Double awards success for Performance Yachts

28th October 2010

It was apparent from the moment that she was launched and started trials that Dixon Yacht Design had designed a very special yacht in the Performance Yachts PY-100, ‘Liara’. This has now been confirmed at the prestigious Showboats International Design Awards where last night Dixon Yacht Design picked up not one, but two, awards.

The awards, where in two of the most competitive and sought after categories and Bill Dixon was on hand to receive them. The first was the “Naval Architecture Award – sailing yachts” and the second was “The Design and Technology Award”, which was awarded to Dixon Yacht Design for the very innovative lifting keel fitted to ‘Liara’; a keel which does not intrude into the interior but allows the yacht to visit shallow anchorages and harbours and have a remarkable sailing performance for a yacht designed to be a fast cruising yacht, not an out and out racer.

The magnitude of Dixon Yachts Designs achievement in winning these two awards is best summed up by the words of the awards programme, “The judging criteria for this category explored how well the yachts perform at sea in all conditions, and it was ‘Liara’ that rose to the top of the class with her clean, well executed lines, telescopic keel that does not intrude on the accommodations, and unassailable combination of sailing performance and design.”

The Showboats Design Awards are judged by an independent jury which is comprised of yacht owners, senior yacht crew and acclaimed designers and stylists from within, as well as outside, the marine industry; all are experts in their specific fields.

Bill Dixon was understandably delighted with the awards, “To win one award is always special but to win two, and particularly these two for the same yacht, means a great deal. We always strive hard to design yachts which really satisfy our client’s ambitions while giving them the very latest technology. With the Performance Yachts range I am certain we have the balance absolutely right”.

The award winning lifting keel available on all models in the Performance Yachts range