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Cruising World announced today the winners of its 16th annual Boat of the Year awards. Topping this year's list of winners for the most anticipated awards in the sailboat-building industry were the Island Packet 460 and the Malö 37 Classic. The IP 460 took home the Domestic Boat of the Year award, while the Malö was named Import Boat of the Year.
The Island Packet 460, the Malö 37 Classic, and six other boats won awards from an independent panel of experts who inspected and tested 21 nominated boats during the U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis earlier this year. Decisions were based on extensive inspections and sea trials of the boats. All of the winners, along with the rest of the '09 BOTY nominees and several other boats reviewed by the magazine's editors, will be featured in the January issue of Cruising World.
In addition to claiming the Domestic Boat of the Year award, the Island Packet 460 was also named Best Long-Distance Cruiser.
"The judges felt the IP 460 was a boat well designed and executed for a cruising couple," said Cruising World senior editor Mark Pillsbury. "The builder took care with construction, stuck to the design brief, and provided the sort of storage room and amenities needed by a voyaging couple. Under sail, the boat performed quite well."
The Scandinavian-built Malö 37 Classic was named Import Boat of the Year for its performance on the water and luxurious attention to detail throughout.
"The Malö is a semicustom sailboat that's built to exacting standards and is ready to sail any ocean," said Pillsbury. "The boat is elegant below and purposeful on deck. Under sail, performance was top-notch."
Other noteworthy categories and their winners in the 2009 BOTY competition: Best All-Purpose Cruiser, 30 to 40 Feet: Catalina 375; Best Midsize Cruiser: Dufour 40 Performance+; Best Full-Size Cruiser: Dufour 525; Best Racer/Cruiser: X-34; Best Special-Purpose Cruiser: Moorings 43.3.
Following their deliberations, the judges decided this year to add an award for Best Value. Taking home this honor was the Beneteau 34.
"The Beneteau 34 was the least expensive and one of the smallest of the cruising boats we looked at, yet under sail was a pure delight and handled well in the rather boisterous conditions we encountered," said Pillsbury.
CRUISING WORLD 2009 BOTY WINNERS:
Domestic Boat of the Year:
Island Packet 460
Import Boat of the Year:
Malö 37 Classic
Best All-Purpose Cruiser, 30 to 40 Feet:
Catalina 375
Best Midsize Cruiser:
Dufour 40 Performance+
Best Full-Size Cruiser:
Dufour 525
Best Racer/Cruiser:
X-34
Best Long-Distance Cruiser:
Island Packet 460
Best Special-Purpose Cruiser:
Moorings 43.3
Best Value:
Beneteau 34
To access CW's complete 2009 Sailboat Show and Boat of the Year contest coverage, click here
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