The European Powerboat of the Year 2026 awards have been announced, with winners revealed at the Flagship Night ceremony held at boot Düsseldorf's CCD Süd venue before an audience of around 450 invited guests drawn from across the international marine industry.
Widely regarded as the "Oscars of the powerboat world", the European Powerboat of the Year awards carry considerable weight in the global boating sector. What sets them apart from other industry honours, such as the Motor Boat Awards, is the judging process. Rather than relying primarily on expert sea trials, winners are chosen by an independent jury made up of senior editors from eight leading European motorboat publications. The jury evaluates each contender across a range of criteria, including innovation, design, safety, performance, build quality, functionality, and value for money.
Five finalists were nominated in each of the five categories, and earning a place on that shortlist alone was considered a significant achievement for any manufacturer. From that strong field, one winner was selected per category.
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The five winning boats span the full breadth of the contemporary powerboat market. The Sea Ray SDX 270 Surf took the sport boats up to 10 metres category, earning praise from the jury for its versatility and integrated surf technology. Jurors described it as an ideal platform given the surging popularity of wakesurfing. In the motor yachts up to 14 metres category, the Windy SR40 was recognised for the way it combines sporty elegance with genuine comfort and safety. The Sasga Menorquín 48 claimed the motor yachts up to 18 metres award, with the jury celebrating its pairing of traditional craftsmanship with modern boatbuilding practice.
At the larger end of the scale, the De Antonio Yachts D60 won the motor yachts up to 24 metres category, impressing jurors with its hidden outboard propulsion system and an innovative approach to layout. The Bluegame BGF45 rounded out the winners by taking the catamarans category, standing out for its successful transfer of foiling technology, originally developed for America's Cup competition, into a production leisure catamaran.
The 2026 winners, taken together, give a clear picture of where powerboat design is heading, combining performance and innovation with everyday usability across every major segment of the market.
