Sail magazine today announced the winners of its Top 10 Best Boats for 2023. Using refined judging criteria, the program evaluated two dozen boats from 16 to 46 feet.
Previously called Sail Best Boats, the program this year eliminated the size and purpose categories from the judging criteria to more accurately assess and compare the boats. Categories were replaced, and judges picked their 10 favorite boats across the board, ensuring that the best designs were recognized.
“Too often, defining these boats by category results in unfairly comparing apples to oranges, sorting boats with very different purposes and design briefs into the same bracket just because of their LOA, and inevitably kicking out some really terrific boats,” Wendy Mitman Clarke, Sail editor-in-chief, said in a statement. “So starting this year, we’re honoring the Top 10 boats, period. By eliminating the artificial straitjacket of size categories and focusing on what are simply the Top 10, Sail will present readers a more complete and equitable assessment.”
The Sail review team included Clarke, cruising editor Charlie Doane, contributing writer Tom Dove, charter editor Zuzana Prochazka and managing editor Lydia Mullan, along with BoatRx founder Phil Gutowski.
The Sail Top 10 Best Boats for 2023:
• Beneteau First 36
• X-Yachts X43
• J/Boats J/45
• Hanse 460
• Hallberg-Rassy 400
• Dufour 37
• Nautitech 44 Open
• NEEL 43 trimaran
• Balance 442
• Tiwal 3R
Click here for the full story with judges’ comments.
Sail magazine is a sister publication to Soundings Trade Only, both of which are part of the Active Interest Media Marine Group.
