“Perhaps the most competitive category in this year’s contest was this class of four cruising cats. Each nominee was decidedly different from the others.
It’s hard to say if it’s a definite advantage, but in recent Boat of the Year contests, when inspecting boats with their owners aboard—folks who have put some hard miles under their keels, and who can speak with authority on the positives and negatives of their vessel—the track record shows that such nominees do very well. Which is the case with the Vision 444, whose owner took delivery of the boat at its building site in Knysna, South Africa, cruised to Mozambique, and then sailed it up the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean.
Judge Mark Pillsbury picks it up from there: “Many of the big cruising cats that we step aboard are a compromise by design because some of the fleet will go to private owners and the rest into charter. The Vision 444 was different, and after a 14,000-mile shakedown cruise, it clearly reflected the thinking of its owner, who was aboard every step of the way. This is a pure cruising cat, and a fine one. Gear was of good quality and well-sorted. Living accommodations were practical and proven. And build quality was readily apparent because the boat looked terrific after all those hard miles. I think it’s one of the only cats I can recall having a full and proper nav station. And the walk-in workshop forward in the starboard bow? Brilliant.””
“South Africa is a country where a number of globally successful shipbuilding businesses, including in the world of catamarans, have already been established for some time. Also located here is the Vision Yachts shipyard, specializing in multihulls, which produces the Vision 444, a modern cruising catamaran.
At 13.5 meters long and 7.60 meters wide, the Vision is a cruiser that seeks to break the typical “villa on the sea” catamaran paradigm by mixing some design elements typically dedicated to comfort with others that take into account sailing characteristics.”
KNYSNA NEWS – Local boat builder Vision Yachts recently received one of the most prestigious awards that can be bestowed on any boat builder around the world. They were handed the Best Cruising Catamaran Under 50 award in the 2024 Cruising World Boat of the Year awards.
The announcement was made on Wednesday 6 December and marks the first time that Vision Yachts has triumphed at the awards, which CEO and co-founder James Turner described as the “Oscars of the yachting world”.
The Boat of the Year awards are organised annually by sailing magazine and website Cruising World, and have been held for the past 25 years.
2024 competition
The annual awards, selected by an independent judging team, recognise the best new production cruising boats and multihulls laid out and equipped for coastal and offshore sailing and voyaging.
This year’s judging panel is comprised of systems expert Tim Murphy of the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC), and previous CW editors-in-chief Mark Pillsbury and Herb McCormick.
This year, 19 new sailboats from top boat builders around the globe battled for the coveted Boat of the Year title.
Boats are judged in eight categories with one of the most competitive categories being the Best Cruising Catamaran Under 50 feet category. The Vision 444 won this category.
Lots of praise for the Vision 444
The announcement was made in an online video last week, and judges were full of praise for the Vision 444.
“In a lot of cats [catamarans] these days, sailing is an afterthought, but on this boat it was all about the sailing,” Pillsbury said.
Murphy wasn’t shy with his praise either, highlighting that they conducted their test sail (whereby they judge the boat) with the owner of the vessel.
“Every now and then we get really lucky on these test sails and we get to sail with the owner. This was a case where the owner really revealed a lot about the boat.
“He obviously is a guy who loves his boat and the boat showed why,” he said. Finally, McCormick was very complimentary too, stating that the Vision 444 “was the clear winner in the class”.
A proud moment
The triumph truly meant a lot to Turner and his team at Vision Yachts. “We are incredibly proud of our team and the hard work and innovation that they bring to the Vision 444.
“This is a fantastic achievement as we faced strong competition, and I would like to thank Cruising World for running a fantastic campaign,” he said.
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The Vision 444 delivers assertive results in all categories – performance, safety, styling, and ergonomics – making it one of the surest, most principled, and intelligent choices in a modern catamaran.
The Vision combines sleek exterior design with a spacious, efficient interior, featuring expertly crafted fixtures and durable installations. The layout prioritises accessibility and quality, with no gimmicks – just timeless, well-built components, as well as offering a comfortable, wind-protected cockpit for relaxation and socialising.
| Imperial | ||
| LOA | 14.75m | 48.40ft |
| LWL | 14.72m | 47.84ft |
| BOA | 8.00m | 26.25ft |
| AIR DRAFT | 21.7m | 71.19ft |
| DRAFT | 1.25m | 4.10ft |
| BRIDGEDECK CLEARANCE | 900mm | 2.95ft |
| DISPLACEMENT (Lightship) | 12 700kg | 27 940lbs |
| DISPLACEMENT (Max Load) | 17 000kg | 37 400lbs |
| SAIL AREA (Main + Jib) | 130sq/m | 1399.3sq/ft |
| SAIL AREA (Main) | 87.1sq/m | 937.5sq/ft |
| SAIL AREA (Self-taking Jib) | 42.9sq/m | 461.8sq/ft |
| CABINS | 3 | |
| ENGINES | 2 x Nanni 40hp | |
| CERTIFICATION | MCE Category A | |
THE VISION 444 REDEFINES ELEGANCE ON THE WATER. WITH ITS SLEEK DESIGN AND CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY, THIS YACHT PROMISES AN UNPARALLELED SAILING EXPERIENCE. DISCOVER THE PERFECT BLEND OF COMFORT AND PERFORMANCE.
Each model delivers the same precision engineering and timeless design—tailored to your journey.
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