The Yacht Club de Monaco (YCM) held its annual Fête de la Mer on Saturday 23rd May, dedicated to St Peter, the patron saint of fishermen. This year’s event featured a new two-day regatta, the Spring Cup, and was themed ‘Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.’
The event coincided with World Boating Day 2026, a global initiative organised by The Superyacht Life Foundation. This year’s global campaign included 143 events across 28 countries, designed to showcase the inner workings of the maritime industry.
“The Fête de la Mer retains its simple, intergenerational appeal that is behind its success,” said Bernard d’Alessandri, General Secretary and Director of the Yacht Club de Monaco. “It’s about families coming together, discovering new activities, interacting with associations and enjoying the sea another way. It’s a day that reflects Monaco’s strong attachment to the marine environment and maritime cultures.”
Traditional fleet blessing and debut regatta
The morning began with a boat parade at sea. Monseigneur Dominique-Marie David, Archbishop of Monaco, officiated a blessing in front of the Oceanographic Museum to honour sailors lost at sea. Following the ceremony, the participating vessels returned to Port Hercule.
The 2026 edition also hosted the first Spring Cup, a two-day regatta held in the bay of Monaco. Fifteen teams of YCM members competed against each other using identical Fusion II dinghies.
Port Hercule activities and local participation
Throughout the day, public activities took place along Quai Louis II and the YCM Marina. These included demonstrations of Sipaboards and electric paddleboards developed with BMW, sailing introductory sessions on Echo and Hansa 303 dinghies, scuba diving trials, kayaking, and E-Foiling. The maritime police also conducted jet-ski rescue demonstrations.
Local institutions set up informational stands to raise awareness about the marine environment. Participants included the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the Mairie de Monaco, the Oceanographic Institute, the Monaco Protection for Nature association, and the Rotary Club Monaco.
Maxime Nocher represented Team Monaco E1 with remote-controlled E1 race boats, and attendees used simulator games to preview the upcoming 13th Monaco Energy Boat Challenge.
World Boating Day and cluster initiatives
The Cluster Yachting Monaco organised parallel professional meetings and site visits in conjunction with World Boating Day. The International University of Monaco and YPY Monaco participated in these sessions to introduce students to yachting professions.
“World Boating Day is about opening up the world of boating to anyone with a connection to the water, whether through work, lifestyle or curiosity,” said Dilan Sarac, Executive Director of The Superyacht Life Foundation.
Internationally, the campaign included a design exchange hosted by Benetti in Italy, and hosted canal journeys for low-income residents by Feadship in Amsterdam. Environmental clean-ups were coordinated globally by Metstrade, Plastic Whale, and The Ocean Conservation Trust. In the United States, the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum and Fort Lauderdale’s Pier Sixty-Six held public workshops teaching boating basics.
The next event on the Yacht Club de Monaco calendar is the 13th Monaco Energy Boat Challenge, which focuses on sustainable propulsion technologies and takes place from 8th to 11th July 2026.
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Photo source: YCM