The Active Interest Media (AIM) Marine Group handed out its Editors’ Choice Awards Friday night at a ceremony held at the Tranquilo Hotel in conjunction with the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.
In total, six passagemakers took home awards including our May/June cover boat the North Pacific 49 (story here). The Nordhavn 120 also appeared in our Big Boats round-up in the July/August 2014 Issue.
The awards honor boats in five categories: Best Motoryacht, Best Passagemaker, Best Fish Boat, Best Multihull and Best Down East Cruiser; with subcatagories divided by length. Awards for best passagemaker were:
BEST PASSAGEMAKER
• 30-39 feet: Mainship 37
• 40-49 feet: North Pacific 49
• 50-59 feet: Fleming 58
• 60-80 feet: Marlow 62E
• 80-100 feet: Outer Reef 860 CPMY
• 100 feet plus: Nordhavn 120
In addition, an award also was given for Most Innovative New Technology.
The winners were chosen by the editors of the AIM Marine Group magazines: Yachts International, Power & Motoryacht, SAIL, Soundings, Soundings Trade Only and Passagemaker, as well as BoatQuest.com.
“To find the glimmers of gold — incidences of true groundbreaking innovation that are well executed — and then to share them with our audience of serious boaters across all categories, that’s the goal,” said AIM Marine Group publisher Gary DeSanctis.
Bill and Bob Healey, the brothers who founded Viking Yachts in 1964, received the Lifetime Achievement Award. The company is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year with the launch of the 92 Convertible, which is one of the award winners and is on display at the show.
The Other Award Winners Were:
BEST DOWN EAST CRUISER
• 30-39 feet: Back Cove Down East 37
• 40-49 feet: Hinckley T43
• 50 feet plus: MJM 50z
BEST FISH BOAT
• Less than 30 Feet: Everglades 255CC
• Over 30 feet: Sea Vee 390-Z
• 40-49 feet: Jupiter 41 Sport Bridge
• 50-59 feet: Viking 52
• 60 feet plus: Viking 92
BEST MULTIHULL
• 30-39 feet: Aspen 32
• 40-49 feet: Aquila 44
• 50 feet plus: Horizon 52
BEST MOTORYACHT
• 30-39 feet: Wider 32
• 40-49 feet: Tiara 44 Coupe
• 50-59 feet: Riviera 565 SUV
• 60-69 feet: Coastal Craft 65 Concord
• 70-79 feet: Princess S72
• 80-89 feet: Monte Carlo 86
• 90-100 feet: Azimut 95 Grande
• 100 feet plus: Riva 122 Mythos
MOST INNOVATIVE NEW TECHNOLOGY:
• Furuno First Watch Wireless Radar
A version of this article originally ran in our affiliate publication, Trade Only Today, and can be viewed here.
