The most important event in the megayacht world takes place September 23rd-26th – the celebrated Monaco Yacht Show (www.monacoyachtshow.com). This is its Jubilee year, the 25th edition, and it will be bigger than ever with berthing space (stern-to is the usual way in the Med) for 120 spectacular superyachts in the heart of Monaco’s Port Hercule. One key factor in the MYS’s success is that all the berths are publicly owned so it is easy for Monaco Ports to clear vessels out to make room for those to be shown. This is rarely possible in the private marinas along the Coast, where shareholders “own” their berth.
Though in 1991 the show started with just 30 “large” yachts on Quai Kennedy, which was badly exposed to the SE swell before the arrival of the big new floating breakwater, it has now reached new records. The combined length of the megayachts on display will be over 5 kilometres, longer than Monaco’s famous F1 Grand Prix circuit. The quays will be full of tents for exhibitors offering the latest designs, water-toys, services, and indeed hospitality. A superb network of free water taxis and electric golf carts makes circulating very easy.
It is pleasing to note that the MYS is owned by a listed British multinational publishing and events company: Informa, one of whose component units being the famous shipping journal Lloyds List, founded in London in 1734. With over 10,000 other shows per year worldwide, Informa has been wise enough to keep the MYS local management in place, who deserve much credit for the continuing success of this event.
Monaco really is the alpha and omega for this flourishing luxury nautical world: yachts tend to arrive in the Med in time to dazzle at Monaco’s Grand Prix races in May; and the motor yachts close their season with this late-September Monaco show before (often) leaving for winter fun in the Caribbean. The sailing yachts pause to compete in the annual Voiles de St Tropez, this year starting September 26th, before tackling the Atlantic crossing.
If you are a potential buyer, get your broker to arrange some on-board viewings; if not, entry is a hefty €150/day per person. And will there be any drones on offer, hovering above the submarines? Drones are the latest must-have utility toys, as demonstrated by the MOAS ship Phoenix (www.moas.eu) for finding and rescuing over 8560 migrants (so far) in the Malta Channel.
