European Yacht Of The Year 2026: These are the winners of the Sailing Oscars!

There has not been such a promising year in yacht building for a long time. Instead of focussing primarily on increasing volume and living space or, worse still, cutting costs in production, most shipyards have now refocused on core values. This was impressively demonstrated by the tests for Europe's Yachts of the Year.

The six award-winning models in particular epitomise the return to the essentials. They all owe their victory not exclusively, but very significantly, to the fact that they were able to impress under sail - regardless of whether they are a cruising catamaran or a blue water yacht. Even boats from categories for which performance is not the only decisive factor won their title at sea, not in the assessment at anchor or in the harbour.

For a long time, the focus of new developments was on comfort, but today such one-dimensionality is no longer enough to win one of the coveted boatbuilding Oscars. It takes more than that: good cockpit ergonomics, suitable deck hardware, rigid structures, sufficiently thick edge banding and veneer thicknesses in addition to easily accessible sailing fun.

The increase in performance in the performance segment is almost intoxicating, with four out of four nominees setting new standards. The progress is so striking that the jury awarded two prizes instead of one. German shipyards also scored twice: Pure Yachts from Kiel and Woy from Grödersby an der Schlei impressed the jurors of the twelve most influential sailing magazines in Europe straight away.

There was never a lack of wind during the multi-day tests last autumn. In Port Ginesta, Spain, breaking waves at the harbour entrance prevented the boats from leaving for a short time. In IJmuiden, most of the nominees stayed on the jetties for two days due to a westerly gale with gusts of up to 53 knots. All in all, however, the conditions were ideal for judging the newcomers at the limit.

Europe's yachts of the year 2026 at a glance

Winner in the Family Cruiser category: Excess 13

• Here you can read more about the reasons, the jury's votes and the competitors.

Winner in the Luxury Cruiser category: Wauquiez 55

• Read more about the reasons, the jury's votes and the competitors here.

Winner in the Bluewater Cruiser category: Pure 42

• You can read all about the reasons, the jury's votes and the competitors here.

Winner in the Performance Yacht Multihull category: Dragonfly 36

• Read more about the reasons, the jury's votes and the competitors here.

Winner in the Performance Yacht Monohull category: First 30

• Here you can read more about the reasons, the jury's votes and the competitors.

Special award Newcomer of the Year 2026: Woy 26

• Read more about the reasons, the jury's votes and the competitor here.