Revealed: The 24 winners of the World Superyacht Awards 2016

While the finalists in this class were all within a couple of metres LOA, they were, perhaps, the most diverse of any of the motor yacht classes up for accolades as they displayed a particularly wide range of hull construction materials. These included all-steel, all-aluminium, steel and aluminium, steel and wood, and GRP and aluminium, as well as both solid and cored GRP.

But despite this diversity the judges soon homed in to Sibelle, a 49.9-metre Heesen motor yacht with avant garde exterior lines from Omega Architects. Her Fast Displacement Hull Form, designed by Van Oossanen Naval Architects, is claimed to provide good fuel economy as well as a higher top speed than can be achieved by traditional displacement hulls, while the pair of spray rails that wrap the bow have eased the issue of spray in plumb-bowed yachts.

In the judges’ eyes, these facts, combined with high-quality construction throughout and well-reasoned deck and interior areas, made Sibelle a worthy winner.

Length: 49.9m

Builder:  Heesen Yachts

Naval Architect: Van Oossanen Naval Architects

Exterior Design: AB Studio/ Omega Architects

Interior Design: AB Studio/Omega Architects

With every yacht in this class having received top marks from at least one judge, it was a tough job to choose exactly which of the worthy entries should receive the Neptune. While it was recognised that each of the yachts displayed some extremely good attributes, the secret ballot resulted in a win for 11.11 – its unusual name derived from the date of birth of the owner’s child.

At its heart, 11.11 is very much intended as a family yacht. Despite being near completion when purchased, the owner was able to put his distinct stamp on this vessel thanks to the cooperation and flexibility of the yacht’s builder, Benetti. The eight judges who had viewed the yacht felt that 11.11 was the best product ever to come from this yard. This high opinion helped sway opinion and was a deciding factor in choosing this as the winner, along with her elegant and modern lines, excellent machinery spaces, high level of amenities for her owner and his guests, excellent crew and service areas, and glamorous, Art Deco-inspired interior.

Length: 63m

Builder:  Benetti

Naval Architect: Benetti

Exterior Design: Benetti

Interior Design:  Owners' private design team

This class, which contains the largest of the yachts entered for the World Superyacht Awards, saw just two yachts qualifying as finalists. Both, however, were so extraordinary that the judges initially anticipated that choosing a winner might be difficult. But as each aspect of the two contestants was scrutinised in greater detail, it became clear that the Feadship-built Symphony had edged into the lead. Not only did the judges consider this 101.5-metre motor yacht to have stunningly beautiful exterior lines, but they also admired the division of her interior spaces and the incredible quality and attention to detail that had been invested in all areas.

The builder had also successfully addressed many challenging technical issues that had arisen from both the requirements of her owner, as well as from the new PYC code to which the yacht is built. This yacht is a remarkable story of design, craftsmanship and technological innovation that has been cleverly combined to totally satisfy the owner’s requirements.

Length: 101.5m

Builder: Feadship

Naval Architect: Feadship De Voogt Naval Architects

Exterior Design:  Tim Heywood

Interior Design:  Francois Zuretti/ Peter Marino

The judges select the Motor Yacht of the Year from among the winners of all nine motor yacht classes, but despite this wide choice they had little difficulty choosing the 83.5-metre Feadship, Savannah for this accolade.

Not only is this an inspirationally elegant yacht, but its quality of design and construction - right down to the last detail – demonstrated the level of craftsmanship to which many aspire but few achieve. Beyond these attributes was its pioneering propulsion package - the first of its type - blending a single diesel engine driving an oversized propeller, while three gensets power an azimuthing thruster positioned just aft of the diesel-driven propeller. In normal drive mode, the azimuthing thruster faces forward, contra-rotating with the aft-facing propeller to attain a high level of efficiency, while when manoeuvring or in DPS mode the thrusters can be rotated to provide the necessary thrust in whatever direction.

This incredible yacht that excels in all aspects is a worthy winner of the Motor Yacht of the Year Award.

Length: 83.5m

Builder: Feadship

Naval Architect: Feadship De Voogt Naval Architects

Exterior Design: CG Design/Feadship De Voogt Naval Architects

Interior Design: CG Design