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Cruising World and Sailing World magazines announced today at the U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Md., their nominees for the 2013 Boat of the Year awards. The BOTY awards recognize and honor the best new sailboat models introduced to the North American market.

The new sailboat models were examined by special nominating panels, consisting of each magazine’s editors and select members of the judging panels.

Sailing World nominated 15 performance-oriented models for its awards.
“The 15 Boat of the Year nominees we’ve accepted are proof that the industry is not sitting around waiting for things to happen in the market,” says Sailing World editor Dave Reed. “Our judges have a full range of boats to test, from two full-on grand-prix racers, to a modern remake of an ocean-racing classic, and, of course, a handful of new one-designs and crossovers.”

Nominees include the Bavaria B/One, C&C 101, Dufour 36 Performance, Harbor 30, J/70, K1, Ker 40, McConaghy 38, Motive 25R, RS Venture, SeaRail 19, Sparkman & Stephens 30, Tartan Fantail, Tofinou 8m, and the X-Yachts Xp 38.

Cruising World nominated 24 boats, split into 7 categories:

•    Inshore Cruisers
•    Small Cruisers 30-39 Feet
•    Midsize Cruisers 40 to 44 Feet
•    Midsize Cruisers 45 to 49 Feet
•    Full-size Cruisers, 51 Feet and Over
•    Multihulls, Under 45 Feet
•    Full-Size Multihulls

“This is a tremendous fleet of new boats for 2013, with everything from sweet 30-foot inshore cruisers to a 62-foot, world-class globe girdler,” said Cruising World senior editor and Boat of the Year director Herb McCormick. “Our judging team is really looking forward to putting them through their paces on Chesapeake Bay.

The nominated boats will now move on to the judging round. The Cruising World judges will focus on production boats laid out and equipped for coastal and offshore cruising and voyaging, while judges on the Sailing World panel will concentrate on boats designed and built with racing in mind.

The 2013 BOTY winners will be announced in the January issue of Cruising World and the January/February issue of Sailing World – both set to hit newsstands in mid-December. The 2013 awards mark the 29th anniversary of the BOTY awards for Sailing World and the 20th for Cruising World.

For more information on the BOTY awards, visit www.sailingworld.com and www.cruisingworld.com.

Cruising World, published monthly by Bonnier Corp., addresses the dedicated sailor with a keen interest in exploring the world’s coastlines and oceans while cruising under sail. Cruising World aims to inspire and entertain through stories and pictures that underscore the beauty, fun and adventure of sailing, while providing practical information on the disciplines of seamanship, navigation and boat handling.

Sailing World, the authority on performance sailing, is published nine times a year by Bonnier Corp. Advice on the latest boat models and equipment, as well as racing tips, tactics and techniques, make it a must-read for sailors who race to win.

Bonnier Corp. (www.bonnier.com) is one of the largest consumer-publishing groups in America and is the leading media company serving passionate, highly engaged audiences, through 49 special-interest magazines and related multimedia projects and events. Bonnier Corp. is the U.S. division of the Bonnier Group, a 200-year-old family-owned media group based in Sweden with business operations in 25 countries.

Cruising World entries are:

Inshore Cruisers:
Catalina 315
Harbor 30 Daysailer Plus
S&S 30

Small Cruisers, 30 to 39 Feet:
C&C 101
Dufour 36 Performance
X-Yachts Xp 38

Midsize Cruisers, 40 to 44 Feet:
Hanse 415
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 41 DS   
Moody 41

Full-Size Cruisers, 45 to 49 Feet:
Bavaria Vision 46
Beneteau Oceanis 48
Beneteau Sense 46

Full-Size Cruisers, 51 Feet and Over:
Bavaria Cruiser 50
Beneteau Sense 55
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 509
Oyster 625

Multihulls, Under 45 Feet:
Hélia 44
Maverick 400
Nautitech 441
Neel 45

Full-Size Multihulls:
Catana 47
Leopard 48
Moorings 5800
Sanya 57