Monaco Classic Week 2023, the world’s most beautiful vintage boats

Guaranteed spectacle in Monaco for the Monaco Classic Week 2023, which will entertain all boating and vintage boat enthusiasts from today until Saturday, September 16. Now in its 16th edition and titled “La Belle Classe,” Monaco Classic Week 2023 is a three-day exhibition of boats of yesteryear still sailing.

Launched in 1994 as a biennial meeting, the Monaco Classic Week is one of the most prestigious events of its kind in the world, which each year amazes and astounds the public. In fact, participating boats are admitted by invitation only, ensuring the high quality of the selection, which undoubtedly gathers some of the most beautiful boats in the world and expresses the philosophy of the art of living the sea.

The boats at Monaco Classic Week 2023

More than 130 boats will take part in Monaco Classic Week 2023. Among them will be the return of some magnificent schooners, 15-meter IR yachts and elegant Riva powerboats, as well as, of course, many other vintage sailing and motor boats. To kick things off, Tuiga, the flagship of the Yacht Club de Monaco, will join the other two 15M IR yachts, The Lady Anne and Mariska, for an inaugural regatta, while the Jury, chaired by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, will begin its inspection for the ‘La Belle Classe Restoration’ Prize. Its aim is to ensure that these boats will stand the test of time, faithful to the original design.

Among the sailing yachts stand out some designed by the early America’s Cup architects like Nathanael G. Herreshoff to whom we owe several legends from the American classic scene like Atlantic (56.43m) and Elena of London (41.60m). Alongside will be the superb Charles Nicholson masterpiece, the three-mast schooner Creole (58.22m), showing off her elegant lines.

But the names on the parade at Monaco Classic Week 2023 do not end there, each with its own charm and history. For example, we cannot fail to mention O’Remington. the schooner owned by Lord Remington, a wealthy American heir. Illustrious names like Federico Fellini, Luchino Visconti, Marcello Mastroianni and Maria Callas went on board. Visitors can also admire Naema (40.59m). This faithful replica of Alfred Mylne’s Panda left the Camper & Nicholson yard in 1938. Offered as a gift to King Bao Da of Anam (Vietnam) by the French government the boat found refuge in Toulon after the French withdrew from Indochina in 1954. Sold to the American Bill Bodle in 1979, Panda then left for the West Indies. In 1983, a fire on board almost destroyed her. But fortunately for us, it was rebuilt according to the original design.

Last but not least, Thelas, the motor yacht built in 1936 by De Vries Lentsch from the architect Norman Hart’s drawings. With a length of 18meters, Thelas won the first edition of the Pavillon d’Or in 1937, the inaugural race for cruisers. Requisitioned in 1944 by the British Admiralty, she took part in the Normandy landings and now belongs to Italian architect Corrado Lopresto, famous for having one of the most important classic car collections in the world. Today, Thelas is the official yacht for the CIM (Comité International de la Méditerranée).

The photo exhibition

In addition to the parade of these fascinating vintage boats, Monaco Classic Week 2023 will feature celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Prince Rainier III, founder of the Monaco Yacht Club in 1953. To celebrate it, the event will feature an exclusive exhibition dedicated to some of the beautiful boats owned by the prince himself, a man who deeply loved the sea and boating. Entitled ‘The Prince and the Sea’, the retrospective is open to the public until Saturday, September 16 and traces 15 boats from Prince Rainier’s wonderful photographic collection.
The full Monaco Classic Week 2023 program can be found at www.monacoclassicweek.com.