Yacht Club de Monaco: Summer under the banner of passion, transmission, and innovation
Yacht Club de Monaco: A Commitment to Tradition, Innovation, and Sustainability
With 2,500 members representing 82 nationalities, the Yacht Club de Monaco (YCM) is an iconic institution uniting shipowners and yachting enthusiasts around core values: teamwork, respect for maritime heritage, and a commitment to innovation.
Transmit, Train, Support
In his address, Prince Albert II emphasized the driving force of the Club: “As Hegel wrote, ‘Nothing great in the world has been accomplished without passion.’ This passion fuels every project, every meeting, every regatta.” He reaffirmed the Club’s founding mission: “Our Yacht Club actively contributes to the maritime, sporting, and environmental influence of the Principality. We support the most ambitious and innovative projects, serving sustainable yachting.”
Highlighting the importance of knowledge transfer, Prince Albert II continued, “It is in this spirit that we created La Belle Classe Academy ten years ago, designed to inspire vocations and professionalize yachting professions.” He also announced, “The Yacht Club de Monaco is now RYA accredited, an international recognition that rewards the work of our teams and will strengthen the quality of training, benefiting professional crews and young people in our Sports Section. I hope that we will go even further by developing RYA programs by La Belle Classe Academy to train the sailors of tomorrow with rigor and enthusiasm.”
In this spirit, the YCM Summer Yachting Camps, launched this summer by La Belle Classe Academy, are aimed at 16-22 year olds. These sessions offer a complete immersion in navigation and safety at sea, to inspire vocations and consolidate skills.
Act and Measure Impact
Another highlight of the evening was the recognition of members who registered their boats in the SEA Index®, developed by the YCM in partnership with Credit Suisse (part of the UBS group), to quantify the carbon footprint of yachts over 24 meters.
“Our responsibility is to support a new generation of shipowners and professionals towards more responsible practices. To act better, we must first be able to quantify,” commented the President of the Club.
The SEA Index® is now a benchmark for assessing and improving the environmental performance of superyachts. Based on verifiable data and certified by Lloyd’s Register, it relies on a transparent methodology that promotes continuous improvement. To date, around one hundred yachts have committed to it. The tool continues to develop, with twenty Mediterranean ports having integrated it into their port management. International expansion is underway, particularly in the Seychelles and Italy.
A Season Focused on the Future
The summer at the YCM promises to be busy and stimulating. From July 1st to 5th, the Club will host the 12th edition of the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge. Open to the public, this event dedicated to alternative energies has become a central meeting point for innovation players in yachting. “This event is particularly close to my heart: it creates a bridge between the young generation of engineers and professionals in the sector, revealing projects that are both visionary and concrete,” emphasizes Prince Albert II.
On the quays, in the marina, or at sea, students, engineers, and builders will exchange ideas around electric propulsion, hydrogen, hybrid systems, and energy autonomy. The presence of Energy Observer, a truly emblematic laboratory vessel, will mark this new edition.
A Balance Between Tradition and Modernity
The Yacht Club de Monaco will participate for the first time in the Admiral’s Cup, a mythical regatta relaunched by the Royal Ocean Racing Club after twenty years of interruption. From July 17th to August 1st, two Monegasque boats – Peter Harrison’s TP52 Jolt 3 and Pierre Casiraghi’s Carkeek 42 Jolt 6, vice-president of the Club – will represent Monaco in Cowes. Pierre Casiraghi recently won the British IRC National Championship on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the Royal Thames Yacht Club.
In August, another iconic event will take place with the 20th Palermo-Montecarlo. This 500 nautical mile offshore race, organized by the Circolo della Vela Sicilia, connects Sicily to the Principality. It brings together experienced sailors and young hopefuls, illustrating the Club’s desire to support new generations towards the highest level.
From September 10th to 13th, Port Hercule will host the 17th Monaco Classic Week – La Belle Classe, a biennial event celebrating the Art of Living at Sea and shipowners passionate about classic yachting.
Vintage sailboats, antique motorboats, motor yachts, and maritime heritage artisans will come together to promote traditional, elegant, and vibrant yachting. Access to the village and quays will be free for the public. This edition will pay tribute to the 30th anniversary of Tuiga (1909) under the YCM flag. The Belle Classe Restoration Prize and the Concours d’Élégance will, as in each edition, be highly anticipated moments, where gestures, stories, and know-how are passed on between enthusiasts.
“More than ever, our Club is a place of convergence between generations, cultures, disciplines, and commitments,” concludes Prince Albert II. A union based on passion and a sense of responsibility, which continues to guide the Yacht Club de Monaco towards the future.
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