Aquarius: the winning formula, perfected
Royal Huisman's 65m / 212ft performance ketch adds another prestigious international award to her growing collection: ISS winner of Best in Sail 40m+.
The team at Royal Huisman is delighted to announce that Aquarius has won the Best in Sail 40m+ category at the 2026 International Superyacht Society (ISS) Design & Leadership Awards, presented on 28 October in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
“Behind her timeless beauty is exceptional engineering, delivering outstanding performance without compromising her elegant character.”
The ISS Design Awards judging panel
The ISS awards have recognized outstanding achievements in yacht design and construction since 1990. This latest distinction adds to a remarkable series of four international honors for Aquarius, including the overall Sailing Yacht of the Year title at the 2026 World Superyacht Awards, the BOAT Design & Innovation Award for Best Naval Architecture, Sailing Yachts, and Robb Report's Best of the Best award for sailing yachts.
Building on something nearly perfect
The story behind Aquarius is as exceptional as the yacht herself. Having described their first Royal Huisman yacht as "nearly perfect," her experienced owners returned to the same team with an ambitious brief: preserve everything they loved about the original, while creating an even more capable and powerful sailing yacht.
“Elegant joinery, clean lines, and thoughtful spaces create an experience that feels both refined and relaxed.“
The ISS Design Awards judging panel
The result is a 65m / 212ft modern classic performance ketch, combining timeless elegance with advanced engineering and exhilarating sailing performance. Built in lightweight Alustar® aluminum, Aquarius offers 45% more volume than her 56m / 184ft predecessor, together with a powerful Rondal carbon rig, integrated sail-handling systems and a lifting fin keel.
This achievement reflects the close collaboration between the owners, their project manager Godfrey Cray, Dykstra Naval Architects, Mark Whiteley Design, Rondal and the Royal Huisman team. Royal Huisman extends its warmest congratulations to the owners and the Aquarius team in bringing this extraordinary yacht to life.
“A stunning expression of modern classic design, combining beautifully proportioned lines with rich classical details and timeless elegance.”
The ISS Design Awards judging panel
Discover more about Aquarius, including her design, engineering, sailing performance and the story behind her creation: What it takes to improve on “nearly perfect” An overview of many Royal Huisman awards in recent years can be found at this website: yachts > awards [link]
