You cast your votes, and here are the Southern Boating’s 2023 Readers’ Choice Award Winners!
Every vote was counted, including the write-in candidates, and tallied in a secure location without any bias…or stuffing of the ballot box.
Readers voted for their preferences in 41 categories from favorite center console to express cruiser and must-have galley item to favorite fishing rod. Safety products, best boatyard, favorite marina (both domestic and international), engines, binoculars, and foul-weather gear are a sampling of what’s included in this year’s choices.
In some categories, first and second place were separated by only a few percentage points, but overall, there was a definite winner.
Thank you to all our readers who participated. Once again, your input made this event a
huge success.
Favorite Boating Resort (U.S.)
1st Place: Hawks Cay Resort
Florida’s 60-acre Hawks Cay Resort, located halfway between Key Largo and Key West, boasts hundreds of guest rooms and villas, a full-service marina, six restaurants, a saltwater lagoon, five swimming pools, a spa, and plenty of water activities.
2nd Place: South Seas Captiva Island
3rd Place: Faro Blanco
Favorite Boating Resort (Non-U.S.)
1st Place: Abaco Beach Resort
With 40-beachfront acres and a prime location within Marsh Harbour, Abaco Beach Resort offers guests access to a variety of activities ranging from island-hopping and diving to shopping and dining.
2nd Place: Staniel Cay Yacht Club
3rd Place: Resorts World Bimini
Favorite Express Cruiser
1st Place: Tiara
Tiara’s model lineup, including the 43 LE (below), combines sport styling, luxurious amenities, and thrilling performance in a yacht that is ready to meet the demands of a day cruise.
2nd Place: Formula
3rd Place: Cruisers
Favorite Boat Insurance
1st Place: Geico
GEICO lets you customize your boat insurance and offers a discount for taking a boating safety course. Customer service is available 24/7 for claims and boat towing assistance.
2nd Place: Progressive
3rd Place: Chubb
Favorite Stabilizer
1st Place: Seakeeper
Seakeeper gyrostabilizers eliminate up to 95 percent of boat roll on vessels up to 165 feet. The Seakeeper 1 is designed for boats 23-30 feet.
2nd Place: Smartgyro
3rd Place: Gyro-Gale
Favorite Fishing Reel
1st Place: Abu Garcia
Precision engineering, durability, and pro-level performance make Abu Garcia reels the favorite among anglers.
2nd Place: Penn
3rd Place: Daiwa
Favorite Inboard Engine
1st Place: Volvo Penta
Volvo Penta inboard engines deliver powerful acceleration, comfortable cruising speed, and an extended range.
2nd Place: Catepillar
3rd Place: Cummins
Favorite Boating Navigation
1st Place: Garmin
Garmin’s easy-to-use navigation equipment lets you pinpoint your location and access data to pilot safely through the water day
or night.
2nd Place: Furuno
3rd Place: Simrad
Favorite Marine Audio
1st Place: JL Audio
JL Audio, manufacturer of high-performance marine audio systems, develops innovative products that are engineered to reproduce the finest audio experience in open-air boating environments.
2nd Place: Kicker
3rd Place: Fusion
Favorite Power Catamaran
1st Place: Aquila
With models ranging from 28 to 70 feet, every Aquila Power Catamaran delivers exceptional performance and reliability and offers best-in-class features, such as the expansive fordeck on the Aquila 70.
2nd Place: Horizon Power Catamarans
3rd Place: Leopard Catamarans
Favorite Marina (U.S.)
1st Place: Longboat Key Moorings
Longboat Key Moorings, the largest resort marina on the west coast of Florida, is a full-service, deep-water marina in Sarasota with 291 slips that can accommodate up to 150-foot vessels.
2nd Place: Bahia Mar
3rd Place: Marina Jack
Favorite Sunglasses
1st Place: Costa
As the first manufacturer of color-enhancing all-polarized lenses, Costa offers a variety of stylish sunglasses with superior lens technology.
2nd Place: Maui Jim
3rd Place: Ray-Ban
Favorite VHF Radio
1st Place: ICOM
Boating enthusiasts choose ICOM VHF marine radios for their durability and ease of use.
2nd Place: Garmin
3rd Place: Standard Horizon
Favorite Cruising Itinerary
1st Place: Bahamas
From fishing to diving to ecotourism, the Bahamas is still a fan favorite. Comprising 700 islands and more than 2,000 rocks and cays, the archipelago is easy to reach from the East Coast. There are plenty of places to explore, so boaters can make a cruising itinerary for a few days or a few weeks.
2nd Place: Florida Keys
3rd Place: BVIs
Favorite Watch
1st Place: Rolex
Rolex watches are crafted from the finest raw materials and assembled with meticulous attention to detail. The Yacht-Master model (right) sets the standard for luxury sailors’ timepieces.
2nd Place: Breitling
3rd Place: Apple
Favorite Cooler Brand
1st Place: YETI
Yeti’s hard- and soft-sided insulated coolers are extremely durable and ready for any outdoor adventure. Available in a variety of sizes and colors, like the Hopper M20 Backpack (right), they are built to be by a boater’s side for each catch or cruise.
2nd Place: Orca
3rd Place: Igloo
Favorite Outboard Power Cat
1st Place: World Cat
World Cat boats, like the 260CC-X (shown), deliver a smoother, softer, faster, and drier catamaran ride in even the roughest conditions. worldcat.com
2nd Place: Invincible
3rd Place: Aspen
Favorite Boatyard
1st Place: Lauderdale Marine Center
Lauderdale Marine Center, recently acquired by Safe Harbor, is the largest recreational yacht service facility in the U.S. The 60-plus-acre complex can handle vessels up to 200 feet with a maximum hauling capacity of 485 tons.
2nd Place: Cable Marine
3rd Place: Safe Harbor Rybovich
Favorite Charter Company
1st Place: The Moorings
With a fleet of more than 400 yachts in 20 destinations worldwide, The Moorings creates unforgettable charter vacations ideal for boaters of all skill levels.
2nd Place: MarineMax
3rd Place: Le Boat
Favorite Water Toy
1st Place: Jet Ski/WaveRunner
It’s no surprise that a Jet Ski/WaveRunner is the favorite water toy. These very reliable personal watercraft offer hours of fun and the ability to reach high speeds while remaining very easy
to control.
2nd Place: Stand-Up Paddle Board
3rd Place: AquaBana Cabana
Favorite Marine Generator
1st Place: Kohler
Kohler marine generators provide backup, prime, and continuous power solutions, available in diesel, gas, and LP configurations.
2nd Place: Onan
3rd Place: Northern Lights
Favorite Binoculars
1st Place: Bushnell
Bushnell has a full lineup of marine binoculars with 100 percent watertight construction and designs guaranteed to have a firm grip, even in wet conditions. The high-quality binoculars deliver bright, clear, HD imagery.
2nd Place: Steiner
3rd Place: Fujinon
Favorite Long-Range Cruiser
1st Place: Marlow
Marlow Yachts, such as the 70E MKII (below), can cross the oceans in luxury, comfort, and reliability. These yachts shine in performance and appearance.
2nd Place: Grand Banks
3rd Place: Ferretti
Favorite Marina (non-U.S.)
1st Place: Highbourne Cay
Highbourne Cay features 750 feet of face dock for yachts up to 180 feet and 16 back-in slips for boats up to 75 feet. Amenities include fuel, water, ice, Wi-Fi, and more.
2nd Place: Resorts World Bimini
3rd Place: Atlantis
Favorite Personal Locator Beacon
1st Place: ACR Electronics
ACR Electronics designs and manufactures cutting-edge rescue beacons and survival equipment for the marine market and more. Personal Locator Beacons, such as the new ResQLink AIS (right), aid in rapid response.
2nd Place: Garmin
3rd Place: Datrex
Favorite Boating Snack
1st Place: Beef jerky
Relaxing on your boat can give you the munchies. From salty to sweet, there are many types of snacks, but our readers chose beef jerky as their favorite treat.
2nd Place: Chips
3rd Place: Pretzels
Favorite Life Raft
1st Place: Viking
Viking life rafts of the throw overboard type, like the 25DK+ (above), are essential when it comes to safety at sea.
2nd Place: Winslow LifeRaft
3rd Place: Revere Survival
Must-Have Boating Item
1st Place: Sunglasses
Don’t get onboard without your sunglasses! They are the best protection for your eyes from sun glare. Polarized lenses can help when identifying shallows, reefs, and hazardous objects.
2nd Place: GPS/Fish Finder
3rd Place: VHF Radio
Favorite Center Console
1st Place: Pursuit
Pursuit Boats is the leader in center console boats designed with yacht-quality amenities that withstand the extremes of offshore boating conditions, such as the S358 (shown).
2nd Place: Boston Whaler
3rd Place: Grady-White
Favorite Green Boat
1st Place: Silent-Yachts
Silent-Yachts are the first ocean-going production solar yachts in the world exclusively powered by the sun’s energy. Advantages include noiseless cruising, unlimited range,
and zero emissions.
2nd Place: Greenline
3rd Place: Axopar 25 Electric
Favorite Inflatable
1st Place: Zodiac
Zodiac inflatable boats, like the Medline 6.8 (left), provide the ultimate on-the-water experience for any water sport. Benefits include stress-free docking, lightweight towing, reduced drag, and better fuel efficiency.
2nd Place: Highfield
3rd Place: AB Inflatables
Must-Have Galley Items
1st Place: Coffee Maker
That cup of joe is important any time of the day, so a coffee maker is most definitely a must-have galley item!
2nd Place: Blender
3rd Place: Microwave
Favorite Outboard Engine
1st Place: Yamaha
Yamaha offers a full lineup of outboard engines that provide excellent fuel efficiency and cleaner emissions in a lightweight, compact design.
2nd Place: Mercury
3rd Place: Suzuki
Favorite Fishing Rod
1st Place: Penn
Anglers choose Penn fishing rods for their high-tech style, precision, reliability, and corrosion-resistance in saltwater.
2nd Place: Shimano
3rd Place: Ugly Stik
Favorite Alcohol
1st Place: Tito’s Vodka
Tito’s Vodka is America’s original craft vodka. Produced in Austin at Texas’ oldest legal distillery by Fifth Generation Inc., it is distilled from corn using old-fashioned pot stills. Tito’s Vodka is naturally gluten-free.
2nd Place: Bud Light
3rd Place: Bacardi
Favorite Boat Security System
1st Place: Garmin
Garmin products, such as its OnDeck System (above), let boaters monitor and control their vessel from a distance.
2nd Place: Raymarine
3rd Place: Siren Marine
Favorite Sportfisherman
1st Place: Viking
Viking sportfishers, like the 64 Convertible (above), are designed for the ultimate luxury tournament fishing and yachting experience.
2nd Place: Bertram
3rd Place: Hatteras
Favorite Foul-Weather Gear
1st Place: Helly Hansen
From professional-grade offshore sailing jackets to versatile coastal jackets, Helly Hansen gear is perfect for coastal cruising, high-speed racing, or enjoying long days on the water.
2nd Place: Columbia
3rd Place: Grundens
Favorite Motor Yacht
1st Place: Hinckley
With more than 90 years of yachting excellence, every Hinckley is the perfect composition of epoxy-infused carbon, exquisite detailing, and refined performance. The Hinckley Talaria 57 (below) delivers ease of operation, style, and innovation.
2nd Place: Maritimo
3rd Place: Marlow
Favorite Fishing Lures
1st Place: Rapala
Rapala fishing lures are made with meticulous precision, so they swim perfectly, right out of the box.
2nd Place: Strike King
3rd Place: Yo-Zuri
Favorite Vacation Destination
1st Place: Bahamas
With crystal-clear blue waters, gorgeous white-sand beaches, and plenty of islands to explore, there’s no doubt the Bahamas is the No. 1 vacation destination!
2nd Place: Florida Keys
3rd Place: BVIs
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