Bill and Bob Healey of Viking Yachts will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award when the Active Interest Media Marine Group Editors’ Choice Awards are handed out tonight during a special event at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.
The brothers founded Viking in 1964. The company is celebrating its 50th anniversary with the launch of a 92-footer at the show.
The award ceremony will be held at the Tranquilo Hotel.
The awards are chosen by the editors of the AIM Marine Group magazines — Power & Motoryacht, Sail, Soundings, Yachts International, PassageMaker and Soundings Trade Only, as well as BoatQuest.com.
The awards highlight boatbuilding achievement for boats of all sizes in several categories.
AIM’s editorial experts conducted an exhaustive examination of new models launched during the last 12 months. The editors focused on innovation in design and quality of construction, backed up by hands-on testing to rigorous standards.
“Boaters value their time on the water more than ever,” AIM Marine Group publisher Gary DeSanctis said in a statement. “So to find the glimmers of gold — incidences of true groundbreaking innovation that’s well executed — and then to share them with our audience of serious boaters across all categories, that’s the goal.”
Editors or writers from one or more of the AIM Marine Group magazines sea-trialed all of the boats that were considered for an award.
“Creative design has to be built to make a difference,” said George Sass Jr., editorial director of the AIM Marine Group and editor-in-chief of Power & Motoryacht. “We’ve seen all of these boats perform in their element. That’s what sets them apart.”
A full list of winners will be published Monday in Trade Only Today.
This article originally ran in our affiliate publication, Trade Only Today, and can be viewed here.
