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NEWPORT, R. I. – The Island Packet 460 and the Malö 37 Classic were named the Domestic Boat of the Year and Import Boat of the Year respectively as Cruising World magazine announced the winners of its 16th annual Boat of the Year awards in a recent press release.
Those boats, and six other vessels, 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, the magazine said.
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.”
The other winners were:
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