News Yachting in Monaco

YACHT Class n° 36 (march-april-may 2024)

Expédition

A YCM delegation joined Mike Horn in Greenland 

Mike Horn, who left Monaco last May for his new expedition, “What’s Left”, to take stock of the state of the planet and the iconic places he has visited during his long career of exploration, hosted some members and staff during this winter. Aboard the Pangaea, then sailing in Greenland, the Monegasque delegation explored lesser-known areas of the Arctic and observed the effects of environmental and climatic changes, such as the retreat of glaciers and the slow freezing of fjords. It was also an opportunity to deepen their understanding of local ecosystems. Remember that the YCM is a long-time supporter of the South African-Swiss navigator, who has often used Monaco as the starting point for his expeditions over the last 14 years. 

YCM Awards 2023

Nico Poons et Noah Garcia on the spotlight 

It is an event eagerly awaited by the sailors of the Yacht Club de Monaco (YCM). Late December, the members of the Monegasque club gathered for the traditional YCM Awards evening. After winning the title in 2009 and a series of nominations in recent years, Nico Poons adds another line to his list of achievements, having reigned supreme for two years on the RC44 world circuit. He surpassed the club’s other world champions: Edward Wright (Finn/5.5), Leonardo Ferragamo (Swan50) and Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio (Swan36). As for the younger generation, Noah Garcia won the YCM Youth Awards 2023 for the third time, after a season marked in particular by a gold medal at the Games of the Small States of Europe in ILCA 4, then a 4th place in the French Championship in ILCA 6. This evening of celebration was also an opportunity to welcome new members, but also to unveil the future objectives of the YCM, which celebrates the tenth anniversary of its clubhouse in 2024, with the environment always at the centre of its concerns. “We have a responsibility to lead the way and serve as a model to promote sustainability in yachting. For we must act now, collectively, to prepare for the future and write a new chapter in our history that I want to be firmly focused on the environment”, said Prince Albert II, president of the club. 

Navicap Challenge – Sivoldaeva Trophy

A new rendezvous for adapted sailing 

Last December, on the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, YCM organized its very first Navicap Challenge – Trophy Elena Sivoldaeva. “An important event and prime example of actions taken by the club to make sailing accessible to all” said its general secretary, Bernard d’Alessandri. A little over a year ago, the Monegasque institution also acquired two boats adapted to the practice of sailing for all, thanks to donations from club-member Elena Sivoldaeva. For this first edition, thirty crews from all over Europe competed in teams of two able-bodied or disabled sailors. For three days, they completed a triangle windward-leeward course in the bay aboard a Hansa 303, a dinghy suitable for everyone to practice sailing. After nine rounds during the group stages plus the finals, the victory in the gold group finally went to the duo Anne Marteau and Gaspard Laguibaut from Régates de Royan, while Virginie Lavigne alongside Tobias Thuiller from CEV Berk won in the silver one. The awards ceremony was the occasion for an exchange of flags of the Hansa class and the YCM crest. A second edition is already planned from November 30th to December 2nd. 

SEA Index

The monegasque benchmark pursues its course 

Quite a symbol. Last December, immediately after leaving the shipyard, M/Y Kasper 7, a 67-metre superyacht built in 2023 by the Italian shipyard Benetti, chose the Principality for her first stopover. The opportunity for this vessel, whose owner is a member of the Yacht Club de Monaco, to receive her SEA Index certification. “It’s a great tool because it shows how the owners, crew and shipyards care about the sea and the environment. We’re very proud to have been awarded 3 stars because it tells us we’re heading in the right direction,” said Dario Savino, captain of M/Y Kasper 7, who is also a founding member of the Y.C.M. Captains’ Club. Launched during the Monaco Yacht Show 2020, the SEA Index assesses the CO₂ emissions of yachts to support shipowners keen to adopt a more eco-responsible practice. This benchmark, which measures the energy intensity of each unit based on a methodology adopted by the UN’s International Maritime Organization, with special adjustments for yachts over 40m, continues to gain momentum. After opening up to yachts over 25 metres with the launch of Phase III, the fourth phase was launched last September in Cannes in partnership with Azimut Yachts and aims to measure the energy intensity of boats up to 24 metres based on their fuel consumption. 

Symposium Economique

Western Mediterranean yachting under the microscope 

After ”Yachting and Sustainability” in 2023, the theme of this year’s 16th Economic Symposium was ”The Côte d’Azur, the real economic power of the yachting industry”. Organised in the form of a dinner-debate, the YCM’s annual event is “is a unique opportunity to bring together owners and professionals to analyse current trends and issues while exploring new opportunities and challenges for the sector” reminded Bernard d’Alessandri, YCM General Secretary and President of the Cluster Yachting Monaco. “With over 2,000 yachts in the Western Mediterranean in the golden triangle between Italy, Spain and the French Riviera, of the 5,500 boats in the world that are more than 30m, the Région Sud and Principality are major players”. The evening provided an overview of yachting worldwide, and more specifically in South-East France, but also of the social, economic and environmental challenges facing the industry. It was also an opportunity for the Monegasque Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies to present a preview of its first Focus on the Maritime Economy and Yachting, covering the year 2022, produced in partnership with the Department of Maritime Affairs. The yachting sector is a major industry in the Principality, with a turnover of 567.1 million euros in that same year, or 3% of Monaco’s total turnover, excluding financial and insurance activities. 411 yachting companies, or 3.7% of the Principality’s companies, employ 1,429 people, or 2.4% of Monaco’s labour force. 

Environnement

An autonomous hydrogen pontoon inaugurated 

Last February, the Yacht Club de Monaco took another step forward in its quest to make yachting more environmentally friendly and exemplary. In the presence of Prince Albert II, President of the YCM, and a number of officials from the Principality, the Club inaugurated an autonomous green hydrogen pontoon. Developed by SBM Offshore, it will supply hydrogen to eight teams in the energy class at the 11th Monaco Energy Boat Challenge in July. Although a floating device was used last year, the model unveiled this winter has undergone a number of improvements. It now boasts 20m2 of floating solar panels combined with twice as many batteries, enabling it to produce hydrogen continuously, day and night, with a cylinder refill time of 1 litre/minute. The pontoon also has a remote control system to monitor the electrolyser flow, battery charge, heating and cooling systems, as well as sensors, alarms and a dehumidifier.

One million litres treated 

Since inaugurating its new clubhouse, the YCM has continued to find ways to reduce the environmental impact of its already HQE (High Environmental Quality) ‘Liner’. As part of its social and environmental responsibility policy, the YCM has launched a number of initiatives, such as the recycling of grey and black water and even of its swimming pool, thanks to innovative technology developed by the company FGWRS. Recently, the club broke the barrier of one million litres of pool-water treated. This is the equivalent of half an Olympic swimming pool.