Cruising World Announces ’11 BOTY Winners

Middletown, R.I. — Cruising World magazine announced today the winners of its 18th annual Boat of the Year awards. Topping this year’s list of winners for the most anticipated awards in the sailboat industry were the Catalina 355 and the Discovery 50. The Catalina 355 won the Domestic Boat of the Year award, and the Discovery 50 was named Import Boat of the Year.

Four other boats also won awards from an independent panel of experts, who inspected and tested 19 nominated boats following the U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Md., earlier this year. Decisions were based on extensive dockside inspections and sea trials of the boats. All of the winners, along with the rest of the 2011 BOTY nominees and several other boats reviewed by the magazine’s editors, will be featured in the January issue of Cruising World.

In addition to claiming the Domestic Boat of the Year award, the Catalina 355 was also named Best Midsize Cruiser, 30 to 39 Feet. “The judges were impressed with the 355’s sailing performance, accommodations, and overall construction quality,” said Boat of the Year director and Cruising World senior editor Bill Springer. “This boat strikes a good balance between cruising comfort and sailing performance in a 35-foot package.”

The Discovery 50 cruising catamaran from England was named Import Boat of the Year as well as Best Catamaran. “The Discovery 50 is well suited to withstand the rigors of offshore passagemaking, and the judges thought it had the best owner’s cabin of all the boats they tested,” said Springer.

For more information on the winners and other nominees, visit Cruising World’s website (www.cruisingworld.com).

Cruising World, based in Middletown, R.I., is published monthly by Bonnier Corp. As the largest sailing magazine in the world, Cruising World is considered the bible for bluewater sailors. The magazine seeks to nurture cruising sailors’ dreams with practical how-to information and stirring real-life adventure articles.

Bonnier Corp. (www.bonnier.com) is one of the largest consumer-publishing groups in America. Bonnier Corp. is the U.S. division of the Bonnier Group, a 200-year-old family-owned media group based in Sweden.

CRUISING WORLD 2011 BOTY WINNERS:

Best Midsize Cruiser, 30 to 39 Feet, and Domestic Boat of the Year
Catalina 355

Best Catamaran and Import Boat of the Year
Discovery 50

Best Small Cruiser, 30 Feet and Under
Beneteau First 30

Best Cruiser, 40 to 49 Feet
Dufour 45e

Best Full-Size Cruiser, 50 to 55 Feet
Beneteau Sense 50

Best Premium Cruiser Over 55 Feet
Hylas 56

Cruising Spirit Award
Presto 30

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