Active Interest Media’s marine group, which includes PassageMaker magazine announced Thursday night that the company will again hold its Editor’s Choice Awards competition this year to recognize the best in powerboats based on design, innovation, technology and imagination.
You can see a prototype of the trophy above, held by Taryn Mazone, of Active Interest Media, and Soundings editor-in-chief William Sisson. The trophies are made by the company that produces awards for the Emmy and Tony award competitions.
“We really want these awards to stand for something,”Sisson, editor of three of AIM’s marine publications, said during a press announcement at the Palm Beach International Boat Show. “And we’re going to strive through our judging process to single out the very best. So, yes, we are very excited and hope you are, too.”
The awards will honor powerboats in 23 categories. Builders can choose the category they’d like to enter, subject to final approval by the judges. “Manufacturers can enter boats in more than one category, but to encourage what we’re calling a ‘quest for excellence,’ they’ll be limited to one model per category,” Sisson, who is editor-in-chief of Soundings, Soundings Trade Only and Anglers Journal, told about 75 members of the media and marine industry.
The awards will recognize new boats launched between Sept. 1, 2013, and July 31 this year. The winners will be announced and awards presented at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in the fall. All entries need to be submitted by Aug. 15.
Seasoned editors from PassageMaker, Power & Motoryacht, Soundings, Soundings Trade Only and Yachts International will comprise the panel of judges. They will evaluate entries based on sea trials and tests of each boat or product, the builder’s success in achieving its stated mission and the overall final product execution.
During the next few weeks AIM will be releasing the details of the contest and the process on the Internet and through press material.
