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.

The choice of Sailing Yacht of the Year was between two very different yachts – My Song, the extremely fast yet at the same time elegant racer/cruiser that has already demonstrated its winning abilities in competition, and Sybaris, an ultra-large yacht designed to cruise the extremities of the world in comfort. It was a difficult decision, but when the ballot was counted it was Sybaris that came out on top, being a ground-breaking world class sailing yacht.

Sybaris not only impressed the judges with its sailing ability – particularly in light airs when many yachts of this size resort to mechanical power – but also in the yacht’s supreme comfort and optimum division of internal volume that entirely suits the owner’s needs. Some technical innovations have already been mentioned, but there are more in that the sail plan, rig and underwater appendages were subjected to extensive CFD testing, which allowed detailed optimisation of rig, hull shape and appendages. Beautiful, capable, comfortable, and technically advanced this is a yacht that was considered supreme for its purpose.

This year’s event saw eight yachts enter the Refit Class. The judges noted that while all had been subjected to worthy ‘end of season’ maintenance, repair and improvement, they were seeking a winner from among those who had either completed visionary upgrades, or whose endeavours had resulted in significant improvements.

The entry that stood out from the crowd was that carried out to the 85 metre Aquila, formerly Cakewalk, whose owners chose to refit an existing yacht to suit their anticipated use and decorative taste, rather than wait five years for a new-build to be delivered. At the same time the yacht’s five-year survey and significant technical upgrades were also undertaken. This extensive work, undertaken by Pendennis Shipyard in Falmouth, England, with interior design and decoration by RWD and Susan Young Interiors over a twelve month period was, in the judges opinion carried out to exemplary standards, with the result fully meeting the owners brief. Today, unrecognisable from her former self, Aquila is the pride of her new owners.

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.

The judges commented that this was a diverse class comprised of ultra high-speed two-deck sports boats, as well as raised pilot house and three-deck vessels, thus increasing the difficulty of comparing individual yachts. Additionally, three of the yachts were of the same basic design that inevitably required the judges to consider the individual style of interior decoration in more detail than usual. The yacht that came to the fore following the usual secret-ballot vote was Botti, a 32.6 metre raised pilot house design, built from advanced composites by Monte Carlo Yachts.

Her elegant exterior design permits a large bimini-covered sundeck with dining and lounging and a second dining area on the main deck aft, while the design makes use of the foredeck as a further lounging space and cinema. A sizeable bathing platform adds to the appeal. Inside, the judges admired the clean, practical lines and subdued decorative scheme. The technical spaces were considered well-constructed, especially the engine room that houses twin MTU diesels and practical gyro-stabilisers that afford low speed stability.

Judges’ Commendation: Kohuba

The judges felt that Kohuba demonstrated Princess Yacht’s commitment to delivering a vessel of custom-built standards in a semi-custom series, and felt that this yard deserved praise for its high quality design and build process.

Judges’ Commendation: Spectre

This stylish yacht’s top speed of over 50-knots wowed the panel, as did Spectre's superb finish. To pack so much power into a solid yet lightweight platform is difficult, and the judges commended them for this achievement.

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 vessel is an example of a newly developed category of fast yachts whose hull form provides optimum performance at both full displacement speeds and well above. Whether this 30-knot yacht has a full-displacement or a semi-displacement hull is arguable, but it has been placed in the Semi-Displacement Class for this event because, being a high performance vessel, she shares a semi-displacement yacht’s need for lightness of construction, in that any excess of weight will seriously detract from her performance.

Given this decision, the judges also felt that, because Galactica Super Nova is 20 metres longer than the next largest yacht in her class and therefore able to pack in far more luxury, it was impossible to compare her with the smaller boats. She was, therefore, put into her own category and the judges applied the test of whether she is worthy of a Neptune. In view of her build quality, appearance and high level of superb facilities, she passed this test with flying colours and was rewarded with a Neptune.

Explorer yachts are often given this name by virtue of their styling, rather than their suitability for long range expeditions in all climates. But the judges found X to be a true explorer – a rugged yacht with a good range that carries the tenders and equipment required for the owner and his family to cross the largest oceans and explore the world in comfort and safety.

This well constructed, steel and aluminium vessel is powered by twin 970kW Caterpillar diesels that provide a 15.5 knot top speed, while her 14 knot cruising speed provides the 4,000 nautical mile range necessary for her trans-ocean role. While the main deck aft is devoted to tenders and PWCs, the remaining two decks provide the usual facilities for open air living in a mild climate while in adverse weather, large saloon windows allow guests to view the scenery in comfort. The judges also admired the crew areas that provide accommodation for up to eight as well as ample storage and laundry facilities. This, they believe, is a well-conceived explorer.

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.

It was not easy for the judges to select a winner in this class, but the combination of dynamic looks, forward-thinking design and excellence of construction eventually focused their attention on Joy. This yacht’s exterior styling, incorporating many scalloped surfaces and spacious decks, could not have been easy to construct, while the huge expanses of glass would also have tested the builder. But both elements have added to the appeal of this strikingly modern yacht.

The Judges were particularly impressed with the manner in which all three aft decks could be enclosed with full-height sliding glass panels, thus increasing the interior volume in times of inclement weather. The judges also felt that the interior designer, responding to the owner’s request for a home rather than hotel, created an enviable blend of comfortable modernism and striking design. Technical innovation – in the form of an active noise attenuation system for the gearboxes that keeps internal noise levels much lower than usual when underway - was also praised by the judges.