{"id":82825,"date":"2025-12-22T11:16:51","date_gmt":"2025-12-22T16:16:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/?page_id=82825"},"modified":"2026-01-05T13:41:17","modified_gmt":"2026-01-05T18:41:17","slug":"boat-of-the-year-2025","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/boat-of-the-year-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Boat of the Year 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"82825\" class=\"elementor elementor-82825\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-0e9ca6a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"0e9ca6a\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-fec3002\" data-id=\"fec3002\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-786a711 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"786a711\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1>Boat of the Year 2025 Awards<\/h1><p>From a starting dozen nominees, five Boat of the Year 2025 nominees emerge as the defining performance sailing designs for those looking for a new ride in the new year.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-64aa6ba elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"64aa6ba\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f606ba9\" data-id=\"f606ba9\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-741f03c elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"741f03c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Club_Swan_28-0999.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-82833\" alt=\"Boat of the Year 2025\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Club_Swan_28-0999.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Club_Swan_28-0999-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Club_Swan_28-0999-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Club_Swan_28-0999-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Club_Swan_28-0999-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8371b0b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"8371b0b\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-8f0c738\" data-id=\"8f0c738\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7be2883 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7be2883\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p data-renderer-start-pos=\"471\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The server hands me a pile of white paper napkins. I am crammed into a high-backed booth inside a strip-mall barbeque joint in Annapolis, Md., alongside our Boat of the Year judges: Monica Morgan, Mike Ingham and Dobbs Davis. Between them and Erik Shampain earlier in the year, they have sailed 17 new boats in two sessions and talked about them for hours. It\u2019s decision time, but here at the table, they cannot all agree on an overall winner. Before they even get to look at the dessert menu, they have to agree. That\u2019s the rule. Votes are cast, and the nod, 2-1, goes to the ClubSwan 28, a sophisticated sportboat that sold the judges across the basic criteria: what it\u2019s for, how it\u2019s built and ultimately how it sails on its test day. The ClubSwan 28, the judges agree, checks all the boxes. Not to steal its thunder, four other boats do as well, but there can be one Boat of the Year.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e33e1d3 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e33e1d3\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2f54f08\" data-id=\"2f54f08\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-94df2eb elementor-widget elementor-widget-bonnier-ads-middle-ad\" data-id=\"94df2eb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"bonnier-ads-middle-ad.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<div id=\"bonnier-ads-middle-1-ad\" class=\"bonnier-ads-middle\">\n  <div class=\"ad-label\">\n  Advertisement\n<\/div>  <div id=\"gpt-passback-middle1\" class=\"bonnier-ad\">\n    <script>\n      var lazyAdMiddle1 = {};\n      lazyAdMiddle1.id = \"gpt-passback-middle1\";\n      lazyAdMiddle1.callback = function () {\n        googletag.cmd.push(function() {\n          var bonnierAdMiddleSlot1 = googletag\n            .defineSlot(\n              '\/22595167374\/sailingworld',\n              [[970, 250], [728, 90], [300, 250], [320, 50]],\n              'gpt-passback-middle1'\n            )\n            .addService(googletag.pubads())\n            .setTargeting('pos', 'middle1');\n\n          var middleMapping = googletag.sizeMapping()\n            .addSize([1615, 0], [[970, 250], [728, 90]])\n            .addSize([1295, 0], [[728, 90]])\n            .addSize([1010, 0], [[300, 250]])\n            .addSize([780, 0], [[728, 90]])\n            .addSize([0, 0], [[336, 280], [300, 250], [320, 50]])\n            .build();\n\n          bonnierAdMiddleSlot1.defineSizeMapping(middleMapping);\n\n          apstag.fetchBids(\n            { slots: [bonnierAdMiddleSlot1], timeout: 2000 }, \n            function(bids) {\n              apstag.setDisplayBids(); \n              googletag.pubads().refresh([bonnierAdMiddleSlot1]);\n            }\n          );\n\n          googletag.display('gpt-passback-middle1');\n        });\n      };\n\n      lazyAds.push(lazyAdMiddle1);\n    <\/script>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-b025c94 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"b025c94\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f794622\" data-id=\"f794622\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ce833ae elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"ce833ae\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4e7873e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4e7873e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 style=\"color: #000000; text-align: center;\">2025 Boat of the Year Winner<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-34997b4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"34997b4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/sailboats\/clubswan-28-boat-of-the-year\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/elementor\/thumbs\/Club_Swan_28-1278-rgjkq6cknxe9ufn9zgapeuqweew5yarzsf6v5eqyxw.jpg\" title=\"Club_Swan_28-1278\" alt=\"ClubSwan 28\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8a21179 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8a21179\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">ClubSwan 28<\/h2><p style=\"text-align: center;\">With its ClubSwan 28, Nautor Swan crams a bunch of grand-prix sophistication into a pint-sized sportboat.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dafd4d8 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"dafd4d8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/sailboats\/clubswan-28-boat-of-the-year\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Click Here To READ MORE<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2bb39a2 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2bb39a2\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-68ece7b\" data-id=\"68ece7b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0daf8d4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"0daf8d4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c6891f0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c6891f0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Winners by Category<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-9b07d0a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"9b07d0a\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b64f0c4\" data-id=\"b64f0c4\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1b52be8 elementor-grid-1 elementor-grid-tablet-2 elementor-grid-mobile-1 elementor-posts--thumbnail-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-posts\" data-id=\"1b52be8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;classic_columns&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;classic_columns_tablet&quot;:&quot;2&quot;,&quot;classic_columns_mobile&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;classic_row_gap&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:35,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;classic_row_gap_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;classic_row_gap_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"posts.classic\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-posts-container elementor-posts elementor-posts--skin-classic elementor-grid\">\n\t\t\t\t<article class=\"elementor-post elementor-grid-item post-82844 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-sailboats tag-2025-boat-of-the-year tag-boat-of-the-year tag-melges tag-sailboats tag-winter-2026\">\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-post__thumbnail__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/sailboats\/2025-boat-of-the-year-best-dinghy-melges-19\/\" tabindex=\"-1\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__thumbnail\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/M19-0220-1024x682.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-82846\" alt=\"Melges 19\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/M19-0220-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/M19-0220-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/M19-0220-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/M19-0220-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/M19-0220.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__text\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-post__title\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/sailboats\/2025-boat-of-the-year-best-dinghy-melges-19\/\" >\n\t\t\t\t2025 Boat of the Year Best Dinghy: Melges 19\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__excerpt\">\n\t\t\t<p>Melges adds a triple-hander to their lineup for the high-performance sailing family.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-0664cc5\" data-id=\"0664cc5\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f3f6130 elementor-grid-1 elementor-grid-tablet-2 elementor-grid-mobile-1 elementor-posts--thumbnail-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-posts\" data-id=\"f3f6130\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;classic_columns&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;classic_columns_tablet&quot;:&quot;2&quot;,&quot;classic_columns_mobile&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;classic_row_gap&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:35,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;classic_row_gap_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;classic_row_gap_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"posts.classic\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-posts-container elementor-posts elementor-posts--skin-classic elementor-grid\">\n\t\t\t\t<article class=\"elementor-post elementor-grid-item post-82851 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-sailboats tag-2025-boat-of-the-year tag-boat-of-the-year tag-dragonfly tag-sailboats tag-winter-2026\">\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-post__thumbnail__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/sailboats\/2025-boat-of-the-year-best-multihull-dragonfly-36\/\" tabindex=\"-1\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__thumbnail\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Dragonfly-0119-1024x682.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-82852\" alt=\"Dragonfly 36\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Dragonfly-0119-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Dragonfly-0119-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Dragonfly-0119-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Dragonfly-0119-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Dragonfly-0119.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__text\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-post__title\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/sailboats\/2025-boat-of-the-year-best-multihull-dragonfly-36\/\" >\n\t\t\t\t2025 Boat of the Year Best Multihull: Dragonfly 36\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__excerpt\">\n\t\t\t<p>This luxury do-it-all trimaran takes short-handed multihull sailing to a better place.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4f71aee elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4f71aee\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-bcfd4b3\" data-id=\"bcfd4b3\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-de7f2ca elementor-grid-1 elementor-grid-tablet-2 elementor-grid-mobile-1 elementor-posts--thumbnail-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-posts\" data-id=\"de7f2ca\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;classic_columns&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;classic_columns_tablet&quot;:&quot;2&quot;,&quot;classic_columns_mobile&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;classic_row_gap&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:35,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;classic_row_gap_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;classic_row_gap_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"posts.classic\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-posts-container elementor-posts elementor-posts--skin-classic elementor-grid\">\n\t\t\t\t<article class=\"elementor-post elementor-grid-item post-82853 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-sailboats tag-2025-boat-of-the-year tag-birdyfish tag-boat-of-the-year tag-foiling tag-foiling-sailboats tag-sailboats\">\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-post__thumbnail__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/sailboats\/2025-boat-of-the-year-best-dinghy-birdyfish-s\/\" tabindex=\"-1\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Birdyfish-S-1004-1024x682.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-82856\" alt=\"BirdyFish S\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Birdyfish-S-1004-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Birdyfish-S-1004-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Birdyfish-S-1004-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Birdyfish-S-1004-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Birdyfish-S-1004.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__text\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-post__title\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/sailboats\/2025-boat-of-the-year-best-dinghy-birdyfish-s\/\" >\n\t\t\t\t2025 Boat of the Year Best Foiler: BirdyFish S\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__excerpt\">\n\t\t\t<p>One up, two up, this foiler worked perfectly. Simple design, high quality build and no snorkel required.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-0f7de9f\" data-id=\"0f7de9f\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8eaef19 elementor-grid-1 elementor-grid-tablet-2 elementor-grid-mobile-1 elementor-posts--thumbnail-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-posts\" data-id=\"8eaef19\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;classic_columns&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;classic_columns_tablet&quot;:&quot;2&quot;,&quot;classic_columns_mobile&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;classic_row_gap&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:35,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;classic_row_gap_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;classic_row_gap_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"posts.classic\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-posts-container elementor-posts elementor-posts--skin-classic elementor-grid\">\n\t\t\t\t<article class=\"elementor-post elementor-grid-item post-82860 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-sailboats tag-2025-boat-of-the-year tag-boat-of-the-year tag-saffier tag-sailboats\">\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-post__thumbnail__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/sailboats\/2025-boat-of-the-year-best-club-racer-saffier-24-lite\/\" tabindex=\"-1\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Saffier_24_Lite-0681-1024x682.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-82862\" alt=\"Saffier Lite 24\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Saffier_24_Lite-0681-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Saffier_24_Lite-0681-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Saffier_24_Lite-0681-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Saffier_24_Lite-0681-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Saffier_24_Lite-0681.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__text\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-post__title\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/sailboats\/2025-boat-of-the-year-best-club-racer-saffier-24-lite\/\" >\n\t\t\t\t2025 Boat of the Year Best Club Racer: Saffier 24 Lite\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post__excerpt\">\n\t\t\t<p>For turning corners with the twilight fleet and turning heads on the harbor cruise, there\u2019s the Saffier 24 Lite.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2c1b512 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2c1b512\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-10722f1\" data-id=\"10722f1\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5340ddc elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"5340ddc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a4d9b13 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a4d9b13\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">The 2025 Boat of the Year Team<\/h2><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Judges:<\/strong> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Monica Morgan, Mike Ingham and Dobbs Davis<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: center;\" data-renderer-start-pos=\"1275\"><strong>Boat of the Year Director:<\/strong> Dave Reed<\/p><p style=\"text-align: center;\" data-renderer-start-pos=\"1313\"><strong>Official RIB Supplier:<\/strong> Club Coach Boats<\/p><p style=\"text-align: center;\" data-renderer-start-pos=\"1313\"><strong>Photography:<\/strong> Walter Cooper<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5bb582b e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"5bb582b\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-155187c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"155187c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Boat of the Year testing was conducted in February in St. Petersburg, Florida and Annapolis, Maryland, this year, allowing for a broader fleet of entries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><h3>Performance Dinghies<\/h3><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bigger, roomier and sportier on the water than it looks on the dock, the Fusion 2 is designed to get new sailing adults excited and learning. The judges agreed that it sails great and would appeal to clubs and families.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Maverick is the multitool of watersports. For sailing, there are inflatable seats and it tracks upwind just fine. Pop in the windsurf rig or practice your wing technique. No wind? Bust out the SUP paddle. For waterside living, this 10-foot, 95-pound dinghy will entertain all summer.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A gem of a dinghy from Mackay Boats, the VX Two was the top boat from our BOTY session in St. Pete. The judges described it as perfect in every way, a sophisticated but simple skiff-style dinghy for more experienced sailors.<\/span><\/p><h3>Foilers<\/h3><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The IODA is a 10-foot foiler that the judges felt was challenging to sail as first-timers. It\u2019s better suited for smaller and more nimble sailors. The judges felt that the BirdyFish S was far easier to sail and more versatile.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The BirdyFish Race was a contender from our St. Pete session. It\u2019s a bigger scow-shaped craft than the BirdyFish S, and it was praised for its excellent construction, robust foils and the ability to sail two-up and share the fun. The Race\u2019s gennaker takes the fun factor up a big notch.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><h3>Club Racers<\/h3><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The J\/7 made its BOTY debut in St. Pete in February, and in the lighter conditions, without a spinnaker, it was difficult for the judges to really assess the true performance of the boat. As a targeted multipurpose boat,\u00a0 it has all the traits of a J Boat: lightweight, roomy, responsive and great upwind.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The development of the Storm 18 was thorough and the result is a legitimate multipurpose boat that\u2019s built to last the abuses of adult sailing lessons, club team racing and recreational sailing. The judges praised the boat\u2019s performance and versatility, but the demo tested in St. Petersburg was not yet perfected. Production is now apace, however, with several U.S. yacht clubs committed to fleets.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p><h3>Crossovers<\/h3><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the Beneteau First 30\u2019s highly refined hull and obsessive attention to detail with weight management, the engineers and builders at Beneteau have delivered what they tout as the first in a new genre of \u201cplaning cruisers.\u201d Belowdecks is a weekender-worthy interior, and on deck, the sail-control systems and cockpit ergonomics all add up to make it an excellent platform for coastal and shorthanded races, especially courses with predominant downwind angles where its planing attributes can deliver.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Argentinian-built Zonda Z28 follows the award-winning Z24, selected as the 2024 Best Recreational Racer. Whereas the Z24 was light and sporty, however, the 28 is much more of a cruiser-leaning design. With a lot of interior volume, an electrified lifting keel and a retractable transom-hung carbon rudder for shallow-water venues, the judges noted it being well-priced and well-built. With the rig out of tune for the test, they did, however, have helm control issues in the day\u2019s 15-knot breeze.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p><h3>Multihulls<\/h3><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the most sophisticated HH Catamaran ever tested as part of Boat of the Year, the HH52 delivered an exceptional sailing experience for the judges who praised it for its ergonomics and systems. Whatever the sail combination or angle, the judges said, the feel on the tiller was sensational as was the level of detail in the construction and execution. As a multimillion-dollar catamaran loaded with performance features, it will make many a happy owner.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 15-foot inflatable Happy Cat Star Carbon is one not to be overlooked by adventure-race fanatics. Super durable rubber tubes for the hulls and a carbon frame to keep it all stiff and fast made for high-speed and thrilling test for the judges. With a gennaker deployed, they had the fun-meter pegged. The entire boat breaks down into duffel bags, and the accessories list from Grabner, the builder in Germany, is extensive.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After a stunning session on the Happy Cat, the judges were left wanting on the MiniCat 520 Explorer, which did not have the same level of stiffness or balance. As a recreational inflatable catamaran, they didn\u2019t feel it was suited for serious adventure racing.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Boat of the Year 2025 Awards From a starting dozen nominees, five Boat of the Year 2025 nominees emerge as the defining performance sailing designs for those looking for a new ride in the new year. The server hands me a pile of white paper napkins. I am crammed into a high-backed booth inside a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":76586,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"BS_author_type":"BS_author_is_guest","BS_guest_author_name":"","BS_guest_author_url":"","hydra_display_date":"","hydra_display_updated":false,"_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"160","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Sailing World's 2023 Boat of the Year judging team tested eleven of the latest performance sailing models to select its finalists.","_yoast_wpseo_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","arc_story_id":"","arc_website_url":"","custom_permalink":"","arc_subtype":"","arc_exclude_from_feeds":false,"sponsored":false,"sponsored_label":"","sponsored_display_label":false,"sponsored_image":0,"post_right_rail":false,"post_right_rail_ad_1":false,"post_right_rail_ad_2":false,"post_right_rail_ad_3":false,"post_right_rail_ad_4":false,"post_right_rail_recirc":false,"fixed_anchor_ad":true,"post_top_ad":false,"post_off_ramp":false,"post_taboola":false,"labels":false,"footnotes":"","ad_targeting":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-82825","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/82825","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=82825"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/82825\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/76586"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=82825"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=82825"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=82825"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}