Britain’s boating public will be out in force at next month’s Southampton International Boat Show, 14-23 September, in the search for potential nominees in the final run up to the close of nominations for this year’s British Nautical Awards. This most prestigious and glamorous boating event of the year will take place on 4 January 2002, in London.

In addition to recognising the best British sailors, the Awards in the BNA portfolio highlight quality products available in both leisure and professional boating and can play a very important part in helping potential customers decide which product to invest in.

The public can nominate in eleven different categories, including:

• YJA Yachtsman of the Year
• MDL YJA Young Sailor of the Year
• Challenge Business Offshore Yachtsman of the Year
• Inshore Yachtsman of the Year
• Peters Plc Power Yachtsman of the Year
• Sunseeker Endeavour Award
• Sealine Marine Media Award
• Motor Boat & Yachting Motorboat of the Year
• Yachting World Sailboat of the Year
• Marine Product of the Year
• Marine Environmental Award

Nominations are open to anyone until 28 September with the Southampton International Boat Show – the biggest on-water boating exhibition in the UK – providing the last opportunity this year for the public to view the products, yachts, powerboats and equipment in one place before nominations close. As such, the event is also one of the most important events on the elite judging panel’s calendar.

During the Show, the judges will visit exhibitors’ stands with their minds set on the eleven key Award categories. Once the public nominations officially close, the judging panel will determine the shortlist for each category. To ensure the integrity and independence of the Awards, the results of each category are kept secret until the winners’ presentation on 4 January.

Gary Mullins, Managing Director of McMurdo (including Pains Wessex Safety Systems) who last year accepted the prize for Marine Product of the Year for their Precision 406 GPS EPIRB, said: “We were absolutely delighted to be awarded as the overall winner of the Marine Product of the Year. Safety is a key issue for every mariner and we are delighted that the development of a technically advanced product such as the Precision 406 GPS EPIRB has been recognised as the worthy recipient of the Award.”

Created in 1999 to bring the various award schemes together into one stable, the British Nautical Awards represent all that is praiseworthy, innovative and groundbreaking in British boating. They are an amalgamation of the previously separate Royal Yachting Association (RYA) and British Marine Industries Federation (BMIF) Awards, and the Yachting Journalists’ Association (YJA) Awards.