Sailors voted Savvy Navvy the best in the Electronics, Navigation & Communication category at the inaugural Sailors' Choice Awards, run by Practical Boat Owner and Yachting Monthly.
When Jelte Liebrand started Savvy Navvy, the goal was simple: make navigation easier for everyone who goes to sea. This month, the people we built it for told us we're on the right course.
At the inaugural Sailors' Choice Awards, Savvy Navvy won the Electronics, Navigation & Communication category, shortlisted alongside Garmin and Orca. This one means a great deal to us because it was voted for and decided entirely by boaters.
What are the Sailors' Choice Awards?
The Sailors' Choice Awards are annual awards that recognise the best boating products and services, as voted for by sailors. They were launched in 2026 by Practical Boat Owner and Yachting Monthly, two UK sailing magazines published by Future Publishing, and sponsored by marine insurer Haven Knox-Johnston. The first winners were announced on 23 September 2026.
How are the Sailors' Choice Awards winners chosen?
Winners are chosen entirely by the sailing public, in three stages:
- Public nominations: readers nominate their favourite products and services across ten categories.
- Shortlist: the three most-nominated products or services in each category are shortlisted.
- Public vote: the shortlist goes to an open vote, and the winner in each category is the one sailors vote for most.
Companies can't nominate themselves or pay to enter, and the result isn't decided by editors or industry judges. Katy Stickland, Sail Group Editor at Future Publishing, said this makes the awards a true reflection of what sailors value.
Why sailors voted for Savvy Navvy
The reason voters gave for choosing Savvy Navvy was that it brings everything a boater needs together in one app, with route planning built in on top.
That's exactly what we set out to build. Tides, weather, nautical charts and routing, all working together so you can plan a day on the water with confidence and spend less time switching between tools. Hearing that reflected back by the people who use Savvy Navvy every day is the best feedback we could ask for.
"To be chosen by boaters themselves, in the very first year of these awards, is the best recognition we could ask for. Thank you to everyone who voted and to the whole team who made it happen," said Jelte Liebrand, CEO and Founder of Savvy Navvy.
Congratulations to all the winners
We're in great company. Here are this year's winners, as chosen by the sailing public:
- Deck Equipment: Hydrovane
- Electronics, Navigation & Communication: Savvy Navvy
- Clothing & Accessories: Henri-Lloyd Ocean Pro range
- Maintenance & Boatbuilding Products: Bruntons Autoprop
- Engines & Outboards: ePropulsion eLite
- Safety Gear: Spinlock Deckvest lifejacket range
- Domestic Systems: Renogy Bifacial solar panels
- Dinghy, Tender & Water Toys: 3D Superlight Twin Air 270
- Insurer: Haven Knox-Johnston
- Customer Service: Icom UK
A special congratulations to marine surveyor Ben Sutcliffe-Davies, who received a Special Lifetime Achievement Award for his decades of work helping sailors stay safe on the water through his writing, talks and advice on safety and maintenance.
Thank you
A huge thank you to everyone who nominated and voted for Savvy Navvy, and to Practical Boat Owner, Yachting Monthly and Haven Knox-Johnston for creating awards that put sailors' voices first.
You can see the full list of winners on the Practical Boat Owner website.
If you haven't tried Savvy Navvy yet, download the app to see why boaters chose it.
