Top Raceboats from Boat of the Year

Looking back over previous editions of Boat of the Year, we're comforted know the judges know how to pick 'em.

By Dave Reed

October 2, 2023

With Sailing World‘s 2024 Boat of the Year Awards performance tests are about to get under in Annapolis in October we look back on the previous winners of the past six editions. Safe to say the independent judges have chosen proven winners and these boats continuing to thrive on racecourses around thew world.

The judges enjoyed a blistering run down the bay on the Beneteau First 36 and noted responsive steering, good balance and full control in the 20-knot gusts. Stewart recorded the top speed of 18.3 knots. Walter Cooper

“Like a runaway, the Beneteau First 36 careens across a westerly-whipped Chesapeake Bay. The boat’s big-shouldered spinnaker and mainsail are silhouetted in the early October morning light. It’s making trees on the Eastern Shore as we peg the throttle down to keep chase in a 19-foot RIB. The four crewmembers on board are having a casual conversation—like no big deal—when a cold and meaty gust fills the spinnaker. The leech flickers, and the boat surges forward onto plane. Twin rudders zipper the slick streaming out from the transom as the helmsman, hands at 10 and 2 on the carbon steering wheel, effortlessly weaves the boat across waves tops. The boat is, as the saying goes, on rails.

“Wicked,” is how senior Boat of the Year judge Chuck Allen summarizes his experience when he steps off. “That boat is going to be hard to beat.”

Three days and 10 boats later, nothing comes close to usurping the Beneteau First 36 as the obvious and unanimous Boat of the Year, a boat that has been a long time coming and overdue. It’s a boat that will serve many masters.”

The BENETEAU First 36 has a mission to bridge the gap between high-tech development in the world of racing and mainstream racer-cruisers. To be specific, even the standard version of Firs…

The BENETEAU First 36 has a mission to bridge the gap between high-tech development in the world of racing and mainstream racer-cruisers. To be specific, even the standard version of First 36 will fully plane in a moderate breeze.

However, this by itself was not the main challenge for the design and production teams. For 40 years, the Firsts were successfully hitting the elusive sweet spot between comfort, performance, utility, elegance, high-tech construction, and reasonable price. The First 36 is no different.

Key points:

• Very low displacement that brings the experience of planing into the hands of amateur sailors
• Carefully designed deck layout for short-handed and fully crewed racing
• Practical three-cabin interior with innovative details for cruising

DESIGNED BY SAILORS FOR SAILORS

The design team is coordinated by the experienced hand of Kristian Hajnšek, CTO of Seascape, who works closely with the team at BENETEAU to bring race-grade construction technologies into the segment of production racer-cruisers. On top of this hugely experienced team, we added an elite international group of designers; all of them are passionate sailors in their own right.

Naval architect: Samuel Manuard

He is currently the hottest name in offshore racing, where his designs are winning Mini, Class 40, and IMOCA 60 classes. He is also the designer of the new First and First SE from 14ft to 27ft.

Structural engineering: Pure Design & Engineering

The team from New Zealand was in charge of engineering at some of the most extreme projects in the world of extreme sailing: TP52s, AC75, AC72, IMOCA 60s, and Club Swan, as well as high-end production yachts.

Design: Lorenzo Argento

First 36 follows the same design language of her larger sister – First Yacht 53 – building on the timeless aesthetic of Lorenzo’s work, most notably seen on the Wally and Brenta yachts.

Innovation and research: Gigodesign

This industrial design studio’s design research and innovation insights with multiple Red Dot awards were essential in locking in and developing innovation opportunities.

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