The 22 best boats of 2025 in the final of the Best of Boats Award: International jury announces the 22 finalists for the Best of Boats Award 2025 in five categories – Award ceremony in Berlin on 27 November 2025.
Berlin/Cannes, 8 September 2025 – ‘And the winner is …’ will be heard five times on the evening of 27 November 2025, when the winners of the ‘Best of Boats Award’ – or BOB Award for short – will be announced at a ceremony during BOAT & FUN BERLIN 2025. This is the 12th time that Europe’s best motorboats will be honoured with this important industry award in Berlin.
The award honours the most impressive new boat models of the 2025 model year, which have proven themselves in numerous tests over the last twelve months. The 16-member expert jury, consisting of editors-in-chief and motorboat test managers from all over Europe and the USA, thoroughly examined the most interesting international motorboat innovations during test drives in numerous sailing areas. New to the jury this year were Terje Bjørnsen (Norway), Chiara Riveruzzi (Italy) and Geoffroy Langlade (France), who strengthened the team in important regions.
What makes the Best of Boats Award special is that the jury’s verdict is based directly on the perspective of future boat users, not on boat length. Only boats that have been tested by at least four judges are considered. New models that are still in development are also not eligible for the BOB Award. The thoroughness and technical depth of the test drives make the Best of Boats Award a seal of quality for the selected boats. The BOB Award is therefore one of the most internationally renowned awards in the boating industry.
After an intensive season with almost 300 boat tests, the 22 finalists for the Best of Boats Award 2025 have now been determined. In addition to the traditional categories Best for Beginners, Best for Family and Best for Fun, boats will be awarded for the first time in the new category Best for Adventure, which is dedicated to closed sports boats. Introduced in 2024 and back again is the category Best Big Boats, which is dedicated to luxury motor yachts for long-distance cruising up to 60 feet in length.
The finalists for the Best of Boats Award 2025 are:
BEST FOR BEGINNERS
Bayliner C21, USA
Highfield ADV 7, China
Quicksilver 705 Open, USA
Roto / River Hydra 530, Slovenia / Norway
BEST FOR FUN
De Antonio D29, Spain
Four Winns H9, USA
Nordkapp Enduro 830, Norway
Sea Ray SDX 270 Surf, USA
Wellcraft 38 T-Top, USA
BEST FOR ADVENTURE
Aiata Wayfinder 38 Cabin, Turkey
Max 108 Pro, Finland
Saxdor 340 GTWA, Finland
Silver Condor Cabin, Finland
Virtue V10 Cabin, Poland
BEST FOR FAMILY
Aquador 400 HT, Sweden
Makai M37, Croatia
Northman Trawler 1300, Poland
Tuccoli T 295 SF, Italy
Viknes 10, Norway
BEST BIG BOATS
Beneteau Swift Trawler 54, France
Prestige M7, France
XO EXPLR 44, Finland
BOB 2025: Model diversity and a wide range
The selection for the Best of Boats Award 2025 reflects the entire world of the current model year. Innovative concepts such as the environmentally friendly Hydra 530, made from PE, are just as much a part of it as modern interpretations of classic US day cruisers such as the Sea Ray SDX 270 Surf, a combination of family boat and wakeboard sports boat.
Well-known boat-building nations such as Finland and Poland are much more strongly represented this year than last year. From beginner sports boats and family cruisers to long-range big boats and exciting adventure boats – all common boat types are represented at the Best of Boats Award 2025.
BOAT & FUN: Premium partner and host of the BOB Award
The Best of Boats Award will be presented at BOAT & FUN BERLIN, which will take place from 27 to 30 November at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds. The award ceremony with the jurors, representatives of international shipyards, shipyard managers and international representatives of the boating industry will take place on Thursday, 27 November 2025, from 6.30 p.m. in the exclusive ambience of the Marshall House.
BOAT & FUN BERLIN, a premium partner of the Best of Boats Award since 2014, will once again host the festive winners’ party for the best motorboats of the year.
Press material from the BOB Award.
