Lagoon 38, Leopard 52 and McConaghy MC68 win 2026 multihull awards

The Lagoon 38, Leopard 52 and McConaghy MC68 took the sailing headlines in the 2026 Multihull of the Year awards, and the pattern beneath those wins says as much about the market as it does about the boats. Public voting chose the winners from 36 nominees across six size-based classes, turning the result into a direct read on what multihull buyers are rewarding now: usable space, broad appeal and designs that promise real ownership value, not just dockside drama.

The awards were announced on April 22 during the International Multihull Show in La Grande-Motte, the multihull-only show that ran through April 26 with more than 80 catamarans in the water. That setting matters. This is the part of the calendar where the industry puts its newest models in front of buyers who actually compare layouts, helm visibility, build quality and the daily rhythm of life aboard. The voting window opened on February 11, the first day of the Miami International Boat Show, and closed in mid-April, giving the public nearly two months to weigh the field.

Lagoon’s 38 won the under-45-foot sailing category, Leopard’s 52 took the 45- to 55-foot bracket, and McConaghy’s MC68 topped the over-55-foot class. Read together, those wins show a market that is still pulled in two directions at once. Smaller sailing cats remain highly valued when they can deliver easy handling and family-friendly cruising, while the larger winners point to buyers who want bigger accommodations and a stronger premium feel without abandoning the sailing format. The success of the Leopard 52 and McConaghy MC68 also suggests that buyers are comfortable moving up in size when the layout and cruising promise justify the step.

On the power side, Wama’s 42XL won under 45 feet, Prestige’s M7 took the 45- to 60-foot class, and the SY80 won over 60 feet. Prestige’s result is especially telling because the brand and distributor Gründl Bootsimport framed it as a major success for the new M-Line. That lines up with the broader shift visible across the winners: power multihulls are not just about speed or volume anymore, but about long-range comfort, smart interior planning and a cleaner bridge between private yacht use and easy entertaining.

Two special awards sharpened the picture further. Outremer’s 52 earned the Capt’n Boat award, while Aquila’s 50 Sail captured the IMS Premiere title, the jury-selected honor for the most outstanding new model making its official debut at the show. Aquila’s win carries extra weight because the 50 Sail is the first model in the company’s new sailing catamaran line, with a 45 Sail due later in 2026 and a 65 Sail planned for 2027. In one awards list, the market’s center of gravity became clear: buyers are still drawn to practical sailing cats, but they are also rewarding fresh entries, serious powercats and boats that make multihull life feel simpler, roomier and more usable every day.