All of the World Superyacht Award judges make extraordinary efforts to visit as many of the contending yachts as possible. They are also presented with a dossier containing a detailed brief on every yacht in the competition which includes a statement from the owner, designer and builder, together with pictures of the yacht and a specification list.
The panel gathers in early Spring to consider every yacht in detail. Each yacht is awarded marks under six headings, and the total of these marks determines the winners.
The World Superyacht Awards are distinguished by the fact that the winners are selected by an independent jury of current and former superyacht owners, all of whom have a profound knowledge of the subject and an enthusiasm for rewarding the genuinely exceptional.
Chairman of the Judges
- Carlos Ancira – Owner of a 37m and 45m Domani Benetti Motor Yachts
- Nick Candy – Owner of 63m Benetti motor yacht 11.11
- Alan Dabbiere – Owner of 34.9m Benetti motor yacht Constance
- Bill & West Duker – Owners of Sybaris, a 70m Perini Navi sailing yacht
- Joaquín Folch – Owner of 37.3m Heesen motor yacht Buka
- Andres Gomez – Superyacht owner
- Thomas Haffa – Superyacht owner
- Barry Houghton – Owner of 45m Fitzroy sailing yacht Salperton
- Hani Jabsheh - Owner of 43m CRN motor yacht Hana
- Henk Koster – Former Owner of 48.3m motor yacht Grace
- Roger Lean-Vercoe – Former Chairman of the Judges
- Victor Muller – Owner of 35.4m classic Feadship motor yacht Highlander & founder of the Feadship Heritage Fleet
- Jan-Eric Osterlund – Chairman of the Judges, Former owner of the 54.6m Vitters sailing yacht Adele
- Dick Raper – Owner of 38.8m Claasen sailing yacht Atalante
- Kim Schindelhauer – Owner of 33m Baltic sailing yacht WinWin
- Anil Thadani – Owner of 45m Timmerman motor yacht Latitude
- Paola Trifiró – Owner of 33m Vitters sailing yacht Ribelle
- Kim & Sebastian Vibe-Petersen – Owners of the 54m Perini Navi sailing yacht Parsifal III & 56m Parsifal IV
- Marco Vögele – Owner of 34m Vitters sailing yacht Inoui
- Matthew Voorhees – Owner of 49.7m Feadship motor yacht Broadwater
- Sten Warborn – Owner of 63m Feadship motor yacht Lady Britt
- Peter Wilson – Founding Partner of yacht project management company MCM