Boat of the Year 2020

Eleven performance sailing designs, some fresh from factories and some new to the US market, were presented to Sailing World’s  judging panel in October, each vying for the title of the one and only Boat of the Year. From day racers to shorthanded machines, to inflatable toys and foilers to one amazing wing-driven carbon sculpture, the judges had their hands and minds full during a week of sailing on the Chesapeake Bay. Design, purpose, construction quality, performance under sail and innovation were the parameters against which each boat was measured—and with little debate in the end, this year’s winner emerged as a unanimous favorite.