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The 2022 World Superyacht Awards winners revealed
The winners of the 2022 World Superyacht Awards have been revealed. From the newly crowned Motor Yacht of the Year to the prestigious Voyager's Award, find out which yachts scooped this year's coveted Neptunes...
Motor Yacht of the Year - Viva
Sailing Yacht of the Year - Perseverance 1
Refitted Yachts - Masquenada
Rebuilt Yachts - Here Comes the Sun
Sailing Yachts, 30m to 39.9m - Perseverance 1
Sailing Yachts, 40m and above - Path
Semi-Displacement or Planing Motor Yachts, 30m to 34.9m - Offline
Semi-Displacement or Planing Motor Yachts, 35m to 39.9m - Koju
Semi-Displacement or Planing Motor Yachts, 40m and above - Annabella
Displacement Motor Yachts 499GT and below, 30m to 44.9m - Emocean
Displacement Motor Yachts 499GT and below, 45m and above - Alisa
Displacement Motor Yachts, 500GT to 999GT - Somnium
Displacement Motor Yachts, 1,000GT to 1,499GT - Triumph
Displacement Motor Yachts, 1,500GT to 1,999GT - Vanish
Displacement Motor Yachts, 2,000GT and above - Viva
Voyager’s Award - Asteria
Legacy Award - Herb Chambers
JUDGES’ SPECIAL AWARD WINNERS
Rebuilt Yachts – Kalizma
Semi-Displacement or Planing Motor Yachts, 40m and above - Gene Chaser
Voyager’s Award - Seahawk
JUDGES’ COMMENDATION WINNERS
Semi-Displacement or Planing Motor Yachts, 30m to 34.9m - Lady Lene
Displacement Motor Yachts 499GT and below, 45m and above - Al Waab
Motor Yacht of the Year: Viva
Length 94m
Builder Feadship
Naval architect De Voogt Naval Architects
Exterior design Studio De Voogt & Azure Yacht Design
Interior design Peter Marino
In selecting the winner of the coveted Motor Yacht of the Year award, the judges were faced with the task of choosing a single yacht from the nine individual winners of the Semi-Displacement and Displacement Motor Yacht classes. After lengthy debate, the secret ballot revealed Viva to be the winner by a large margin and while many factors influenced this decision, it was Viva’s consistency in all aspects of the judgement that took her into the lead. Such all-round excellence, the judges felt, was largely due to the detailed consideration given to every aspect of the vessel during her 12-year gestation period, a time when the owner’s knowledge and complete involvement with specifications paid dividends. As a result, this yacht has it all, from an attractive exterior design with superb deck spaces to an enviable beach club and a modern interior that connects with the outside through huge windows, plus a general arrangement plan entirely suited to the needs of the owner, guests and crew. Viva also lacks nothing on the technical and operational side. Her sustainably-minded power and propulsion system, optimal technical areas, a practical tender garage, excellent living and working facilities for her crew, and a superlative quality of build sets her apart as a very special yacht and a worthy winner of the 2022 Motor Yacht of the Year Award.
Sailing Yacht of the Year: Perseverance 1
Length 35.8m
Builder Baltic Yachts
Naval architect Dykstra Naval Architects
Exterior design Dykstra Naval Architects
Interior design deVosdeVries design
The title of Sailing Yacht of the Year is awarded to the yacht that is considered by the judges to be the most notable of the class winners in this year’s sailing yacht categories. These two winners were the 44.6-metre sloop Path, built by Baltic Yachts in Finland to the design of Bremerhaven-based judel/vrolijk & co design and Engineering, and the smaller 35.8 metre Perseverance 1, from the drawing board of the Netherlands-based Dykstra Naval Architects and also built by Baltic Yachts with interior design by deVosdeVries Design. Both yachts were conceived as fast cruisers with the aim of circumnavigating the globe in stages and, as their owners both invested a great deal of thought and experience into their designs, choosing the winner was a difficult task for the judges. During discussions it was clear that although the judges admired Path as an enviably well-built and designed cruiser/racer, and praised her for her significant use of solar power, they narrowly selected the smaller Perseverance 1 as the Sailing Yacht of the Year. This was largely due to the more single-minded “keep it simple” approach to cruising remote areas that drove the design of Perseverance 1, along with her attractive combination of traditional looks with exceptional sailing performance. Additionally, she was praised for her efficient diesel-electric propulsion system and well-integrated technology that takes her batteries to full charge in just 4.5 hours and permits eight to nine hours of silent running at anchor.
Refitted Yachts: Masquenada
Length 51m
Original builder Penglai-Bohai
Refit yard Lusben
Refit naval architect Names by Francesco Rogantin
Refit exterior design Nauta Design
Refit interior design Misa Poggi
For this class, all yachts are entered into the Refit/Rebuild category, and having reviewed the photographs and read the statements submitted with each entry, the jury decides whether the degree of work justifies it being a refit or a rebuild. In general terms, if the work is commensurate with a five- to 10-year refit, without significant metal being cut, the yacht is usually judged in the Refit category. Some interesting refits were entered, but it was the 51.2-metre Masquenada that caught the judges’ eyes. In planning for a world cruise, her owner had originally commissioned the design of a 55- to 60-metre custom explorer with Nauta Design, but finding that the earliest delivery time did not meet his cruising plans, Nauta suggested the purchase of an existing, highly seaworthy vessel that, following upgrades, would fit his expectations. This classically elegant explorer had started life in 2007 before changing hands and being extensively refitted in 2018. The sale was negotiated and, renamed Masquenada, she started her refit at Lusben Shipyard to the designs of Nauta and Misa Poggi to ready her for a planned world cruise. The main deck aft, previously encumbered with tenders and their launching crane, was redesigned as an outdoor lounge with easy connectivity with the sea, while the new crane was concealed beneath the deck, now reinforced for a seven-tonne helicopter, and the bridge and upper decks were lengthened by 1.5 metres to improve liveability. Accessibility to the main saloon was improved and upgrades were carried out in the master suite, while three new gensets were installed in the engine room, where noise and vibration were also reduced.
Rebuilt Yachts: Here Comes the Sun
Length 89m
Original builder Amels
Rebuild yard Damen Yachting
Rebuild naval architect Damen Yachting & Azure Yacht Design
Rebuild exterior design Tim Heywood
Rebuild interior design Winch Design
As with the Refitted Yachts category, the judges review all photographs and statements submitted with each entry and decide whether the degree of work justifies it as a Refit or a Rebuild. If a meaningful amount of metal has been cut or replaced, it generally means that the yacht will be in the Rebuild class. Of the yachts having undergone significant metalwork, the standout winner was Here Comes the Sun, a 89-metre motor yacht built by Amels (Damen Yachting) and rebuilt by the same shipyard. This is a much-loved family yacht, and the owner’s intent for the rebuild was to maintain the relevance of its facilities to his family, which spans three generations. This necessarily called for additional length, but he was clear that the extension should not be obvious and, where possible, the original interior by Winch Design should remain. But this extension was just the tip of the iceberg of this massive remodelling exercise: two splendid VIP cabins were added, with new balconies accessed through curved sliding doors; the bulwarks were lowered; a seven-metre swimming pool with twin swim-jets inserted flush with the main deck aft was installed; a helideck was added to the sundeck; the beach club was reworked; the master suite remodelled with a new open-plan bath and dressing room; the crew mess and lounge were revised; tenders and toys replaced; and the whole yacht had a stunning new paint job. In the judges’ view, the result was superb, meeting all the owner’s requests in stylish fashion, while the additional length not only blended seamlessly with her lines, but adds to the undoubted elegance of this yacht.
Judges’ Special Award: Kalizma
Length 50.3m
Original builder Ramage & Ferguson
Rebuild yard West Coast Marine Yacht Services
Rebuild naval architect GL Watson
Rebuild exterior design Ferguson Brothers
Rebuild interior design Palazzo Morelli
A true classic motor yacht built by Ramage & Ferguson in Leith, Scotland in 1906 as Minona, Kalizma was owned by Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor in the 1970s and 80s. In the last few years, however, she had suffered neglect and was bought for a song by her current owner, who restored the vessel in Colombo, Sri Lanka, with the help of Aashim Mongia, whose Mumbai-based company West Coast Marine Yacht Services carried out restoration work in 2006. This latest, beautifully executed restoration was undertaken by painters and joiners flown in from Mumbai, together with specialists from Spain and Portugal, bringing Kalizma back to life. The judges considered that she was more than worthy of a Special Award.
Sailing Yachts, 30m to 39.9m: Perseverance 1
Length 35.8m
Builder Baltic Yachts
Naval architect Dykstra Naval Architects
Exterior design Dykstra Naval Architects
Interior design deVosdeVries design
In this class, the judges were presented with four sailing yachts of eminently comparable size, two of which were optimised for performance and two for fast-cruising comfort. The secret ballot that followed was, however, quite decisive, and it was Perseverance 1, with naval architecture and exterior design by Dykstra Naval Architects, interior by deVosdeVries design and construction by Baltic Yachts that secured the Neptune by a significant margin. In his statement submitted for the Judges’ Dossier, the owner told us that he had wanted a “traditional-looking yacht with modern sailing characteristics that would perform well in light weather and undertake long passages in comfort”, and the judges felt that he had achieved just that. The advanced carbon-composite construction of her deckhouses is concealed by a 6mm skin of oiled teak to maintain the appearance of a traditional pilot cutter: fast working vessels that, in times past, raced to secure pilotage duties in the Bristol Channel. The judges were impressed by the ease of control of her sailing systems, particularly the furling – the result of co-operation between the mast and boom makers – and the advanced hybrid propulsion and power system. These enable her to sail without running generators given sufficient wind, while in unfavourable conditions and at anchor she need only run them for four and a half hours per day – and then at their most economical speed.
Sailing Yachts, 40m and Above: Path
Length 44.6m
Builder Baltic Yachts
Naval architect judel/vrolijk & co
Exterior design judel/vrolijk & co
Interior design judel/vrolijk & co
The Sailing Yachts class contained one boat whose size was such that the judges decided it would have been difficult, if not unfair, to compare it with the four significantly smaller sailing yachts whose similar size demanded a class of their own. This yacht, Path, is a long-range bluewater cruising yacht conceived by an experienced owner who had circumnavigated on his previous yacht, a 34 metre. The judges considered Path a state-of-the-art cruiser that will fully satisfy the owner’s ambition to make another circumnavigation in the company of his three-generation family. The owner’s background of competitive racing drew him to ask performance-oriented naval architects judel/vrolijk to undertake the entire design, which would be built by Baltic Yachts, another performance-oriented company. In the owner’s words, it was not only to be a “home from home, but also a modern mobile office and a safe family environment”. A safely sheltered cockpit, well separated from the sailing functions, is on the same level as the deck saloon, the foredeck is uncluttered around the central tender bay, while her interior shares traditional panelling with clean modern design. For ease of maintenance in remote areas, the propulsion and power systems are, like the sailplan, relatively straightforward, but the judges noted her significant solar array that at its peak can deliver an impressive 8kW, thus minimising fuel consumption. The judges view was that this state-of-the-art cruising yacht was well up to the standard of previous winners of this class and were unanimous in their decision that she should be awarded a prestigious Neptune.
Semi-displacement or Planing Motor Yachts, 30m to 34.9m: Offline
Length 31.8m
Builder Overmarine Group
Naval architect Overmarine Group
Exterior design Igor Lobanov
Interior design Overmarine Group
All five yachts in this class were of similar size, and while this made detailed comparison easier, the unvarying quality of the entries and their disparate characteristics still made the task of choosing the winner difficult for the judges. During discussions it soon became apparent that the judges’ focus was spread right across the field, but when put to ballot, it was the sporty good looks and the less extreme, single-skin GRP construction of this 31.8-metre Mangusta 105 REV that topped the field by a small margin. With build and naval architecture carried out in-house by the Overmarine Group, both the exterior and interior design came from the board of Barcelona-based Lobanov Design with input from Overmarine. Their experience in the design of this style of fast vessel was clearly visible throughout, particularly in the bridge, where Offline’s layout and exterior visibility were excellent, and in the compact, functionally laid out engine room, where a pair of MTU 3,878kW diesels powering twin KaMeWa waterjets will take her to a top speed of 35 knots. The judges also felt that Offline’s onboard facilities were well matched to the REV’s maximum complement of eight guests, providing a choice of three deck areas and a sizeable main deck saloon, all fitted out in an attractive modern style. Four crew are accommodated amidships in two double-berth cabins and enjoy a pleasant crew mess adjacent to the galley.
Judges' Commendation: Lady Lene
Length 34m
Builder Van der Valk Shipyard
Naval architect Ginton Naval Architects/Diana Yacht Design
Exterior design Guido de Groot Design
Interior design Carla Guilhem Design
Semi-displacement or Planing Motor Yachts, 35m to 39.9m: Koju
Length 36.8m
Builder Benetti
Naval architect Pierluigi Ausonio Naval Architecture & Azimut|Benetti R&D dept.
Exterior design Francesco Struglia
Interior design Lazzarini Pickering Architetti
After the secret ballot papers were processed, it was clear that one yacht had almost unanimously attracted the judges’ interest: Koju, Benetti’s 36.8-metre Motopanfilo. Impeccable standards of construction were certainly a key factor in the judges’ decision, but they were also impressed by the yacht’s attractive masculine appearance and her bright living spaces. Created by Francesco Struglia working alongside Benetti’s in-house designers, these were well connected to the outside world through huge windows, while long sight lines added to the impression of size and luxury. Many other aspects of the yacht also drew admiration: the engine room was found spacious, with good access to all areas for maintenance and service, while the combination of efficient hull form and her economically-sized MAN 1,029kW diesels gave her a modest top speed of 17 knots and an enviable range of 3,800 nautical miles at 10-knots. The judges also felt that the deck spaces – a huge sundeck topped by a crows’ nest observation deck, two further well-sized aft decks at bridge and main deck levels, together with a pool and sunbeds on the foredeck, provide an ideal model for outdoor living. On top of this, the stern door opens to create a large, level platform where a beach club can be set up – as one judge put it “a pleasant open-air area, not one tucked away in the bowels of the yacht and lacking sunlight”.
Semi-displacement or Planing Motor Yachts, 40m and Above: Annabella
Length 43.9m
Builder Sanlorenzo
Naval architect Sanlorenzo
Exterior design Zuccon International Project
Interior design Liaigre Studio
With seven entrants, this class was one of the largest in this year’s awards. But the judges homed in on one vessel; the 43.9-metre Sanlorenzo Annabella, a most noteworthy vessel created by a combination of in-house naval architecture, exterior design by Zuccon International and an interior by Guillaume Rolland and Liaigre Studio. The judges first admired the purposeful yet harmonious exterior lines that incorporate an excellent range of well-connected open-air living spaces, whether seen from the perspective of the owner, his guests or the crew. Then there was a “Wow” moment when they moved on to examine the yacht’s interior. Among today’s superyachts, Annabella is not huge, but the judges felt that her design and build team have created a unique environment whose clever layout, impeccable decoration and wide range of facilities combine to give her owner an experience that might only be expected from a much larger yacht. He had requested a fusion of Asian and French design, and Liaigre delivered this with a small and sophisticated palette that includes varnished eucalyptus and pale elm wood whose opposing tones provide a delightful contrast. But what really impressed the judges were the fluid curves and arched entrances that distinguish every aspect of the yacht’s interior and, above all, the master cabin. This 147-square-metre apartment spans three levels and encompasses the private foredeck and its spa pool.
Judges’ Special Award: Gene Chaser
Length 55m
Builder Damen Yachting
Naval architect Damen Yachting
Exterior design Damen Yachting
Interior design Damen Yachting
Launched in 2021, Gene Chaser is the support vessel for her 55-metre mothership, Gene Machine, an Amels 180 constructed by Damen Yachting in 2013. The derivation of these unusual names can be better understood when it is learnt that the owner of both yachts is internationally known for his contributions to high-speed DNA sequencing. When Covid-19 struck in 2020, he was keen to join the battle against the clock to beat the pandemic, so he set up an emergency laboratory in Gene Machine’s main saloon, where he developed a home testing kit that drew on knowledge gained from the biology of the horseshoe crab. So apart from the usual tasks of a support vessel, one of Gene Chaser’s important roles is to relieve the pressure on her mothership’s main saloon by housing a serious scientific laboratory. “A floating lab was ideal for the work I wanted to achieve,” says her owner, “as there is no doubt that the oceans contain knowledge that is vital for us to address our future medical challenges.” It was the future scientific potential of this fascinating yacht that drew the attention of the World Superyacht Awards panel who, after a long discussion, unanimously agreed to present her with a Judges’ Special Award.
Displacement Motor Yachts 499GT and Below, 30m to 44.9m: Emocean
Length 38.1m
Builder Rosetti Superyachts
Naval architect Hydro Tec
Exterior design Hydro Tec
Interior design Burdisso & Capponi
After detailed discussion of the four contenders in this class, it soon became clear that one yacht stood out from the crowd. Voting confirmed the supremacy of the 38.1-metre Emocean: an explorer yacht built to Rosetti Superyachts’ high standards, with naval architecture and exterior design by Hydro Tec and interiors by Burdisso & Capponi. Not only does this yacht possess the rugged good looks of an explorer, but her 5,000-nautical-mile range, seaworthiness and long autonomy means that she fits this mission well. The owner also asked for enhanced interior volume and a fully featured beach club, while also calling for a closable sundeck to suit all weather conditions and a crew area that would provide for a comfortable lifestyle and good working conditions. For all this to be contained within a 38-metre hull was certainly a tough request, but the judges felt that the design team had achieved this goal in admirable fashion, with clever design features throughout impressing the judges. To give just one example, to meet the owner’s request of keeping the enclosed area of the beach club tender-free, the tender’s primary stowage is on the bridge deck aft, with an alternative berth on the bathing platform in calm weather. Such positioning requires a sizeable crane that would dominate the bridge deck aft, but clever design camouflages the crane and its lowered jib by giving it a second purpose as a convenient bar. After closely scrutinising the yacht’s power, performance and economy figures, the judges felt that the choice of two relatively small MAN 588kW diesels was well made, allowing her to achieve full hull speed with the excellent economy requested by the owner.
Displacement Motor Yachts 499GT and Below, 45m and Above: Alisa
Length 49.9m
Builder Overmarine Group
Naval architect Pierluigi Ausonio & Overmarine Group
Exterior design Alberto Mancini
Interior design Alberto Mancini
This class was made up of four significant yachts with overall lengths falling between 47 and 55 metres, all built with steel hulls and aluminium superstructures, and having almost identical interior volumes and propulsion packages – a readily comparable class for the judges. After hearing the views of the judges who had visited the individual yachts, attention was turned to the detail of their general arrangement plans, traffic flow and increasingly technical issues, after which two yachts, Al Waab and the Mangusta Oceano 50, seemed to stand out. But, as always, it was the secret ballot that decided the winner and – by a small margin – this awarded the Neptune to Alisa, the 49.9-metre Mangusta. In the majority view, this was the yacht the judges said they would choose for their own holidays. Not only solidly built, it also offered a well-considered layout and extremely spacious and practical living areas, both inside and out. Its large sundeck boasts all the necessary amenities for outdoor living including a spa pool, bar, relaxed seating, sun loungers and casual dining. Optimal use is also made of the foredeck which offers two possibilities: underway, it has settee seating and sunbeds, but when the tender stored beneath is launched and the decking is folded back, the empty tender bay can be filled with water to create a 6.6-metre by 2.6-metre pool with counter current. This forward garage location has allowed the stern to be filled with a huge 62.5-square-metre beach club lit through four glass skylights, plus a full-beam gym. This area can be made even more spacious and airy by the two fold-down side platforms, while providing excellent connectivity with the sea for water sports.
Judges' Commendation: Al Waab
Length 54.9m
Builder Alia Yachts
Naval architect Vripack
Exterior design Vripack
Interior design Vripack
Displacement Motor Yachts, 500GT to 999GT: Somnium
Length 55.2m
Builder Feadship
Naval architect De Voogt Naval Architects
Exterior design Studio De Voogt
Interior design FM - Architetture d’Interni
This year, none of the categories provided easy decisions for the judges, and this class was no exception, even though it contained four yachts of comparable size – their LOAs all within 50 centimetres of each other – and all built by notable shipyards. Each yacht displayed some enviable attributes, but the voting revealed the winner as 55.2-metre Somnium, designed by De Voogt Naval Architects and built by Feadshipwith an interior by FM Architettura d’Interni. Unlike the majority of boats in this size range, the judges noted that Somnium is a fully customised yacht built for an exacting owner who made bi-weekly visits to the shipyard throughout the design and build process. Such involvement meant that his yacht was built without change orders and the result was, in his own words, a vessel “that is exactly how I envisaged her, and more”. Somnium was designed entirely with family use in mind, with spacious accommodation for up to ten guests in five staterooms. The judges praised her excellent balance between the calmly decorated facilities for the owner and his guests – all perfectly tailored to the needs of the family – and her crew and service areas, which are universally well proportioned and laid out. The jury considered that the deck areas were especially well conceived, with a large sundeck that’s fully equipped for outdoor living, a bridge deck aft fitted out for more formal dinners, and a large pool with counter-current on the main deck aft.
Displacement Motor Yachts, 1,000GT to 1,499GT: Triumph
Length 65.4m
Builder Benetti
Naval architect Benetti
Exterior design Giorgio M. Cassetta
Interior design Benetti Interior Style Department/Green & Mingarelli Design
After long deliberation the majority of judges steered towards the 65.4-metre Benetti, Triumph. Her owner’s brief was for a practical charter yacht with excellent internal flow and a seamless relationship between the interior and exterior of the yacht, and as a very active businessman, it was also important for him to be able to work aboard while enjoying the surroundings. The judges were initially attracted to Triumph’s clean, drop-dead-gorgeous exterior lines drawn by Cassetta Yacht Designers, the Rome-based studio founded 18 years ago by Giorgio Cassetta and responsible for more than 400 yachts. Looking into her further, the judges agreed that this beautifully proportioned vessel offers the ultimate in lounging and dining over four levels, as well as a private owner’s deck forward on the upper deck, and an extensive bathing platform and beach club at the stern. Added to this external beauty, the judges felt that her interior, laid out in house by Benetti and decorated by Benetti’s Interior Style Department assisted by Green & Mingarelli Design, to be practical and functional, displaying a fair balance between guest and crew areas, service facilities, storage compartments and machinery spaces. They also felt that the distribution of technical equipment logically divided by function throughout the tank deck allowed for an uncluttered and easily maintained engine room. All in all, this adds up to an ideal charter vessel, which is exactly what her owner requested.
Displacement Motor Yachts, 1,500GT to 1,999GT: Vanish
Length 71.5m
Builder Feadship
Naval architect De Voogt Naval Architects
Exterior design Harrison Eidsgaard
Interior design Harrison Eidsgaard
It was Vanish who stood out from the crowd in this cateogry this year, scoring particularly highly for her appearance and interior layout. Her owner wanted his next yacht to be an evolution of his last, with no huge changes but small improvements throughout. Those familiar with the first Vanish will immediately spot slight differences in its successor’s superstructure, but such small improvements will be lost unless the two yachts were docked side by side. Subtle improvement is often better than radical redesign, and the judges applauded the execution of this evolution by Harrison Eidsgaard Design. The extremely high quality of build seen throughout the vessel took her further ahead, but her straightforward interior layout that offers a range of attractive, function-specific deck spaces, sociable public rooms, well-sized staterooms and excellent crew facilities sealed her win. Particularly admired was her beach club, an element of which is a dual-purpose tender bay that, with the addition of sofas and easy chairs, converts into an ideal waterside area for rest and relaxation. This, they felt, is not a revolutionary yacht, but one that completely fulfils her owner’s requirements, offers delightful interior and exterior spaces, and is guaranteed to turn heads wherever she goes.
Displacement Motor Yachts, 2,000GT and Above: Viva
Length 94m
Builder Feadship
Naval architect De Voogt Naval Architects
Exterior design Studio De Voogt & Azure Yacht Design & Naval Architecture
Interior design Peter Marino
The best custom yachts do not just happen; they need a great deal of input from an owner if they are to get exactly what they want – and that takes time and dedication. It was clear to the judges that one yacht stood out in this class because the owner, a highly experienced yachtsman, had put in this necessary effort; not just a short burst of requirements delivered to the yard at the start of design work, but a steady development taking more than 12 years. The yacht that emerged, and the one that drew most praise in this class, is the 94-metre Viva, with naval architecture by De Voogt and exterior design by Azure Yacht Design and De Voogt. The judges liked the yacht’s clean, modern lines and large deck spaces, but it was closer inspection – while they were aboard the yacht – that sealed the win. Here, as the owner proudly says, “it is what you don’t see that makes a strongest impression, with no doorknobs, latches or visible connection points that would detract from the clean lines – everything is flat and pure”. While this is easy on the eye, the judges recognised the demands this put on the builders and applauded their solutions. Once inside, the light and exterior views afforded by the floor-to-ceiling windows and low bulwarks were outstanding, as was the interior design by Peter Marino, and the clear-cut layout that made navigating the interior straightforward. The yacht also excels mechanically. Her advanced hybrid power train permits an efficient 12-knot cruise under diesel-electric propulsion with all emissions catalytically treated, while her battery bank permits optimum generator efficiency. This, the judges concluded, is a well-balanced boat whose every aspect comes together in a perfect package.
Voyager’s Award: Asteria
Length 49m
Builder Anastassiades & Tsortanides
Uniquely in these awards, qualifying cruises for Voyager’s Award entrants may span more than one year in recognition that superyacht cruises can be wide-ranging and of long duration. Owing to the travel restrictions imposed over the last two years during the Covid-19 crisis, this has not been a year in which the judges were inundated with entries, but notwithstanding these difficulties, the details of three cruises were submitted for the Voyager’s Award. The judges felt that all of these were excellent in their scope and account, especially so when global restrictions were taken into consideration. After great deliberation, the judges chose the winner as Asteria, a 49-metre expedition yacht, while bestowing a Judges’ Special Award on Seahawk in view of the philanthropic and scientific nature of her cruise and the narrow margin between her and the winner.
Asteria’s plan for 2020 was for shipyard time in May and then depart for Greenland and the Northwest Passage but, anticipating the restrictions that might be triggered by Covid-19, this was rapidly amended. Asteria departed from Florida on 13 March and arrived in the San Blas Islands just one day before Panama closed its borders. They stayed for 50 days in the islands before transiting the Panama Canal and calling at Simca Island before an onward passage onwards to the stark beauty of Mexico’s Sea of Cortez. Leaving Mexico, Asteria made the long passage northwards to Ketchikan, Alaska, where the adventures continued – glaciers, whales, brown bears, eagles, salmon and magnificent scenery – in absolute wilderness. The judges considered this a highly enviable cruise carried out in the face of difficulty – a worthy winner of the Voyager’s Award.
Judges’ Special Award: Seahawk
Length 60m
Builder Perini Navi
"It wasn’t the plan, but sometimes good things happen when you go off course,” said Adam Alpert, owner of 60-metre sailing yacht Seahawk. Cruising the Caribbean, Seahawk was trapped in Bonaire with the island’s ports closed due to Covid-19 restrictions. Both animal lovers, Adam and his wife Gisela decided to make the most of their enforced stay and discovered an animal sanctuary in need of help. They promptly made a donation and got down to mixing concrete and shovelling sand with their crew.
The couple’s plan was to cruise for seven years, fulfilling a wish to assist marine science and coastal community welfare. So, after restrictions lifted they returned to the Caribbean, where a large donation was made to St Vincent’s Health Authority. They went on to support YachtAid Global with aid in the Galápagos Islands and help marine conservationists Migramar in investigating pelagic migration patterns. The judges felt that the owners’ philanthropic aims are outstanding and well worthy of a Special Award.
Legacy Award: Herb Chambers
Herb Chambers is the owner and president of The Herb Chambers Companies, a US-based group of car dealerships. In 1970, he fulfilled a childhood dream of owning a boat when he bought a used nine-metre Trojan, Valhalla, for $8,000. This was the first of many vessels to bear the “A-Copy” name, with a 25-metre Broward motor yacht being most recent. Since then, he has built several luxury superyachts with two outstanding shipyards, Feadship and Abeking & Rasmussen. His latest project launched in 2019, gracing the Monaco Yacht Show with its futuristic design. Having seen a rendering of a joint venture between Winch Design and Abeking & Rasmussen, Chambers felt there would be no one better to help pioneer his project. Under the skilful guidance of Andrew Winch, this groundbreaking concept was brought to life. Chambers knew that building a yacht such as this could be a risk due to its unique bow and near-all-glass exterior. Now the sixth yacht to bear her name, Excellence captures the essence of the team’s vision with every aspect of her breathtaking contemporary design. “My company continued to do well, so I got a bigger boat, and a bigger boat, and a bigger boat, and in between all those boats, I probably owned half a dozen Cigarette boats, two or three Magnums and a Formula,” he told BOAT International back in 2020. “I’ve always had this passion for boats. I love them.”
