The world’s largest International Motorboat Award,
focused on the boater’s point of view.

The Best of Boats Award was launched in 2014 by boat journalists from many countries and different editorial offices with two things in common: Very large experience as boat testers and particular interest in the practical needs of boaters.

The Best of Boats Award is the largest annual award for motorboats in Europe, assuming the number of participating countries, magazines and boat tests. As the only motorboat award worldwide, the BOB Award is at home in all important european water-sports regions.

The Best of Boats Award is focused on the boaters point of view. All categories are defined by real-life use cases and correspond to target groups, not to boat lengths or marketing bling.

Who is BOB
The Jury

The Best of Boats Award was launched in 2014 by boat journalists from many countries and different editorial houses. All were united by two things: Their profound experience as boat testers and a strong interest in the practical needs of active boaters. From all over Europe and the USA, these professional boat journalists are currently members of the Jury.

KERSTIN ZILLMER

Germany

Founder and editor in chief of float, Germany’s leading online magazine for everything that moves on the water. Based in Berlin.

ZUZANA PROCHAZKA

USA

Contributing to 18+ boating publications, Award-winning freelance writer and photographer Zuzana also leads the Board of Directors for Boating Writers International.

ALFRED J. BOER

The Netherlands

Testing for BeNeLux boating mags such as Nautique and Varen, the former commercial pilot and long-time tester is based near Amsterdam.

STANISLAW IWINSKI

Poland

Founder of the online magazine yachtsmen.eu, sport sailor by passion since 55+ years, journalist by profession since 45+ years, based in Warsaw.

TROELS LYKKE

Denmark

Founder and editor in chief of Motorbaads Nyt, Denmark’s leading online magazine for motorboats. Based in Aarhus.

ENRIQUE CURT IBORRA

Spain

Owner and editor in chief of Mares boating magazine. Long-time boating media entrepreneur Siga is based in Barcelona.

BERND HOFSTÄTTER

Austria

Chief motorboat tester and long time contributor of Austria’s classic Ocean7, Bernd is based in Klagenfurt.

GIACOMO GIULIETTI

Italy

Sailing with almost everything, wind or motor powered crafts, is his passion, and that’s what the boat tester of Pressmare did for most of his life.

JAN SJÖLUND

Finland

Editor in chief of two finnish boat magazines in Helsinki, Jan is also chairman of the Finnish Boating Journalists Association.

JULIJAN VISNJEVEC

Slovenia

Owner and editor in chief of Slovenian leading boat magazine, based in Ljubljana.

KRUNOSLAV MIHIC

Editor in Chief of the leading Croatian Boat Magazine, Kruno is based in Rijeka.

AREK REJS

Poland

Correspondent for Wiatr and int’l boat magazines, Poznan-based Arek almost always on the water, if not in the air.

QUENTIN MAYERAT

Switzerland

With lakes and oceans as his daily playground, the Geneva-based editor in chief thrives on human contact and being on the water.

STEFAN GERHARD

Germany

Keeps the friends of BOB together as founder and chairman of the Best of Boats Award.

WHO IS BOB
OUR MAGAZINES

Bateaux

Magazine

🇫🇷 bateaux.com is France's leading website on leisure boating. Bringing together passionate boaters with a whole ecosystem of articles and datasheets to keep updated about new boats and learn about the best way to enjoy on the water.

Burza Nautike

Magazine

🇭🇷 Burza Nautike is Croatia’s leading nautical magazine and web portal in the region. Due to its informative and educational character, it has been proved useful for boat owners, industry professionals and for every seaman and person who loves the sea and sailing.

float

Magazine

🇩🇪 float is Germany’s leading online magazine dedicated to everything that moves us on the water, in particular boats and people on the water. float is host of the biggest and most engaged Facebook community in the DACH region and founding member of the BOB Award.

Mares

Magazine

🇪🇸 Mares is run by a group of professionals who share the objective to propose new challenges to everyone who loves nautical sports. Idealistic, enthusiasts, open minded and a little bit stubborn the creators are are really ambitious with the new, 2017 established magazine.

Motorbaads Nyt

Magazine

🇩🇰 Denmarks biggest digital voice about testing boats up to 70 ft is dedicated also to lifestyle at sea and practical aspects of boating. Launched in 2011, the free magazine is run by journalist Troels Lykke with 20 years experience in the boat industry.

Nautique

Magazine

🇳🇱 Nautique is the exclusive Dutch Yachting Magazine that brings yachting to its readership in the most eye-catching way, commissioning only the best travel, luxury, design, gastronomy and of course yachting editors and photographers.

Pressmare

Magazine

🇮🇹 Pressmare from Rome, Italy, is a news agency and online magazine focused on leisure boating, yachting industry, the sea world overall and its related lifestyle, featuring information from over 1,500 sources, added by own interviews, sea trials, market intelligence and analysis.

Ocean 7

Magazine

🇦🇹 Emotional stories from all exciting areas of the world, factual information about maritime innovations, competent tests of new sailing and motor yachts and plenty of first-hand tips make Ocean7 the bimonthly Yacht magazine for Austria.

Skippers

Magazine

🇨🇭 As the unchallenged leader in Swiss yachting press since 20+ years, Skippers is competing in more than one class: from sailing to motorboats and boards in French and German.

Southern Boating

Magazine

🇺🇸 Founded in 1972, Southern Boating is a monthly glossy print magazine, the largest in the southern U.S. Focused on powerboats 30-90 feet, it publishes the best of the boating lifestyle in the tradition in which it started.

Totalvene

Magazine

🇫🇮 Totalvene is Finland’s premiere boating digital media with expert focus in boat testing, product novelties and news. Established in late 2017 by an experienced boating publisher and journalist team Totalvene looks to the future with deep insight to the boating.

Val Navtika

Magazine

🇸🇮 Val Navtika was the first boating magazine to be published in Slovenia, and now prides itself on a long heritage as the most respected magazine in the Slovenian marine industry. Since 1991, Val navtika has stood at the vanguard as the most widely read boating periodical.

Varen

Magazine

🇧🇪 Varen is Belgium’s most read watersports magazine for more than 40 years, offering 10 editions each year with 25.000 copies each per annum.

Venemestari

Magazine

🇫🇮 Venemestari is the leading boat magazine in Finland. Made for practical boat owners and people with a boating lifestyle plus individuals who prefer to upkeep their own boats, Venemestari differs from all other magazines in Finland.

Wiatr

Magazine

🇵🇱 With trustworthy boat tests, exciting travel stories and watersports news, Wiatr became quickly one of the most popular boating magazines in Poland after its start in 2010. It is distributed free of charge where boaters spend their free time.

Yachtsmen

Magazine

🇵🇱 Yachtsmen.eu is the leading online nautical magazine in Poland, addressed to people who love the lifestyle associated with water sports. It features information on water sports, trade fairs, advice on how to start yachting plus tests of the latest boat models.

How to BOB
Tests, Categories & Ceremony

Future-bound categories show the full range of boating based on the user’s point of view. Currently it consists of the categories best for beginners, best for family, best for fun, best for performance, best for travel, best for future and, introducing, best of electric.

The ceremony of the Best of Boats Award is held every year in November in Berlin, Germany’s vibrant capital,
on the first day of the Boat & Fun Berlin boat show, the long-time partner of the award.

Hundreds of new boat models from all leading boat-building countries get tested each year by the Best of Boats Award jury members in confirmed full-scale boat tests.

Best for Beginners

A beginners boat should be, according to the Best of Boats jury, a ship easy to use, safe to travel with, made by a service-driven shipyard plus economically favorable regarding purchase price, fuel consumption and costs for maintenance.

Best for Family

A boat suitable for families should be, according to the Best of Boats jury, a ship with enough space for all generations aboard, safety features for kids plus facilities and amenities for a longer stay on the ship.

Best for Fun

A boat is “Best for Fun”, according to the Best of Boats jury, if the ship is versatile for many kinds of watersports, adaptable to the needs of different crews and – of course – fun to drive with to experience nature, water and power equally.

Best for Performance

A boat is “Best for Performance”, according to the Best of Boats jury, if the ship matches and exceeds the qualities of a fun boat, being equally seaworthy and safe to the max, equipped with the best-performing hull plus a touch of luxury.

Best for Travel

A travel boat should be, according to the Best of Boats jury, suitable for long distance travels with all amendments to live onboard permanently, adapted either for inland waters or to the tough conditions at sea.

Best Electric

A boat "Best of Electric" is up-to-date regarding performance, usability and system security, keeping sustainability in mind, no matter if e-only or hybrid.

Best for Future

A motorboat “Best for Future” is, according to the Best of Boats jury, a blend of new and groundbreaking technologies and concepts, combined
with the awareness regarding sustainability and the responsible use of our resources.