The Best of Boats Award was launched in 2014 by boat journalists from many countries and different magazines with two things in common: high expertise and long 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 and highest standards on quality and editorial independance. All categories are defined by real-life use cases and correspond to target groups, not to boat length or marketing bling.
What is BOB
The categories
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 electric boats, best for fun, best for adventure, best for performance and best big boats.
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 Electric
An electric boat for the “Best Electric” category is up-to-date regarding performance, usability and system security, keeping sustainability in mind, no matter if e-only or hybrid.
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 RIBs
A boat suitable for the category “Best RIBs” pairs a stable, seaworthy hull with resilient tubes for confident handling in any conditions, offering agility, safety and comfort at speed and versatility to serve equally well as tender, sports boat and day cruiser.
Best for Adventure
Shine or rain, hot or cold, flat or rough – a “Best for Adventure“ boat is ready and capable to drive to the next day or weekend adventure.
Best Big Boats
A boat suitable for the category “Best Big Boats“, according to the Best of Boats jury, offers – in a length from 50 feet up – all amendments to live onboard permanently.
not in 2026: 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.
not in 2026: Best for Future
A motorboat is “Best for Future” when combining new and groundbreaking technologies or concepts with awareness on sustainability and the responsible use of resources.
