New Zealand yacht designer Kevin Dibley has reason to celebrate, with his Kraken 58 design nominated for the 2026 European Yacht of the Year awards. The first Kraken 58 has already been launched and is currently on her delivery voyage to Malta.
The nomination was made by a panel of twelve judges, each representing one of twelve European yachting magazines, and those same judges will now put the Kraken 58 through a series of sea trials and tests over the coming months. That hands-on evaluation is central to what sets this award apart: every nominated boat is actually sailed and assessed directly against the other contenders, under the most equal conditions possible.
Running continuously since 2004, the European Yacht of the Year is widely regarded as the world's most prestigious and best-recognised award for new sailing yachts. The rigorous on-the-water testing process gives the result a credibility that few other awards can match.
The winners will be revealed at the traditional gala held on the opening night of the Boot 2026 exhibition in Düsseldorf in January.
