Boat of the Year testing was conducted in February in St. Petersburg, Florida and Annapolis, Maryland, this year, allowing for a broader fleet of entries.
Performance Dinghies
Bigger, roomier and sportier on the water than it looks on the dock, the Fusion 2 is designed to get new sailing adults excited and learning. The judges agreed that it sails great and would appeal to clubs and families.
The Maverick is the multitool of watersports. For sailing, there are inflatable seats and it tracks upwind just fine. Pop in the windsurf rig or practice your wing technique. No wind? Bust out the SUP paddle. For waterside living, this 10-foot, 95-pound dinghy will entertain all summer.
A gem of a dinghy from Mackay Boats, the VX Two was the top boat from our BOTY session in St. Pete. The judges described it as perfect in every way, a sophisticated but simple skiff-style dinghy for more experienced sailors.
Foilers
The IODA is a 10-foot foiler that the judges felt was challenging to sail as first-timers. It’s better suited for smaller and more nimble sailors. The judges felt that the BirdyFish S was far easier to sail and more versatile.
The BirdyFish Race was a contender from our St. Pete session. It’s a bigger scow-shaped craft than the BirdyFish S, and it was praised for its excellent construction, robust foils and the ability to sail two-up and share the fun. The Race’s gennaker takes the fun factor up a big notch.
Club Racers
The J/7 made its BOTY debut in St. Pete in February, and in the lighter conditions, without a spinnaker, it was difficult for the judges to really assess the true performance of the boat. As a targeted multipurpose boat, it has all the traits of a J Boat: lightweight, roomy, responsive and great upwind.
The development of the Storm 18 was thorough and the result is a legitimate multipurpose boat that’s built to last the abuses of adult sailing lessons, club team racing and recreational sailing. The judges praised the boat’s performance and versatility, but the demo tested in St. Petersburg was not yet perfected. Production is now apace, however, with several U.S. yacht clubs committed to fleets.
Crossovers
With the Beneteau First 30’s highly refined hull and obsessive attention to detail with weight management, the engineers and builders at Beneteau have delivered what they tout as the first in a new genre of “planing cruisers.” Belowdecks is a weekender-worthy interior, and on deck, the sail-control systems and cockpit ergonomics all add up to make it an excellent platform for coastal and shorthanded races, especially courses with predominant downwind angles where its planing attributes can deliver.
The Argentinian-built Zonda Z28 follows the award-winning Z24, selected as the 2024 Best Recreational Racer. Whereas the Z24 was light and sporty, however, the 28 is much more of a cruiser-leaning design. With a lot of interior volume, an electrified lifting keel and a retractable transom-hung carbon rudder for shallow-water venues, the judges noted it being well-priced and well-built. With the rig out of tune for the test, they did, however, have helm control issues in the day’s 15-knot breeze.
Multihulls
As the most sophisticated HH Catamaran ever tested as part of Boat of the Year, the HH52 delivered an exceptional sailing experience for the judges who praised it for its ergonomics and systems. Whatever the sail combination or angle, the judges said, the feel on the tiller was sensational as was the level of detail in the construction and execution. As a multimillion-dollar catamaran loaded with performance features, it will make many a happy owner.
The 15-foot inflatable Happy Cat Star Carbon is one not to be overlooked by adventure-race fanatics. Super durable rubber tubes for the hulls and a carbon frame to keep it all stiff and fast made for high-speed and thrilling test for the judges. With a gennaker deployed, they had the fun-meter pegged. The entire boat breaks down into duffel bags, and the accessories list from Grabner, the builder in Germany, is extensive.
After a stunning session on the Happy Cat, the judges were left wanting on the MiniCat 520 Explorer, which did not have the same level of stiffness or balance. As a recreational inflatable catamaran, they didn’t feel it was suited for serious adventure racing.
