Cruising World is calling for entries for its 2026 Boat of the Year Awards contest. If you’re launching a new sailboat model into the North American market, we invite you to join the industry’s most respected testing and awards program.
Our Boat of the Year team will be inspecting and testing qualified nominees at the US Sailboat Show in Annapolis in October 2025. Finalists will be named in Cruising World’s January/February 2026 “Boat of the Year Preview” issue, and winners in all categories will be formally announced at the US Sailboat Show in Annapolis in October 2026. There is a modest participation fee to help offset some of the rising costs of executing BOTY to its customary high standards. Details can be found on the entry form included with this letter.
Every BOTY nominee will be featured across Cruising World’s multiplatform editorial offerings leading up to the announcement of the winners. We will also make available to all BOTY participants a selection of web-resolution photography and video clips from the sea trials for promotional use of Boat of the Year participation. In addition, all participants will receive promotional decals to identify their boat(s) as BOTY finalists throughout the year 2026.
To submit your Boat of the Year entry: Please download the entry and liability form below, and complete them thoroughly. Once complete, return them as PDF files by email to [email protected].
If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact Cruising World’s Boat of the Year Director, Andrew Parkinson, at [email protected].
Best of luck to all participants!
