The annual World Superyacht Awards, which recognise the ingenuity and craftsmanship of the world's most remarkable luxury yachts, turns 20 in 2025. The event, in association with Acquera Club, The Italian Sea Group and Maddox, is renowned globally for its credibility and prestige and stands out from other yacht awards thanks to its distinguished judging panel of current and former superyacht owners.
In honour of this milestone, we take a trip down memory lane to revisit all the winners of the prestigious Sailing Yacht of the Year award over the last two decades. Tickets are now on sale for the World Superyacht Awards 2025, taking place on 2-3 May in Venice.
APPLY FOR TICKETS2024: Sarissa
Sarissa's groundbreaking propulsion system, state-of-the-art sails and rig and exquisite Liaigre interiors caught the eye of the judges in 2024. Boasting innovative features such as the largest square-top sail in the world as well as a cutting-edge propulsion system and creative layout, the 59.7-metre Royal Huisman sailing yacht was designed by Malcolm McKeon Yacht Design, which also completed the naval architecture.
2023: Alea
Delivered in 2022, the 56-metre Vitters sailing yacht Alea was designed by Mani Frers, who also completed the naval architecture. Her interior was designed by M2 Atelier. Commissioned by an owner who wanted to circumnavigate the world, she was designed with a powerful and slender hull form and a distinctive reverse bow to increase waterline length and speed that would sail with comfortably low angles of heel.
2022: Perseverance 1
Delivered in 2021, the 39.6-metre sailing yacht Perseverance 1 was built by Baltic Yachts with interior design by deVosdeVries design and naval architecture and exterior design by Dykstra Naval Architects. The judges praised her "attractive combination of traditional looks with exceptional sailing performance" along with her efficient diesel-electric propulsion system and well-integrated technology that took her batteries to full charge in just 4.5 hours and permitted eight to nine hours of silent running at anchor.
2021: Geist
When it came to Geist, the owner’s wish was for a yacht with classical beauty "built with sustainable materials, while minimising the impact on the environment". The brief - including ethically-sourced timber and advanced technology - was met by designer Sean McMillan with a 33.9-metre sailing yacht, built in the United Kingdom and delivered in 2020. The flagship of Spirit Yachts, she is the only Spirit 111 model.
2020: Canova
Delivered in 2019, 43.3-metre Canova's novel-for-the-time Dynamic Stability System DSS foil and environmental technology propelled this Baltic Yachts sailing yacht to the top of her league. Her owner, a passionate sailor with more than 42 years’ experience, was clear in the brief: “Optimum seagoing comfort; easy maintenance in remote areas; lots of shade in the cockpit; tenders stowed below decks, and the best possible interior layout." This was deftly answered by exterior and interior designer Lucio Micheletti and in the naval architecture by Farr Yacht Design.
2019: Black Pearl
It took six years, a visionary owner and an army of designers, builders and architects (including Dykstra Naval Architects and Oceanco) to build 106.7-metre Black Pearl. When she was finally delivered in 2018, she was the largest sailing yacht in the world and the most technologically advanced. Her innovative DynaRig sail system was a significant advancement on the earlier Maltese Falcon, with 25 per cent more sail area, electric rotating spars that made her more manoeuvrable and a hinged rig so she could pass through the Panama Canal. Her exteriors were designed by Nuvolari Lenard and Ken Freivokh, who also designed the interiors along with Gerard P. Villate.
2018: Pink Gin IV, now Ravenger
While everyone remembers her hot pink sails and Murano glass chandeliers hanging from the boom, Ravenger was - and still is - so much more than that. When she was delivered in 2017, she was one of the world’s largest all-carbon fibre sloops at 54 metres. Built by Baltic Yachts, designed by Judel-Vrolijk with naval architecture by Judel/Vrolijk & Co and an eclectic interior courtesy of British firm Design Unlimited, she also included such technical wizardry as two opening balconies set into the topsides.
2017: Sybaris, now Badis I
Delivered in 2016, 70-metre Badis I stole the show at the World Superyacht Awards 2017 as a ground-breaking, world-class sailing yacht from the sheds of Perini Navi and drawing boards of Philippe Briand and PH Design. Designed to cruise even the toughest of extremities in the utmost comfort, Badis I champions an impressive sailing ability. Her aluminium hull and superstructure allow for sailing in light winds without the need for mechanical power, whilst simultaneously offering supreme comfort within an optimised internal volume. Her art-loving, sailing-obsessed owner poured his passions into Badis I to create a vessel that was not only forward-thinking in terms of technical innovations at the time, but also beautiful.
2016: Unfurled
Marking the first collaboration between builder Vitters and designer German Frèrs, 46-metre sloop Unfurled is believed to be a yacht that could fulfil both specific racing requirements and a luxurious cruising ability as per the demands of her owner. She harboured the latest technology at the time of her delivery in 2015, including retractable propulsion pods and a sophisticated carbon rig and roller furling system, in addition to downwind sails stored on special drums under the foredeck for easy deployment. As the eighth sailing yacht for the same owner, Unfurled’s cruiser-racer proficiency and clever space-saving interiors - designed with her owner’s sailing expertise - made her a 2016 award showstopper.
2015: WinWin
Baltic Yachts’ 33-metre cruiser-racer WinWin seduced judges in 2015 with her standout balance of performance, style and comfort. Designed by Javier Jaudenes with interiors by Design Unlimited, the 2014-delivered yacht was celebrated at her time: beautifully completed by the Finnish yard despite specific, yet conflicting, owner requirements. Her wide, high transom, plumb bow and slender profile lend themselves to a speedy performance on the regatta circuit, whilst her clean, contemporary and highly personalised interior make her so much more than just a racer. Her name was derived from her project name and she is recognised for achieving multiple win-win situations, with multiple superyacht cup wins now under her belt.
2014: Inukshuk
Inukshuk is another Sailing Yacht of the Year award winner to come out of the Finland-based shipyard Baltic Yachts stable. The 32.6-metre sloop was delivered in 2013, showcasing German Frers’ elegant exterior and balanced naval architecture, which - with a telescopic keel and carbon rig and rigging - ensures fast and effective sailing. Her lightweight nature makes for a favourable power-to-weight ratio, which is exemplified even further within her interiors (by Adam Lay Studio) which are uncluttered and airy.
2013: Pumula
Scooping top prize at the 2013 awards in Istanbul, Pumula was praised for her modern classic style. Delivered in 2012 by Royal Huisman, the 37.3-metre yacht can be singled out by her Dykstra Naval Architect-style curved, low profile. Her dark hull is perfectly contrasted by light teak decks and a dash of bright blue along her waterline, with her interiors (from the studio of Rhoades Young Design) aptly designed to match - decorated with light oak with classic touches. As a sailing yacht, Pumula reflects the epitome of beauty and performance standards: her classic appearance is matched by her sea-kindly hull, easy-to-handle rig with carbon-fibre mast and guaranteed levels of handling.
2012: Vertigo
At the time of her delivery in 2011, Vertigo marked the biggest project to date for both designer Philippe Briand and shipyard Alloy Yachts. At 67.2 metres and 837GT, the sailing yacht soon became recognised as one of the most impressive and adventurous sailing superyachts in the global fleet: taking the crown as the largest sailing yacht ever built in the Southern Hemisphere and the first over-500GT yacht from Alloy Yachts. In an interview with Briand four years on from Vertigo’s delivery, he revealed that she was his “toughest project” to date. Alongside her 2012 World Superyacht Award win, the sailing yacht won multiple BOAT Design & Innovation Awards in the same year, including for her “urban at sea” interiors from renowned French designer Christian Liaigre.
2011: Zefira
Commissioned by experienced Italian owners Salvatore and Paola Trifirò, 49.7-metre Zefira’s fast-cruising nature and quintessential low sailing profile won her Sailing Yacht of the Year in 2011. Built by Fitzroy Yachts in New Zealand, with exterior design and naval architecture by Dubois Naval Architects, Zefira is kitted out with optimal racing features, including a plumb bow, flush deck, generous sail plan and - at the time of her construction - the latest thinking in keel design. When delivered in 2010, she became the largest Dubois sailing yacht built without a flybridge.
2010: Hanuman
Royal Huisman’s 42.1-metre J Class sloop Hanuman is an icon on the racing scene. Regularly spotted on the regatta circuits, she soon became recognised for her multitude of successes on the racecourse. Hanuman marked Dykstra Naval Architects’ first J Class new build, and, with her design based on the first J Class sailing yacht Endeavour II (1937), she is a born race winner. Previous Royal Huisman managing director Alice Huisman said at Hanuman's 2009 launch: “Bow to stern, inside and out, she is the most harmonious and consistent yacht I think we have built. She is true to herself, reflecting upon her traditional roots but authentic in her own right."
2009: P2, now Yam 2
Italian-built Yam 2 was designed by Phillipe Briand to be a high-performance racing yacht with flexible yet luxurious interiors. Built with an alloy hull and carbon superstructure, Perini Navi perfected her racing demeanour and at 38.2 metres she is sensitive in light air yet fast in a breeze - carrying 14,000 square metres of sail downwind. Yam 2 was delivered in 2008 and has since produced excellent results on the regatta scene alongside superb cruising for her owners and charter guests thanks to her versatility.
2008: Meteor
Relaxed, traditional and classic are three words to describe Royal Huisman’s 51.6-metre Meteor. Characterised by her John Munford interior, which features warm mahogany and elegant soft furnishings, this traditional sailing superyacht offers sublime comfort within Dykstra Naval Architects' and John G. Alden Design’s full-length keel - designed mindful of creating a sea kindly motion. Her stable sailing experience is appropriately complemented by graceful lines and a fine clipper bow together with a bowsprit. Delivered in 2007, Meteor quickly took the industry by storm - winning an unprecedented three awards at the 2008 World Superyacht Awards.
2007: Maltese Falcon
There is no greater marvel of the global superyacht fleet than Perini Navi’s 88-metre Maltese Falcon. A game-changer in the world of sailing superyachts, late American venture capitalist and serial yacht owner Tom Perkins created one of the most sensational three-masted sailing yachts of the past 100 years in collaboration with the Italian yard, Dykstra Naval Architects and Ken Freivokh. Launched in 2006, the Maltese Falcon took almost six years to complete, notably due to her radical complexity that was ground-breaking for her time. Fitted with unstayed masts made of “weapons-grade” carbon fibre, a computerised sail and mast control system, and - most exceptionally - a cutting-edge FalconRig (the dubbed name for the first DynaRig ever installed on a superyacht), Maltese Falcon was hailed as a triumph of design, development and engineering: a clear Sailing Yacht of the Year Award winner.
2006: Parsifal III
The 53.8-metre Parsifal III took home the very first Sailing Yacht of the Year Award in 2006. The only 54-metre model from Perini Navi, she hit the water in 2005 and quickly rose to fame as one of the yard’s fastest yachts on the water with top speeds of 18 knots under full sail. Her owner, inventor and entrepreneur Kim Vibe-Petersen, sought to break boundaries with designer Rémi Tessier: creating an original open-plan interior that allows for 360-degree viewing around the main saloon. “Parsifal III was a game-changer in the sailing yacht industry,” he said. Now the star of the hit reality TV show Below Deck Sailing Yacht, Parsifal III has become famed for her excellent charter amenities, including a plunge pool on the upper deck and a hydraulic swim platform.
Read More/World Superyacht Awards 2025: The nominees