Editor’s Note: Today, at the Discover Boating Miami Boat Show, Monterey Boats’ Elite 30 was awarded the Boat of the Year trophy by Editor-in-Chief Kevin Falvey. Look for our video with complete coverage of that event, coming soon.

Boating’s Boat of the Year (BOTY) stands as the most prestigious award in recreational boating. Why? There are many reasons, including the decades-long history of editorial objectivity used to select the BOTY. Boatbuilders do not pay to be considered for the award, nor do advertising dollars sway our Tech Team’s decision. The record stands for itself: Non-advertisers, and those who advertise very little, have both earned the honor of Boat of the Year.

What, then, is the BOTY criteria? 

First, it must be a boat we have tested in the ­preceding year. It must also meet or exceed all ABYC, NMMA, and other industry standards and ­regulations. The determining factor, though, is that the boat must excel in its category more than any other boat stands out in any other category. Often, and again the record bears this out, the BOTY is copied and sets a trend, advancing the state of the sport.

For 2024, we chose Monterey’s Elite 30 as BOTY by virtue of its layout. It’s the result of a new way of seeing boat design—melding the best features of a dual-console, a center-console and a bowrider. In doing so, it changes the way we think about and use boats. Congratulations, Monterey!

Read our full review of the Monterey Elite 30, here.

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It’s important that you know how we assess boats. First, the boat must be safe, as well as designed and built with industry best practices. We rely on the standards set by the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) for this, as well as other published and respected sources.

Secondly, we judge boats by their category peers. There’s little value in comparing a watersports boat to a fishing boat, for example. Also note that all categories of boats are not represented. This doesn’t mean that boats in other categories not shown here were in some way inferior. It simply means that no boats that we tested from other categories stood out in those categories as much as did these category winners.

Congratulations to the following 2024 Boat of the Year category winners!

Dayboat—Large: Regal 38 Surf

This boat, powered by the new Volvo Penta Twin Forward Drives, rates as the world’s largest wakesurf boat. Beyond that accolade, Regal built in tremendous versatility, delivering a boat that can entertain, overnight and even fish, all while providing surfing thrills safely. That the boat is finished beautifully, and loaded with thoughtful details, further solidifies its stature and status.

Dayboat—Small: Monterey Elite 30

The Monterey Elite 30 is an American-made dayboat that takes on the European builders, who have arguably owned this category for a number of years, with a wider beam, more horse- power and innovations such as its ingeniously executed centerline helm with all-glass display. Featuring a straight stem, but with more flare worked into the bow than similar boats, we found the ride and handling great.

Fishing—Large: NorthCoast 415HT

In a world where center-console fishing boats have come to rule the roost, NorthCoast debuts a cabin model to give CC buyers second thoughts. It delivers all the fishability an avid angler can use, plus a luxurious interior for when the boat is used as a cruiser, or simply for fisherman who don’t mind a comfortable place to get out of the heat, the cold or the wind enroute to the grounds. Outboard-powered, and with its deep-V hull, it will run faster, smoother, quieter and less smoky than the sedan fishing boats of the past.

Performance: Checkmate Pulsare 2400 BRX

Time was when boat buyers could choose from many new performance boats. With the Pulsare 2400 BRX, Checkmate gives boaters seeking such a boat an alternative to used boats—with the versatility of a bowrider. Running on V-bottom with a pad, and with a Mercury Racing motor set back on a jackplate, this boat really goes. It can be powered as a 65-mph run- about or, with the Mercury Racing 500R, for 90-plus- mph thrills. Inside, plush upholstery, a new digital dash, and other upgrades ensure user-friendly speed and comfort.

Watersports: KYMA K7 Supercharged

V-drive inboards do a great job, so why bother with water-jet power in this specialized category? We didn’t honor Kyma for simply being different.

The 6.2L 575 Indmar jet gives this boat shallower draft, better slow speed handling than a V-drive, and its wakesurf waves rank on par with those produced by V-drive boats, thanks to the innovative use of the Seakeeper Ride stability system.

Fishing—Small: Sailfish 232 Center Console

Usually, more expensive boats get honored with Boat of the Year awards: Expensive boats generally see more money applied to them for the R and D that creates innovation. Of course, there’s plenty to be said for a boat that delivers more bang for the buck than its competitors, even at a moderate price.. The Sailfish 232 Center Console’s ride and standard equipment are equivalent to boats costing more. It is a true “great buy.” A nice detail is the front-entry head, and there are enough seats and drink holders to allow this fishboat to serve as a runabout and retain great fishability.

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In testing more than 100 boats each year, Boating’s Tech Team gets to assess more boats—and more different kinds of boats­—than just about anyone else on the planet. Each editor brings their own Boat of the Year (BOTY) candidate boats to regular discussions, making our BOTY selection an ongoing and dynamic process. While candidates must meet the highest ­industry standards, as well as best practices in design, materials and construction, simply being a “great boat,” of which there are many, is not enough. The Boat of the Year must excel in its category more than any other boat excels in any other category. 

During 2023, Montara’s Surf Boss 2.0 rated that ­status. In fact, it was the first BOTY candidate in some time that our team agreed upon without much debate.

The Surf Boss 2.0 combines the best qualities of two of the most popular boat categories—pontoons and watersports—with hardly any compromise. Rendered in aluminum and powered by a V-drive inboard, its monohull is optimized for creating wakes and waves that pro riders have raved about. Topside, it offers the wide-open sociability of a pontoon.

Congratulations to the entire Montara Boats crew!

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The Montara Surf Boss 2.0 is one the most innovative boats we have ever tested, seamlessly blending the very best of a V-drive towboat with the attributes of a pontoon boat.

Let’s be clear: this is not some sort of compromise. The Surf Boss 2.0 is not a, “pontoon boat that also provides wakesurf waves and wakeboarding wakes.” It’s not a pontoon boat at all.

The Surf Boss 2.0 runs on a monohull bottom that’s optimized to create the kinds of wakes and waves that expert watersports enthusiasts can enjoy to the fullest. This hull was developed by a team that’s been designing and building—and riding behind—watersports boats for years. All of that combined experience was brought to bear in rendering the Surf Boss 2.0’s hull shape.

Pro wake athletes agree with our assessment. Gunner Daft, who was unaffiliated when we hired him to test this boat with us, was blown away by the wakes and waves delivered by the Surf Boss 2.0. Daft went on to sign with Montara. And, subsequently, Montara garnered the endorsement of legend, Scott Byerly, even developing a “Byerly Edition” of the boat. Visit the Instagram accounts of Byerly and Daft to see this boat’s watersports prowess.

And, though as stated, this boat is not a pontoon, it delivers the sociability of one. The wide-open deck is loaded with sofas and seating and the ability to swallow a whole crew of people and give elbow room and comfort to them all.  Innovations such as the massive storage area that Montara calls, “the basement,” are just so much icing on the cake.

There’s more: Innovation alone isn’t enough. To win a category, the boat must be built to a high standard and meet ABYC standards, as well as the discerning eye of our editors, each of whom possesses decades of experience evaluating boats for a living. The Montara Surf Boss 2.0 ticked all these boxes.

You can learn more details about this boat’s layout, features and construction by reading our boat test or by visiting the Montara Website.

To sum it up, Montara’s Surf Boss 2.0 delivers the best attributes of two very popular boat categories with little discernible compromise.

Congratulations as the 2023 Watersports Category Winner, Montara!

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Accessible/Skiff: Veer V13

The Veer V13  won first because we found it to be affordable for a segment of society not typically served by boatbuilders. It’s also offered colors that appeal to a younger, non-traditional demographic. We believe both of these features are great for the future of boating by helping to introduce new participants to the activity and lifestyle that is boating. Finally, we found the Veer V13 functional and safe, and it’s offered with your choice of internal combustion or electric outboard power.

Watersports: Montara Surf Boss 2.0

The Montara Surf Boss 2.0 is one the most innovative boats we have ever tested, seamlessly blending the very best of a V-drive towboat with the attributes of a pontoon boat. There’s more: Innovation alone isn’t enough. To win a category, the boat must be built to a high standard and meet ABYC standards, as well as the discerning eye of our editors, each of whom possesses decades of experience evaluating boats for a living. The Montara Surf Boss 2.0 ticked all these boxes.

Runabout: Four Winns H2e

First, this is an exceptionally well-done bowrider. The interior is luxurious, its construction is excellent and its appearance is at once fresh and classic. Performance-wise, it delivered superior speed, handling and ride quality. Finally, this Four Winns H2e bowrider is powered by an electric outboard. It gives boat buyers the choice of electric or internal combustion propulsion with the confidence of a longstanding and well-known—iconic, really—boatbuilder.

Center-Console: Formula 387

Our team tests over 100 boats per year, many of them center-console models. We selected the Formula 387 for its great ride and top-notch construction and pristine finish. But Formula has long maintained those bars high. What really wowed us was that Formula produced two distinct variants of the same boat for center-console buyers—a sport version and a fishing version. Putting a finer point on it, these two variants serve different missions with very little compromise between them.

Deckboat: Tahoe T21

Why did this Tahoe win? First, we found it to be priced lower than similar-size boats. But, a low price alone doesn’t win awards. No less than two members of our Tech Team stated that the Tahoe T21 is equivalent (if not superior) in ride, performance, construction and equipment to other similar boats. A review of our boat-test archive backs those assertions. As such, the T21 represents an outstanding buying experience delivering a higher-quality, higher-performing boat for a lower price than others in its category.

Pontoon: Manitou 24 Explore MAX

The Manitou 24 Explore MAX takes pontoon-boat ownership to another place. Powered by twin 150 hp Rotax S outboards (which themselves won our Marine Power Innovation award last year), which live under the expansive MAX deck aft, this ’toon offers sporty performance and the convenience of a joystick for docking control. But most importantly, the wide-open MAX deck provides pontoon buyers the ability to choose wide-open access to the water, as well as wide-open views.

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Pontoon boats are notoriously hard to dock compared to other boat types, but Sea-Doo’s Switch solves that problem. Thanks to handlebar steering with thumb paddle controls, proprietary software and water-jet power, this pontoon spins, shifts and shuttles better than Danny MacAskill.

The Switch also offers a unique layout. Maybe call it the unlayout. Instead of fixed seats and amenities, this boat allows tailoring the arrangement to suit the day. Choose wide-open empty space for fishing or beach-ferry duty today, with myriad seating and lounging options for tomorrow’s fireworks cruise.

The Sea-Doo Switch is also accessible, which includes its easy docking, but primarily its low price. A family of five can get out on the water for as low as about $28,000 for the Switch Compact, while the largest 21-foot, 230 hp Cruise model retails for a still-inexpensive $52,000 with a trailer.

Read Next: Our Test of the Sea-Doo Switch

The Boat of the Year is selected from the more than 100 boats we test every year. We award the honor to the boat that stands out in its category more than any other boat stands out in any other category. For 2022, we name the affordable, easy-docking, modular Sea-Doo Switch as Boat of the Year.

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We tested gas boats, diesel boats, electric boats, jet boats, outboard boats, inboard boats, sterndrive boats and surface-drive boats. We exceeded 150 mph on the water, and we cruised at displacement speeds. V-hull boats represented the lion’s share of our test pool, but we also ran plenty of catamarans in addition to some RIBs, a proa and even a hydrofoil. Coupled with our editors nearly 200 years of combined experience testing boats, this provides the Boating Tech Team with a river of experience that is broad and deep.

Each year, we apply that experience and select the most coveted award in recreational boating: the Boat of the Year (BOTY). Candidates must stand out in the category in which they reside or in the mission they are intended to fulfill. We do not pit a sport-fisher against a wakeboat, for example. Rather, if a wakeboat strikes us as a candidate, we assess how it innovates in that realm. So, the Boat of the Year is the boat that stands out in its category more than any other boat we tested stands out in any other category.

We announce the Boat of the Year winner in January. The five boats here are the 2022 BOTY finalists and themselves represent great boats for the missions in which they serve. Which boat will be the Boat of the Year? Find out in January.

Read Next: Learn more about Boat of the Year!

Malibu Wakesetter 21 LX

Marrying the bow seating space of a pickle-fork hull with the attractive lines of a traditional bow, this boat is actually offered with two hulls, one optimized for wake sports and the other allowing wake sports and water-skiing. Its G5 Tower and Integrated Surf Platform also won our editors praise.

Read Next: 2022 Malibu Wakesetter 21 LX

Taiga Orca PWC

Billed as the world’s first electric-powered PWC, we found its direct-drive simple to operate and discovered that it does not exhibit the idle steering issues of lag between forward, neutral and reverse that plague many PWC. Its lightweight carbon-fiber composite hull helps maximize efficiency.

Read Next: 2022 Taiga Orca Carbon

Scarab 285

Offering 600 hp, currently the most for a jet runabout, this boat proved quieter than others during our testing. We also liked that the BRP engines can be adjusted to stop the annoying “spin and creep” evidenced at idle by other jet boats. Uniquely for jet boats, custom vinyl, flooring and gelcoat are available.

Read Next: 2022 Scarab Jet 285 ID

Sea-Doo Switch

Here’s a boat that gets a family afloat for under $30,000, is trailerable with a midsize car, and is so truly easy to pilot and dock with handle-bar steering that it opens the world of recreational boating to a wider audience. Its customizable interior, with removable seats and accessories, lets owners set it up to suit the day.

Read Next: 2022 Sea-Doo Switch 21 Cruise

Solace 415CS

This diesel-powered center-console delivers superior range and seakeeping compared to its outboard-powered counterpart, which we documented side by side during a 400-mile round-trip cruise to the Bahamas Out Islands. The jack-shafted Volvo Penta Aquamatic system allows for the inclusion of an electric motor to make this a hybrid-powered vessel.

Read Next: 2022 Solace 415CS

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We award Boat of the Year to the boat that best helps advance the state of boatbuilding art and delivers a new and better experience to boaters.

The selection process starts with testing more than 100 boats per year, from PWC to cruisers and wakeboats to offshore fishing craft. We run a wide swath of boat types and numerous boats in each category. That’s important. A tow boat cannot be compared to a fishing boat, nor a pontoon to an ocean racer. We judge boats by others with the same mission. The Boat of the Year not only stands out on its own, but also stands out more than any other boat stands out in any other category. 

Environmental benefits and cool factor aside, the Ingenity Nautique GS22E’s electric propulsion means no hauling gas cans to the private lakes many wakeboats ply, no ethanol issues and easier winterization. Its wiring, electronics, monitoring systems and accessories installation provide examples of excellence that transcend watersports and apply to other boat types. That it is a killer surf and wakeboat is so much icing on the cake. 

Read Next: Our Test of the Ingenity Nautique GS22E

Congratulations, Nautique! The Ingenity Nautique GS22E is Boat of the Year 2021.

The post 2021 Boat of the Year: Ingenity Nautique GS22E appeared first on Boating Mag.

Read Next: Learn more about Boat of the Year!

Testing some 100 different boats a year provides Boating’s Tech Team with the ability to see how boats compare with others of the same type, and how a given boat fits into the bigger picture. Which one of these five finalists will be awarded Boat of the Year? Check back with us in January 2022.

Four Winns H4

This boat performs equally well using three variants of propulsion: outboard, sterndrive and Mercury Marine’s new Bravo IV, a forward-facing drive specific for those who enjoy wakesurfing. It runs fine on all three according to our tester, who gave the nod to the conventional sterndrive for overall nimbleness and maneuverability. Of course, the outboard delivers great corrosion resistance and is part of a Saltwater Package. Notably, the 23-foot-11-inch H4 rides a Beneteau-designed hull. The new vertical stem gives the boat a strong, contemporary look. Stand astern and observe that the beam pinches slightly abaft its widest point in a smooth line through the boarding platform—a subtle style point.

The H4 scored other accolades for a helm design incorporating a standard multifunction display and room for an optional second—so many bowriders lack helm space for the touchscreens boat buyers expect.

We liked the small touches Four Winns included, such as the ability to easily reach the swivel and slide levers for the helm seat, and were impressed by other appointments, such as the upholstery, designed and manufactured in-house, which delivered the tactile excitement and visual appeal of three textural layers. The fabric-covered speaker grilles also earned applause.

The Four Winns H4 brings the runabout lifestyle to a broader swath of boaters, and for a lower price than similar boats, and that is notable.

Read our test at boatingmag.com/story/boats/2021-four-winns-h4.

Aspen C-108

This 38-foot boat is a proa—a catamaran with asymmetrical amas. The port hull is narrower than the starboard one, reducing overall drag without giving up a cat’s stable footprint. That skinny hull also gets fitted with a proportionally smaller engine (115 vs. 200) thanks to the physics of drag and propulsion. The 115 burns less gas, of course, and weighs less, which means even less fuel burned. It also costs less. Underway, handling is normal, and it retains the maneuverability advantages of twins while docking. The Aspen C-108′s rugged build, luxury amenities and efficiency make it a cruiser for a crew of five, with a top speed of 30 mph and a long-legged maximum range of over 500 miles.

Read our test at boatingmag.com/story/boats/2021-aspen-c108.

Super Air Nautique GS 22E

The GS22E is a high-end boat that can fulfill its mission with batteries and a motor instead of dead dinosaurs and an engine.

Powered by an Ingenity electric motor and a 124 kWh battery sporting the highest energy density of any recreational electric-drive boat available, the GS22E boasts up to three hours of “typical watersports use” per charge. At idle, it is nearly silent. At speed, the cockpit is much quieter than an internal-combustion boat, with most of the noise coming from water breaking outside the boat. Charging intervals range from 12 hours to a 1.5-hour DC fast charge. At the helm, you can monitor battery power, temperatures and running time. The weight of the battery, combined with Nautique’s bottom design and shaping systems, enhances this boat’s ability to generate great wakes and waves.

Electric power, great performance, a top-notch build and luxury all combined to earn this boat its spot as a Boat of the Year finalist.

Read our test at boatingmag.com/story/boats/2021-super-air-nautique-gs22-e.

Aquila 36 Sport Hydro Glide

This catamaran cruiser boasts a hydrofoil between its hulls—aka sponsons or amas—that markedly increases efficiency. To prove it, we ran it side by side against an Aquila 36 Sport without a foil installed. The Hydro Glide achieved the same top speed as the nonfoil boat despite being powered by twin 300 outboards compared to the other boat’s twin 400s. It proved 30 percent more efficient at cruise, and a wide-open throttle still achieved 1 mpg, while the other boat managed just 0.5 mpg. It planed faster, reached 30 mph faster, and our tester reported it delivered a lighter feel at the helm. On top of all that, its 14-foot-7-inch beam houses luxury cruising accommodations.

Read our test at boatingmag.com/story/boats/using-a-hydrofoil-to-improve-efficiency.

Boston Whaler 240 Vantage

Boston Whaler’s unsinkable 240 Vantage earned its spot on the BOTY finalists list for more than just safety.

This dual-console boat is intended for fishing, day cruising or a day of watersports fun. It does so with remarkably few compromises for a modestly sized, trailerable boat. It sports a lounge that can be configured five ways plus hides a cooler within. A folding aft bench couples with this lounge to create wide-open space or maximize seating. Details? Every seam and fitting appeared perfect to our eye, and items like the built-in bucket holder and trash chute are sure to be copied. Rated for more horsepower than competitors, attention to detail is readily visible from the curvaceous lines of the hardtop to the amenable enclosed head. Boston Whaler’s 240 Vantage raises the bar for trailerable, do-it-all boats.

Read our test at boatingmag.com/story/boats/2021-boston-whaler-240-vantage.

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Awarding the most prestigious prize in recreational boating is no easy task. And it’s not getting easier; the dedication to craftsmanship, performance and safety exhibited by contemporary boatbuilders continues to rise. Boats in all categories now prove better than ever, as a review of our five 2020 Boat of the Year finalists attests.

Still, there can be only one.

The selection process starts with testing more than 100 boats per year of all sizes, types and makes, from PWCs to cruisers, and wakeboats to offshore fishing craft. This multiplicity of categories allows us to experience not just a wide variety of boat types, but also numerous boats in each category. That’s important because a ski boat cannot be compared to a fishing boat, nor a pontoon to an ocean racer. We judge boats by the others in the same category, by others with the same mission. And Boat of the Year is the boat that stands out in its category more than any other boat stands out in any other niche.

Read Next: Previous Boat of the Year Winners!

For 2020, we honor Axopar’s 28 Cabin. It can cruise, entertain and fish, and handles great. It delivers performance, versatility and innovation for a relatively affordable price. Congrats, Axopar!

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