Winners of the 2020 Motor Boat Awards revealed

The winners of the 2020 Motor Boat Awards were announced last night at the Intercontinental Hotel Düsseldorf. We explain why they came out on top in their respective categories. Sportsboats and RIBs Finalists Beneteau Flyer 8 Sundeck Brig Eagle 8 Brig Eagle 10 Chris-Craft 28 Launch GT Greenline NEO Highfield HX76 Hydrolift 26 Jeanneau Cap Camarat 7.5 DC S2 Nimbus T9 Winner: Brig Eagle 8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVf6Th5wTcQ The Brig Eagle 8 demonstrates just how far RIBs have come – they’ve been transformed from tough workhorses to desirable and very practical leisure boats.

With sociable seating around a slot-in table aft and a convertible sunpad forward, the Brig is a comfortable companion when on anchor, ensuring guests can stretch out and relax. For long days out on the water the heads incorporated within the centre console makes life far more comfortable and means you don’t have to worry about being within easy reach of facilities on land.

To drive, the Eagle 8 feels immensely safe, stable and sturdy, which is exactly what you want from a family boat like this. It may not be quite as exhilarating to drive as the more extreme performance RIBs but with a single 300hp Suzuki outboard it will comfortably manage 40 knots flat out and cruise anywhere from 20 knots to the mid-30s.

For someone taking their first steps out on the water or an experienced boater looking for a capable day boat, the Eagle 8’s combination of practicality, safety and value for money make it a very attractive all-round package.

Highly commended: Jeanneau Cap Camarat 7.5 DC S2 Marrying ingenuity with laudable quality, the DC S2 is one of the best in Jeanneau’s range.

Superboats Sponsored by Finalists Brabus Shadow 500 Black Ops Iguana X100 Fairline F//Line 33 Hinckley R34 Princess R35 Sunseeker Hawk 38 Winner: Fairline F//Line 33 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efvjiG1ThYM One of the big British yards building a performance-focused sportsboat would be interesting enough but for Sunseeker , Princess and Fairline to do so in the same year and with such different styles of machine made judging this category extremely exciting but equally challenging. One boat stands out, however.

When Fairline released early drawings of the F//Line 33 it appeared too good to be true. Alberto Mancini styling, 50-knot performance and Fairline quality all for a price that didn’t bring tears to your eyes. Thankfully the finished product lived up to the billing and proved to be even more thrilling to drive than the bare statistics had promised.

The twin 480hp V8s deliver muscle boat performance but sterndrives and an excellent J&J hull are what make the boat so enjoyable to drive. Its performance is accessible and of the new crop of British sportsboats its combination of a versatile main deck and roomy accommodation make it the most usable of the trio. The fact this is the least expensive of the three sweetens the deal.

Sportscruiser up to 40ft Sponsored by Finalists Galeon 335 HTS Jeanneau Leader 33 Marex 360CC Pardo 38 Sealine C390 Winner: Galeon 335 HTS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoNj6M5nHVg Galeon’s Transformer-style flybridges have been grabbing headlines and gongs in equal measure in recent years but the 335 HTS demonstrates that the Polish outfit is just as adept at building solid, well-priced and stylish weekenders.

Its two-cabin accommodation is spacious enough to keep two couples comfortable for extended cruises and, despite being at the smaller end of Galeon’s range, the fit and finish is on a par with larger stuff in the stable. It’s reassuring to know that a customer buying a Galeon of this size will enjoy the same levels of quality as someone who is buying one with an extra decimal point in the starting price.

On deck, though space is at a premium, it is used wisely and peppered with practical touches like an abundance of deck storage and an engineroom with excellent access for daily checks and more in depth servicing works.

At sea it is confidence-inspiring and predictable, sure to see you and your family back to base safely, even in tough conditions. With a starting price of just over £200,000 with twin engines on sterndrives, it’s hard to think of a better way for a family to expand their cruising horizons.

Highly commended: Marex 360CC This is one of the cleverest boats we tested last year, designed with the sort of ingenuity and attention to detail that the Scandinavians are rightly known for.

Sportscruiser over 40ft Sponsored by Finalists Azimut Atlantis 45 Fjord 44 Coupe Palm Beach GT50 Riva Dolceriva Wallytender 48 Winner: Palm Beach GT50 In a world where interior volume is king, the Palm Beach, refuses to follow the crowd and puts dynamics first. That’s why its pair of 600hp Volvo Penta IPS800 engines are mounted amidships and connected to their pods via carbon fibre jackshafts. This lends the boat impeccable natural balance, impressive speed and fuel economy and a ride quality that is nothing short of sublime.

That’s not to say comfort is sacrificed for performance. Below decks there is a spacious and beautifully fitted out master cabin forward, a neat galley and large separate heads plus another double cabin amidships, albeit with limited headroom.

The cockpit is fantastic and includes four comfortable forward-facing seats at the helm and a sociable dinette that is tucked down low behind the rakish windscreen. There’s something of the old school about this boat, both in the way it looks with its forward leaning radar arch and its focus on the driving experience.

It has the power to make virtually anyone feel like an accomplished hand on the helm but it is also comfortable, beautifully built and very pretty.

Article continues below... [collection] Highly commended: Riva Dolceriva It may run a pair of 1,000hp engines and carry a hefty price tag but it delivers the performance, style and build quality to justify it.

Wheelhouse & Cockpit Cruisers Sponsored by Finalists Botnia Targa 25.1 GT Finnmaster Pilot 8 Cabin Jeanneau Merry Fisher 895 Marlin Jeanneau NC37 Jersey 36 Elanco Rodman 1090 Evolution Winner: Jeanneau Merry Fisher 895 Marlin The judges felt that this flagship of the Marlin line is the most complete and convincing platform ever to wear the Merry Fisher moniker. It may be under 30ft long but the design team has clearly put in the hours to ensure every inch of space is put to good use.

Take the main deck, which thanks to an asymmetric wheelhouse alignment has an enlarged walkway on the starboard side linking two separate living areas. The versatile cockpit has folding benches so it can seat up to six or be left clear for fishing or watersports. The foredeck, meanwhile, sports a comfortable wrap of seating and a socket to slot in a table.

As for accommodation, with a convertible dinette in the saloon and two cabins on the lower deck it’s possible to sleep six on board. To drive, it is safe and predictable with a decent turn of pace from twin outboards.

Adventure yachts Sponsored by Finalists Beneteau Swift Trawler 41 Dale 40 Fountaine Pajot MY40 Winner: Dale 40 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9dzD44mupw To experience true adventure you need a boat that can go anywhere and make even the harshest conditions seem like a quick blast across the local pond. That, in a nutshell, is what the Dale 40 is all about.

We tested this boat in incredibly tough conditions and its resilience and robustness when faced with huge swells and snarling chop was nothing short of miraculous. Instead of running for shelter we found ourselves hunting for the next monster wave to test its mettle further. Suffice to say it was us who gave up long before the boat.

The Dale is a rare beast these days, built in small numbers by a family run business in Pembrokeshire, it oozes boat building pedigree and a sense that every screw and inch of timber is built to last. Though it’s beautifully fitted out and boasts two comfortable cabins, each with their own bathroom, there are no fripperies or gimmicks that risk compromising seakeeping.

That’s not to say it is a boat that is stuck in the past, Dale has done a fine job of taking the fearsome Arthur Mursell hull and finding more volume where it matters most to satisfy the trend for more interior space.

Highly commended: Beneteau Swift Trawler 41 With its blend of practicality, robust seakeeping and intelligent design, the 41 is the best of the current Swift Trawler crop.

Flybridges up to 60ft Sponsored by Finalists Ferretti 450 Greenline 48 Fly Palm Beach 50 Fly Winner: Ferretti 450 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wfrb7zJQqa0 With its recent focus on boats between 70-110ft it’s great to see Ferretti back in the sub-50ft arena. In his cross-Channel review Nick Burnham commented that the 450 is a “masterclass of packaging” thanks to its three-cabin, two-bathroom layout.

It’s not hard to squeeze such accommodation into a hull of this size but the real skill is doing so and ensuring the living spaces don’t feel compromised, which is exactly what Ferretti has managed to achieve.

Not only that but the quality, attention to detail and fit are worthy of a model twice the size, so owners won’t feel shortchanged simply because they have bought the smallest Ferretti in the range.

With a pair of silky 6-cylinder Cummins QSB6.7s with 600hp per side the 450 is a relaxing long-distance cruiser that remains quiet and refined at its optimum 25-knot cruising speed. It’s a capable passagemaker but when the engines are off and you can enjoy all that wonderful space is when the Ferretti 450 really shines.

Flybridges over 60ft Sponsored by Finalists Monte Carlo Yachts 66 Fairline Squadron 68 Sunseeker 76 Yacht Winner: Sunseeker 76 Yacht In replacing the 75 Yacht, Sunseeker had a tough act to follow. This was a talented boat, confirmed by both its critical reception and the numbers in which it sold. Instead of playing safe with minor tweaks, the yard designed a brand new hull and fresh superstructure and in doing so created a boat that is even more impressive than the model which it replaces.

Space on board is used more wisely, especially in the crew quarters where there is a double bed, sofa and generously proportioned heads compartment. It could almost pass as a guest cabin if required. The foredeck appears to have been plucked from a 100-footer and with its balance of sunbathing space and comfortable seating arranged around a dinette, Sunseeker has created another outstanding al fresco living space to partner the cockpit and vast upper deck.

Even on this scale, there is still an eye on performance meaning the 76 Yacht will achieve a healthy 33 knots with a pair of 1,550hp V12 MAN engines. Building on the success of the 75 was challenging but the 76 Yacht is in a class of its own.

Highly commended: Monte Carlo Yachts 66 This elegant cruiser cuts a dash amongst the competition and proved to be a refined and accomplished cruising machine.

Custom Yachts Sponsored by Finalists Bluegame BGX70 Custom Line 120 Zeelander 72 Winner: Bluegame BGX70 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BEITBfAOjA Sometimes a new boat comes along with a design so radical it alters the fabric of what we believe is achievable. At the Cannes Boat Show last September, Sanlorenzo’s Bluegame brand did just that with the BGX 70. Bluegame has been around since 2005 but with Sanlorenzo’s weight now behind it, it has been transformed from a rough diamond to a sparkling jewel.

MBY’s custom yacht contributor Alan Harper described the BGX 70 as two boats rolled into one when he tested it. The extraordinary lower deck with its fabulous water-level saloon and beach club aft and spacious accommodation forward could be from a 90ft vessel, whereas the upper deck, with its sociable open-plan galley, dinette and helm station has the manageability of a family cruiser.

To ensure the geometry of the lower deck worked Bluegame used IPS engines located under the beach club. It was a stroke of genius as the largest pair of 1,000hp IPS1200s give an impressive top speed of 30 knots without excessive fuel burn. The term “game-changer” is used too loosely these days but Bluegame’s BGX 70 has rightly earned such a label.

Highly commended: Custom Line 120 The Custom Line 120 is a remarkably accomplished yacht with impressive performance and economy for one so large.

Customer Service Award Sponsored by Finalists Bates Wharf Marine Sales Berthon Boats.co.uk Sunseeker London Group Winner: Bates Wharf Marine Sales Nobody is better placed to put companies forward for this award than customers themselves and this year we received more nominations than ever before. All four of our finalists received multiple nominations from happy customers so it was down to our judges to select a winner based on the examples of service given.

On this evidence Bates Wharf Marine Sales rose to the top of a very exalted list by making everyone feel welcome whatever their budget or level of experience. Here are just a few of the many comments we received:

“The motor boating world can seem a little daunting to a newcomer but Bates Wharf made my entry into motor boating exceptionally fun and pleasurable.”

“We are really impressed with the whole customer experience at Bates Wharf. It wasn’t just a transaction, it was a comprehensive process and Bates Wharf are now where we direct all our friends.”

“As part of the handover, a member of the team will go out on your boat with you every weekend until you’re happy and confident, regardless of how long that takes.”

Judge's Special Award Sponsored by Winner: Bernard Olesinski Not many naval architects have made the transition from industry insider to household name, but Bernard Olesinski is undoubtedly one of them. Such is the extent of his back catalogue that you can flick through any issue of Motor Boat & Yachting from the last 45 years and almost guarantee to find a reference to the remarkable seakeeping of some or other “Olesinski-designed hull”.

Best known for his pioneering work on the medium vee hull, he has helped thousands of boat owners enjoy the benefits of craft that combine the sea-keeping and soft-ride of a deep vee design with the stability, volume and efficiency of a more easily-driven medium vee one.

It’s no exaggeration to say that his expertise in this area helped put both Fairline and Princess on the map in the 1970s and went on to seal their reputations for building boats with exceptional seakeeping.

From the iconic Fairline Turbo to the hugely popular Princess 45 and game-changing 25M, his back catalogue is littered with smash hits. Many of these older boats are now considered classics of their era but rather than resting on his laurels, he has kept Olesinski Design at the forefront of the industry. The company he founded still plays a key role designing the current and future range of Princess Yachts.

Its latest project, the Princess X95 Superfly, promises to push the boundaries of design just as boldly as his earlier concepts did 48 years ago. So although the Judges’ Special Award can be given for a single work of genius or a lifetime’s worth of hard graft, Bernard Olesinski merits it on both counts for a long and still flourishing career littered with examples of outstanding genius.