickers Studio; Dols & Co
Classic yachts gain universal praise for their looks, but many aspects of their design do not blend with modern technology or lifestyles. Inspired by the appearance of tugboats and buoy-laying vessels from the mid-20th century, Blue II’s owner approached the modern-classic sailboat designer Andre Hoek to draw an eminently seaworthy, world- roaming, expedition yacht packed with tech for use in high latitudes, including the Northwest Passage. The success of this mission is reflected in the admiration of the judges, who were drawn by her elegant profile with bluff bow and canoe stern, which both emphasise her seaworthiness, topped by a modest yet practical superstructure. The judges also felt that her classically panelled interior, designed and decorated by Hoek and John Vickers Studio, complemented her exterior styling and exactly met the needs of an expedition yacht.
With her owners being passionate conservationists, Blue II had to be as environmentally friendly as possible, with diesel-electric propulsion and exhausts fitted with an advanced Selective Catalytic Reduction system to meet tough emission regulations. A single-screw configuration was chosen for efficiency, while the stern thruster provides emergency get-you-home propulsion.
Displacement Motor Yachts Between 1,000GT and 1,599GT: Alfa
Length: 70.2m
Builder: Azimut Benetti
Naval architect: Benetti
Exterior design: Benetti
Interior design: Luxury Projects - Laura Pomponi
The judge’s marking of each yacht in this category is divided into six segments covering every aspect of the vessel from exterior styling, interior and exterior design, quality of construction, layout and technical aspects, and Alfa had made her most significant gains in the fields of exterior styling and interior design. Her exterior, drawn by Benetti’s own design team who were also responsible for her naval architecture, fully satisfies today’s client demand for elegance and unity with the yacht’s maritime surroundings. Wrapped in a handsome, forthright profile cut with three strong horizontal lines of panoramic windows, the superstructure meets this demand with five large and distinct deck spaces containing every amenity, while a beach club set across the beam of her lower deck to provide cooling shade and easy access to the sea, is only revealed when its twin doors fold down from the hull’s sides. Her interior design, by Laura Pomponi, is modern and unfussy, and makes use of a restricted palette of soft, warm colours along with finely crafted wood, stone, leather and marble. This creates a sense of calm, richness and a connection with one’s surroundings that was particularly admired by the judges.
Displacement Motor Yachts Between 1,600GT and 2,999GT: Artefact
Length: 80m
Builder: Nobiskrug
Naval architect: Nobiskrug
Exterior design: Gregory C Marshall Naval Architects
Interior design: Reymond Langton Design
As a yacht with a daringly new and interesting exterior style, a great interior layout, cutting-edge interior design, excellent build quality and an environmentally aware propulsion system, the object of our judges’ desire was the 80-metre Artefact. The “wow” moment was when the judges first saw the yacht’s avant-garde exterior, penned by Canadian naval architect Greg C Marshall. The equally stunning interior was created by UK-based Reymond Langton Design with a design that integrates the distinctive window shapes and large expanses of glass with custom artwork, furniture and murals to create an inspiring passenger experience.
The unprecedented 750 square metres of glass draws the natural surroundings into master suites and common areas to infuse the interior with natural light and connect passengers to the environment around them. On the tech side, Artefact is equipped with diesel-electric propulsion that makes use of the innovative power generation technologies and digital power management specified by the owner, a keen engineer and ardent environmentalist. These allow the vessel to integrate multiple power sources, from solar cells, variable-speed generators and lithium-ion batteries, plus new technologies such as fuel cells.
Displacement Motor Yachts 3,000GT and Above: Moonrise
Length: 100m
Builder: Feadship
Naval architect: Feadship De Voogt Naval Architects
Exterior design: Studio De Voogt; Rémi Tessier
Interior design: Rémi Tessier
Moonrise, the judges felt, is a yacht whose exterior design, by Chris Bottoms from Studio de Voogt, displays a strong and attractive masculine character with a pleasingly clean line, which exhibits a wealth of attractive detailing as one approaches. Her deck areas provide just about every facility imaginable – including a helicopter landing area on the foredeck that the owner had not specifically requested. This far-sighted decision was made on the basis that the lack of such a facility might impact on its future resale price, and was immediately justified when Covid-19 restrictions forced the owner to make his first arrival by helicopter. As for the interior, Rémi Tessier created what the judges considered to be an admirable modern style, incorporating the truly luxurious touches for which he is famed. Painstakingly engineered to deliver Feadship’s high quality and low levels of noise and vibration, the judges agreed that Moonrise is a deserving winner of this highly competitive class.
Voyager’s Award: V6
Length: 48.5m
Builder: Flyghtship
The last two years have not been an easy time for world cruisers, a circumstance clearly reflected in the fact that just three yachts submitted entries for this award. But one voyage stood out above the others for its foresight, planning and successful execution. In early 2020 the owner of the winning yacht anticipated the rapid spread and disruption that the pandemic would cause, and identified the need for what he called an “escape pod”.
The 48.5m New Zealand-built expedition yacht T6 was identified as a suitable craft and swiftly purchased with the assistance of Edmiston. With little time for a handover from the previous crew, and now renamed V6, she made a transatlantic passage to the Canaries and was there joined by the owner and his family for a brief shakedown cruise, bringing with them all the water- sports equipment, cameras, drones, and scuba gear necessary for their main adventure. That completed, the yacht headed north, calling at Gibraltar, the Scilly Isles, Ireland, Scotland’s Western Isles, the Shetlands and Arctic Norway, often punching through extreme weather on a passage to the Svalbard archipelago lying at 77 degrees North in the Barents Sea. Thereafter it was all adventure, sighting polar bears, visiting the Brasvellbreen ice wall, and swimming, paddling and kite-surfing between icebergs. Now that’s the way to spend your lockdown in style, and it certainly impressed the judges.
Submit a nomination for the World Superyacht Awards 2022
2022 Nominations are now open and will remain open until Friday 3 December at 11:59pm GMT. Owners, builders and designers are encouraged to nominate as early as possible to allow time for the judges to schedule dedicated yacht visits due to the reduced boat show calendar. To be eligible to enter, yachts must be over 30m LOA and delivered between 1 January 2021 - 31 December 2021.
Submit a nomination for the World Superyacht Awards 2022