The winners of the World Superyacht Awards 2017

The winners of the World Superyacht Awards 2017 were announced at a glittering ceremony held at the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence in May 2017. Click through to see all the winners.

This year, nine motor yachts – the winners of each of the motor yacht classes – competed for the coveted title of Motor Yacht of the Year. When deciding this award, the difficulty of comparing such diverse yachts is always a hard task for the judges, but they are always aware that they are seeking the ‘very best of the best’ – a vessel that is truly extraordinary by any measure. As such, it was clear that Dilbar had to take the title.

Not only is she arguably the most complex and challenging yacht ever to be built, but she is also the largest ever built in terms of gross tonnage. All aspects of her design and construction were, in the unanimous view of those judges who had visited her, quite superb. The quality of construction of her interior, which uses rare materials and striking surface finishes in abundance, is truly spectacular, as is the indoor swimming pool with a capacity of 180 cubic metres, the largest ever installed on a yacht. This yacht is a worthy winner.

There were three entries in this year’s Voyager’s Award and as the judges considered them all to be of high merit, the task of selecting a winner was not easy. But a winner had to be selected and the judges homed in upon a particularly well-planned cruise by the 49 metre Glaze, which is currently engaged on a circumnavigation with the owners and their young family. The element of this cruise submitted to the jury was in North West Australia, between Wyndham and Broome, where they visited the remote, spectacular and extremely rugged coastline known as The Kimberleys.

This adventure-packed cruise explored the region’s many inlets and rivers, mostly poorly or totally uncharted, and included many sightings of crocodiles and sharks, as well as experiences such as dipping their yacht’s bows in waterfalls tumbling down the vertical red cliffs, whirlpools, tidal rapids, and visits to Aboriginal cave art, and even the well-preserved remains of a DC3 aircraft downed in WWII. This voyage will surely be an inspiration to all who follow.

Six yachts entered this class, all of which were suitable for either superyacht racing or blue water cruising. The judges were therefore faced with a difficult choice in selecting a victor, but after lengthy discussion and careful consideration the secret ballot revealed the winner to be the 39.62 metre, My Song built by Baltic Yachts. Packed with cutting-edge design and technology this yacht was conceived by Nauta, who drew both her eye-catching exterior and her interior, while naval architecture and structural engineering was tackled by Reichel Pugh assisted by Gurit.

In view of this legendary team, the judges were unsurprised that this yacht performs so well on the race track, regularly reaching 20+ knots and boasting a top-speed in excess of 30-knots in optimum conditions. But perhaps more surprising to the judges was that she is also a comfortable, feature-filled cruising yacht with excellent facilities for on-deck and below-deck dining and relaxing, as well as three well-sized ensuite guest cabins, and an admirable crew area for six in the stern.

Both yachts that qualified for this class were of extraordinary size, with one measuring 70 metres LOA and the second a massive 86 metres. The task of deciding the winner had been made easier by the large number of judges that had visited each yacht, but both yachts had impressed them and both yachts performed well under sail, so the decision was still a difficult one. But when the ballot sheets were counted it was the 70 metre Perini Navi Sybaris that triumphed.

Her owner’s chosen designers working with the builder’s own talented in-house teams provided an impressive interpretation of the owner’s request for elegant low-profiled styling, uninterrupted internal volumes, and wide views of the water, and these elements impressed the judges. Realising a sailing yacht of this size called for technical innovation and the judges complemented the builder for the high performance electric winches and furlers that were crucial to this vessel’s sailing ability, while eco-friendly variable-speed generators that keep generator revolutions to a minimum in times of low demand added to the yacht’s appeal.

The appearance of a yacht is always an important factor and the judges were drawn to Gipsy, a three-deck 35 metre aluminium-built yacht, for her clean ‘no nonsense’ exterior lines, together with the highly practical optimisation of her exterior spaces. They also felt that her top speed of 20 knots and 2,000 nautical mile range at a cruising speed of 11-knots further added to this appeal.

A more detailed examination of the yacht revealed a high volume, thoughtfully laid-out interior that positions the dining area forward on the main deck and the owner’s cabin aft of the bridge, and one that also provides good access between the crew and guest areas on the lower deck to aid the servicing of the cabins. A stylishly modern style of interior decoration perfectly complements her exterior lines, particularly the highly functional main saloon that incorporates a movie theatre. The judges considered that this compact but extremely well designed yacht, which completely meets the needs of her experienced owner, is a worthy winner in this class.

This class tested the judges’ analytical skills and every yacht was treated to detailed scrutiny and discussion. Following this, the secret ballot proved the 45 metre Heesen Amore Mio to be their favourite. The judges admired the versatility of this vessel, which offers an unusual blend of 30-knot performance and a 2,750 nautical mile range at its 12-knot cruising speed.

Her owners’ requested a ‘summer house on the sea’ and the judges felt this to be well met, with spacious open decks offering admirable dining and lounging areas on two levels aft, while the foredeck offers additional sun-lounging and seating. With so much space devoted to outside areas, the interior layout had to make intelligent use of every available square metre, and the judges felt that this was achieved without compromising either the guest or crew quarters. The technical aspects of the yacht were also praised, particularly the build quality, the gyro-stabilisers that provide low speed and ‘at anchor’ stability, and the possibility to deploy life preservers at the push of a button.

This class, which contains the largest vessels of the sub-500 gross ton displacement yachts, is always hotly contested and the judges spent a good deal of time examining all aspects of each entrant before completing their secret-ballot sheets. The results showed La Passion, the first vessel to be launched from the Turkish-based SARP Yachts, to be the narrow winner. This is not only a particularly noteworthy achievement for a new yard, but one that rewarded their dedication to ‘getting everything right’ before exhibiting their product.

In the judges’ view, La Passion has steered a well-considered course through the minefield of decisions that lie in the route to a successful yacht. The judges admired almost every aspect of this well-considered vessel, from the world-roaming seaworthiness and efficiency of the hull, to the quality of construction of its steel hull and GRP superstructure and the clean simplicity of its appearance. The layout of the deck areas, and the elegantly modern interior design were also strong points. This new yard has announced its arrival in grand style.

Judges’ Commendation: Domani

The fifth yacht to be built by Benetti for this knowledgeable owner, Domani is an excellent example of good craftsmanship and the yard’s ability to satisfy the owner’s exact wishes. The judges considered her to be worthy of a Commendation.

The rules of the event dictate that should only one yacht be entered in a class, this class is amalgamated with the most appropriate alternative. Dilbar, being the only vessel to qualify for the ‘Displacement Yachts of above 3,000 GT’ class, was therefore placed in the class below. But when it came to judging, the judges decided that it was impossible to fairly decide a winner for this class when Dilbar was seven times larger in terms of Gross Tonnage (a measure of internal volume) than Cloudbreak, the next largest yacht.

A similar situation had occurred in the past when it was decided that a Neptune would only be awarded if the lone yacht was truly worthy of an award, and this precedent was followed. Ten judges had visited Dilbar and they were all sure that not only was she worthy of a Neptune, but she was also the most spectacular yacht they had ever seen. Put to a vote, it was unanimously decided that this award should be presented to Dilbar.

The judges were impressed by the design, build quality and price of Narvalo, which they felt was a perfect example of a ‘pocket explorer yacht’ that combines sought-after characteristics with excellent value for money. Built by Cantiere delle Marche to a design by Nauta and naval architecture by Hydrotec, Narvalo offers all the essential elements of an explorer, including long range, good autonomy in respect of supplies that allows her to remain at sea for extended periods, high internal volume, a sturdy and well equipped 5.5 metre tender and good seaworthiness.

On top of this, she can also fill the role of a traditional motor yacht, with well-sized cabins, an internal dining saloon and two lounges, as well as spacious well considered deck areas. Importantly for a vessel that will remain at sea for long periods, the volume and facilities of the crew spaces provided in a yacht of this size, were also admired by the judges. Finishing second in her class to a much more costly vessel, she is a worthy winner of this award.

Very little quietens a room full of superyacht owners who are debating the merits of superyacht design and construction, and the debate sometimes reaches fever pitch. There was one thing, however, that managed to still them utterly – the remarkable footage of last year’s Voyagers Award winner, Anil Thadani’s latest cruise around the frozen wastes of the Svalbard Archipelago. By employing drones and ensuring that his crew was well stocked with video experts, Anil has managed to produce an absolutely stunning video of his adventure – including being stalked by polar bears, to coming within touching distance of whales and even hula-hooping on ice floes. This is one owner who is not shy to shout about the wonderful world we have to cruise and he demonstrates this in his videos, while offering inspiration and encouragement to any yacht owner who’s ever thought… “what if…”. For his outstanding achievements in the field of video and for making his footage freely available, the judges felt Anil, Shelton Dupreez (an up and coming film maker) and the rest of the crew deserved a special award.

To view The Highest Latitude: An Arctic Svalbard Expedition, please click here.