January 21, 2019
Before you – yachts of the year!
At the exhibition in Dusseldorf, as usual, the ceremony of announcement of the yachts, which received the honorary title "European Yacht of the Year", took place.
The traditional five nominations have been preserved at this time: a family cruiser, a high-speed cruiser, a luxury cruiser, a multihull and a special (special) yacht.
Family Cruiser
There were no surprises here – the win was won by the yacht Beneteau Oceanis 46.1. Beneteau has once again proved that it is able to build family yachts for the mass market, trying to combine habitability, road performance and a stylish appearance. The new yacht of the world leader with its forms reminds Oceanis 51.1 – the nominee for the honorary prize last year – but with one important difference: 46.1 has a large sail area, much more finely balanced. The altered buoyancy distribution along the length of the hull further improves the ride quality of the new yacht under sail.
High speed cruiser
In this nomination, the Swedish Arcona 435 won. On the one hand, it follows the typical Scandinavian concept of creating high-speed cruisers: torsionally rigid, reliable, with a large, cozy superstructure, which makes the yacht rather heavy. On the other hand, it has modern forms with a wide stern and a modern plan of sail with a small genoa and a very large grotto. The boat has a very sensitive steering wheel with good feedback and excellent road performance.
Luxury cruiser
The jury was almost unanimous in this nomination: the Austrian yacht Sunbeam 46.1 wins. The new top model of this shipyard is a very versatile and balanced vessel, equally suitable for long crossings in the open sea, and for a comfortable rest in bays and marinas. The design of the boat is very well thought out, the yacht is equipped with many modern details – the windshield, the arch over the cockpit and other useful things. Many small details attract attention, testifying to the care of its designers about the work and rest of the crew on board.
Multi-body
This year, the winner was the catamaran Astrea 42 from the company Fountain-Pajot. The catamaran market continues to become more and more individualized, and the new F-P model is no exception. A bow cockpit, a “sunbed” on the cockpit roof, an electric lift for a tuzik, an open galley – these are just a few of the details that make it stand out against the general background of competitors. Plus driving performance, which, according to the jury, this model “turned out to be above average” – this is the winning formula for this nomination. The build quality of the vessel, by the way, was also somewhat better than in previous years.
Special yacht
The truly unusual French boat Lite XP won here. One hundred and fifty kilograms of displacement plus rare versatility: it is a sailing-rowing yacht with a hybrid mechanical drive. Its planing hull, with contours resembling modern Scythians, has a small cabin-shelter, which expands the capabilities of the yacht, making it especially interesting for lovers of outdoor activities and all sorts of adventures. She has even managed to establish herself well as a vehicle for extreme sports in the traditional 2018 Race to Alaska race.
663 January 21, 2019 # 8732
Chief Editor
beforeyachtsyear
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