The nation’s top marine journalists were recognized at the Miami International Boat Show in an annual writing contest conducted by the membership of Boating Writers International (BWI) and sponsored in part by Yamaha Marine. With an expansion to 14 contest categories, a record amount, $14,000, in awards was presented to first ($500), second ($300) and third ($200) place scorers. Each recipient also took home a recognition plaque noting their “Excellence in creating compelling stories about the boating lifestyle through entertaining, educational and inspiring journalism.”
In its 12th year, the BWI contest attracted record participation. Individuals entering totaled 195, eclipsing the previous record of 159, while the number of entries advanced to 628, far exceeding the earlier record of 451. The growth also boosted presentation of Certificate of Merit Awards, totaling 51, made to writers who scored within 95 percent of third-place tallies in each category.
Yamaha Marine sponsors the Boat Test category and this year’s winners are:
1st, “Mission Impossible” by Michael Verdon (Boating World, July); 2nd, “Extreme Machine” by Jim Barron (Trailer Boats, July); 3rd, “Catch & Release” by Stuart Reininger (MotorBoating, April). “Verdon’s review was a departure from the typical boat test — this story is virtual reality in print,” explained category judge chair Jan Mundy. “A novel approach and a voice that is highly entertaining as well as informative.” Certificates of Merit to: “Cabin Fever” by Jeff Hemmel (Boating, August); “Manifest Destiny” by Lenny Rudow (Boating, March); “A New Contest for New Boats” by Tim Murphy (Cruising World, January); “One Hull or Two?” by Bill Springer (Sail, January); and
By: Walker Agency
