The winners of the World Superyacht Awards 2018

The winners of the World Superyacht Awards 2018 were announced at a glittering ceremony held at the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence in May 2018. Click through or use the links below to see all the winners.

Refitted Yachts

Rebuilt Yachts

Support Vessels

Sailing Yachts 30m - 49.9m

Sailing Yachts - 50m and Above

Semi-Displacement or Planing Two Deck Motor Yachts - 30m to 34.9m

Semi-Displacement or Planing Two Deck Motor Yachts - 35m and Above

Semi-Displacement or Planing Three Deck Motor Yachts

Displacement Motor Yachts Below 500GT - 30m to 39.9m

Displacement Motor Yachts Below 500GT - 40m and Above

Displacement Motor Yachts Between 500GT and 1,999GT

Displacement Motor Yachts 2,000GT and Above

Sail-Assisted Motor Yachts

Voyager's Award

Judges' Special Award

The Legacy Award

Sailing Yacht of the Year

Motor Yacht of the Year

Built by Feadship, Broadwater took home the Neptune for the refitted yachts category. During the refit the yard installed a completely new interior designed by Adam Voorhees, added a sixth stateroom, created a dining/living space aft of the bridge, installed an exterior gym and spa, and created a beach club in her stern. Technical aspects were also upgraded and modernised.

These included the AV system, the conversion of all areas to LED lighting, and the installation of updated navigation and safety systems throughout. In addition, the original ‘Flume Tank’ passive anti-roll system was removed, releasing internal volume that was reassigned to storage space. The yacht also received a full exterior repaint, changing her hull colour from white to blue, and a new set of tenders and water toys. The judges were impressed that this extensive work list had been carried out on Broadwater in just eight months, and admired both the quality of workmanship and the modern design of the new interior that rejuvenated a deserving yacht. They also commented that the change in hull colour served to hide windows and portlights giving the yacht a cleaner and more sophisticated appearance.

Judges’ Commendation: White Star

White Star has now been dramatically reborn and was considered eminently worthy of a Judges’ Commendation.

This yacht was not only judged to be extremely well designed and constructed, but was considered to be a yacht that could ably fulfill the specific superyacht racing and fast cruising roles that her highly experienced owners had requested. The judges admired many aspects of this dual-role yacht, but her well-planned general arrangement plan, equitably divided between the aft crew area and forward guest area with no noticeable intrusion from technical aspects such as her lifting centerboard, and her futuristic glass-topped saloon that fills the yacht with light, were the prime examples.

Following in close succession were the excellent quality of her construction and her admirably modern style of interior decoration while, last, but in no way least, the judges noted her excellent sailing qualities that were ably demonstrated by her class victory in the Rolex Cup last September.

Judges' Commendation: Svea

During the judges’ discussions on this class, it became clear that Svea, built to the J-Class Rule, one of the most elegant yacht in this year’s awards, while her racing performance in her class has also been outstanding. It was, therefore, unanimously agreed that Judges’ Commendation should be awarded.

Three similarly sized blue-water cruising yachts competed in this class, two sloops and a ketch. Each was a beautifully constructed and highly practical example of their breed, and this served to stimulate a thorough discussion among the judges, whose opinions were finally reflected in the judging sheets.

Built from carbon fibre and displacing just 250 tonnes, Pink Gin's hull and rig were considered to be a triumph of structural engineering in that her fore and aft deflection is a mere 76mm, despite a 300-tonne rig loading imposed by her 68-metre high carbon mast. While contributing enormously to the practicality and functionality of the yacht, the two large hull openings – a guest’s boarding platform to port and a balcony in the master cabin forward – further added to the complexity of this engineering. Other notable technology was her ‘force feedback steering’ power-assisted system that operating over a wireless link, provides the helmsman with an accurate assessment of the yacht’s trim and balance.

Judges' Commendation: Ngoni

There was no doubt among the judges that Ngoni is a superb sailing yacht, having been designed and built to the very highest standards seen today. To recognise such perfection, they had no hesitation in awarding her a Judges’ Commendation.

Once again it was modern lines, bright and tranquil interior spaces, and impressive performance that attracted the judges’ attention to the winner of this class, the 33 metre Custom Line Navetta 33, Telli. Her sleek contemporary exterior lines incorporate excellent deck spaces on three levels with optimum sunbathing, dining and lounging areas, while the builders’ desire to create a seamless join between deck and interior has meant that the volume of both appears to be greatly enhanced.

The judges admired much of the detail that added to this effect, including the manner in which the aft deck’s teak planking continues without interruption into the main deck saloon through floor-to-deckhead sliding windows. Among other design features appreciated by the judges were the interior’s contemporary yet classic decorative style, the sense of calm induced by the high level of insulation against sound and vibration, and the volume of the owner’s cabin. Additionally, the ingenious ‘dual movement’ design of the stern door made it possible to combine a splendid beach club with a simple to operate ‘drive-in’ tender garage. 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.

There were some excellent entries in this competitive class but, while the result was close, the judges were almost of one mind in selecting the winner as Seven Sins, the newest addition to the Sanlorenzo stable.

The owner declared an immediate love for the elegant, sculpted lines of this yacht when he first saw a model at a show and, like the judges, he was not disappointed when he first saw the vessel in reality. But elegance of line was not the only attribute that drew the judges’ attention. Huge outdoor spaces provide choices for relaxing and dining in both shade and sun, while the main deck aft is put to excellent use with a huge pool, whose innovative glass bottom transmits light to the superb beach club beneath. This lower deck area spans the yacht’s full-beam, opening to the sea on three sides, while the central floor lowers to allow the tender to enter through the stern. Adjacent are a sauna and hammam.

The judges also admired the yacht’s contemporary interior that, lit through huge windows, provides incredible exterior views. In the opinion of the judges, the way in which Sanlorenzo have packed so many modern and desirable features into a 52 metre package has created one of the best semi-custom vessels of this size in today’s marketplace.

The 73.4 metre Feadship Hasna claimed the highest position on the podium in this next category. With hull design by Feadship’s De Voogt Naval Architects, Hasna was built by Royal Van Lent in Feadship’s Kaag Island facility, while both exterior and interior design were undertaken by RWD, whose brief was to create a fully-featured family yacht.

The judges admired her exterior lines as well as the practical layout of her decks, which offer convivial seating, dining and relaxation areas as well as a large Jacuzzi on the sun deck and an 8-metre swimming pool on the main deck. Her interior is distinguished by well-proportioned public spaces, including a beach club and cinema, while good provision is also made for crew and service areas. The judges were particularly impressed with the high quality of the yacht’s construction and finish throughout, from the fairness of the hull and the perfection of the interior build right through to the technical installation.

There was little doubt among the judges that Aviva is not only extremely well built, but a very special yacht. From first sight, her flowing modern lines and attractive hull colour draws one’s attention but the thrill continues for those privileged to see her interior, which is perfectly customised to the needs of an owner who lives aboard full time. Flowing lines also dominate an agreeable general arrangement plan, but the most unexpected feature is the padel court (one third the size of an LTA court) that sits at the heart of her lower deck, a quite unique facility that is used every day by the owner, guests or crew. So many judges were enthusiastic about this yacht - a close runner-up in this class - that the award of a Neptune in the form of a Judges’ Special Award was proposed and readily accepted by the whole jury.

The Sailing Yacht of the Year is chosen from those yachts that won the individual sailing yacht classes and this year the competition was between Ribelle and Pink Gin. In the eyes of the judges, both of these vessels represented the current peak of sailing yacht design and construction, and they encountered some difficulty in choosing between them.

In the end, it was Pink Gin that prevailed, mainly due to the advanced structural engineering employed by the designer, judel/vrolijk and her builder, Baltic Yachts in creating a 53.9 metre epoxy-carbon cored hull with two large shell doors capable of withstanding the considerable forces imposed by a carbon mast with a 69.5 metre air draft. Although not intended for racing, her owner requested excellent sailing performance combined with minimum angle of heel, and this translated to a displacement of just 250-tonnes - extremely light for a cruising vessel. Reflecting her main use as a high performance global cruising yacht, Pink Gin has ample sail area to perform well in the lightest of breezes as well as in brisker conditions, when she is able to achieve speeds of up to 20-knots. In the judges view, Pink Gin is a yacht incorporating highly advanced design and technology that perfectly reflects her owner’s wishes. As such, she is a worthy winner of the Sailing Yacht of the Year award.

The winners of the World Superyacht Awards 2018 were announced at a glittering ceremony held at the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence in May 2018. Click through to see all the winners.

This year, eight 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 Faith had to take the title.

Not only did her owner expect new standards in design and construction to create an aesthetically pleasing vessel, but also in novel glass technology. The nine-metre long and 2.5-metre deep swimming pool on the main deck aft, for example, has a 68mm curved glass bottom, constructed by laminating five layers of glass interspersed by a clear foil. More obviously, the cap rail is supported by glass to avoid the ‘fussy’ appearance of multiple stanchions. Many other features also attracted the judges’ eyes, including the three-metre high skylight dome in the master stateroom, and a wood-burning pizza oven on the top deck – a seemingly simple installation but one that required advanced design to clean soot and other particles from its smoke. A combination of elegance, style, and the highest quality of design and construction, this yacht is a worthy winner of this prized trophy.