The Motor Boat Awards are widely considered the Oscars of the boating world. That’s because every boat has to go through an exhaustive sea trial process just to be considered. It is the only way the judges of the Motor Boat Awards can be sure that all the finalists deliver the same quality on the water and in the showroom.
Marex 440 Gourmet Cruiser got the award in the “Sportscruisers up to 45ft” category. The winners were announced during the ceremony on 23 January at a special event in the Hotel Kö59 Düsseldorf. It provided the glamorous backdrop for the Award, which saw the industry’s best and brightest celebrate another year of boating innovation and exemplary customer service.
That’s what the MBY Award jury:
If Espen Aalrud, the Marex boss, is serious about building the best family boats in the world, the new 440 is the perfect place to begin. While it might look quite modest in a classical Nordic way, the ingenuity behind the deck layouts is deeply impressive.
Plenty of high-spec features, including an anchor camera and floating lilo-style foredeck cushions, enhance the experience. Clever, flexible, and painstakingly resolved, very few new boat recommendations are as clear-cut and unqualified as this.
