LONDON – In a year of negative, war-fed headlines for their sector, Dutch makers, designers, and architects of large yachts dominated the 2022 Boat International World Superyacht Awards figuring in almost half of the 22 award categories. The event is different from all other yacht awards as its judges are current and former superyacht owners.
The biggest winner this year was Feadship, the venerable Dutch pure custom builder that traces its roots to 1849. Its 94m Viva won in the Displacement Motor Yachts, 2,000GT and above category and won the overall Motor Yacht of the Year award.
Viva, said the jury, won by a large margin, adding, “While many factors influenced this decision, Viva’s consistency in all aspects of the judgment took her into the lead.”
The Sailing Yacht of the Year award went to Finland’s Baltic Yachts for its 35.8m Perseverance 1. This yacht came from the drawing board of Dykstra Naval Architects of the Netherlands and has an interior by the deVosdeVries Design studio.
The cutter-style yacht features a straight stem, bowsprit, counter stern and deep bulwarks. The jury praised Perseverance 1 “for her efficient diesel-electric propulsion system and well-integrated technology that takes her batteries to full charge in just 4.5 hours and permits eight to nine hours of silent running at anchor.”
Damen Yachting won the Rebuilt Yachts award for its massive remodeling of the 89m Here Comes the Sun, a vessel the yard built. The yacht’s reworking was an extraordinary undertaking. It included adding two VIP cabins with new balconies, installing a 7m pool and a helideck, remodeling both the master suite and the crew mess and lounge, and replacing tenders and toys. And, of course, an entirely new paint job. The jury called the result “superb.” Contributing was Azure Yacht Design of the Netherlands.
Damen Yachting also won the Judges’ Special Award for Gene Chaser, which it launched last year as a 55m support craft for Gene Machine, the 55m Amels-180 Damen Yachting delivered in 2013. The owner of both yachts is internationally known for his work in high-speed DNA sequencing. In 2020, he built an emergency lab in Gene Machine’s main saloon, where he developed a COVID home testing kit.
Other Dutch winners at the 2022 World Superyacht Awards:
Van der Valk Shipyard, Ginton Naval Architects and Diana Yacht Design:A Judges’ Commendation for the 34m Lady Lene, an explorer-style yacht with ample customization options, including an elevator. Lady Lene has a VIP space on the bridge deck, three guest rooms below, and stumble-free decks for lack of steps.
Vripack Naval Architects and Design: A Judges’ Commendation for Al Waab, a speedy, 55m flybridge yacht built by Alia Yachts of Turkey. It accommodates up to 10 guests and three crew members.
Feadship and De Voogt Naval Architects: Award for Displacement Motor Yachts, 500-999GT for 55.2m, full custom Somnium. The judges praised the yacht’s “excellent balance between the calmly decorated facilities for the owner and his guests … and her crew and service areas.”
Feadship and De Voogt Naval Architects: Award for Displacement Motor Yachts, 1,500-1,999GT: 71.5m Vanish. The judges said Vanish “stood out from the crowd in this category this year, scoring particularly highly for her appearance and interior layout. The extremely high build quality seen throughout the vessel took her further ahead, but her straightforward interior layout sealed her win.”
Feadship, De Voogt Naval Architects and Azure Yacht Design: Award for Displacement Motor Yachts, 2,000GT and above for 94m Viva. The judges liked the yacht’s clean, modern lines and large deck spaces. Once inside, the light and exterior views are afforded by the floor-to-ceiling windows. “Her advanced hybrid power train permits an efficient 12-knot cruise under diesel-electric propulsion with all catalytically-treated emissions, while her battery bank permits optimum generator efficiency,” the jury said.
World Superyacht Awards (boatinternational.com)
