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Cruising World has announced the nominees for the biggest annual honors in sailboat building, the Boat of the Year awards. The highly anticipated list was unveiled today at the U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Md.

The nominees will find out who won in the January issue of Cruising World, available on newsstands in mid-December. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the awards.

Cruising World nominated 24 boats in six categories: Small Cruisers, Mid-size Cruisers, Mid-size Luxury Cruisers, Full-size Cruisers, Unlimited Cruisers and Multihulls. "These categories broadly define the cruising sailboat market that exists today and allow our panel of independent industry experts to make fair boat-to-boat comparisons for our readers," says Cruising World editor John Burnham. "In terms of judging, it levels the playing field for boats that range from a 30-foot boat for a family on a budget to million-dollar voyagers."

Any model introduced to the North American market between the 2006 and 2007 Annapolis Boat Shows was eligible, and builders were allowed to enter boats in the contests of both magazines. Judges examined the latest boats at the Newport Boat Show and during the opening days of the Annapolis show. They consider design, construction, seaworthiness, performance, purpose of the boat, fitness for the use intended and cost.

Two independent judging panels will evaluate and test boats for the respective magazines, with extensive dockside inspections during the boat show and sea trials in the days immediately following. The Cruising World awards will focus on production boats laid out and equipped for coastal and offshore cruising and voyaging.

Cruising World Boat of the Year Nominees

Small Cruiser
Etap 28s
Alerion Express 33
Delphia 33
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 36i/Sunsail 362
Najad 355
Hunter 36

Midsize Cruiser
Sabre Spirit
Grand Soleil 40
Dufour 425
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 42i
Beneteau 40

Midsize Luxury Cruiser
J/122
Tartan 4300

Full-Size Cruiser
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 45 DS
Finngulf 46
Island Packet 465
Hunter 49

Unlimited
Morris 45
Hood 55 Expedition
Hylas 70

Cruising Multihull
Admiral 40
Dean 441
Fountaine Pajot Orana 44
Catana 50

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