Both a private vessel as well as multi-purpose vessel for cruising all oceans and in all weathers, the impressive 77-metre explorer yacht YERSIN was blessed by His Grace René Giuliano, Vicar General of Monaco, at a ceremony in the Principality of Monaco, attended by HSH Prince Albert II. As tradition dictates, YERSIN yacht’s godmother and daughter of the owner, broke a bottle of champagne against the hull, to the tune of When the Pipers Play, performed on the bagpipes by Chief Warrant Officer Olivier Dréan, conductor of the Prince of Monaco’s military band, Fanny Fiat.
77m expedition yacht YERSIN – Photo by Ameller
“The Yersin is an exceptional vessel, a boat for cruising also designed for research purposes, and an impressive autonomy of several days or even several months. She keeps alive the tradition of Prince Albert 1st’s and Captain Cousteau’s boats and other explorers who left from Monaco. It is quite moving and extraordinary to think that thanks to Mr Fiat and his family, and his attachment to the Yacht Club de Monaco, this great adventure, where science and education take centre stage, can be revived,” said HSH Prince Albert II.
YERSIN Yacht Official Presentation in Monaco – Photo by Ameller
Built to passenger ship standards (hence the term Motor-Vessel), M/V YERSIN was constructed by the French shipyard Piriou in Concarneau. No agent, no naval architect and no designer: the owner François Fiat, his wife, his Captain, Jean Dumarais, and his Chief Engineer, Yordan Hristov designed the vessel, monitored the whole construction process and selected the equipment as well as fittings themselves.
Motor yacht YERSIN has been built around the A.S.E. project, with three key objectives in mind as to how the vessel will be deployed: Adventure, Science and Education.
Explorer Yacht YERSIN Blessing – Photo by Ameller
A for Adventure: “It has been a dream of mine since childhood – inspired by Tintin, Prince Albert 1’s Hirondelle and Captain Cousteau’s Calypso – which within three years has become a reality. I wanted a boat that could sail anywhere, in any weather, with a reinforced hull for the ice. As her vocation is exploration we wanted to set aside 70% of the space to communal and technical areas.”
HSH Prince Albert II aboard YERSIN Yacht @Ameller
S for Science: the exceptional 77m YERSIN yacht is fitted with eco-friendly technology. “We have electric propulsion, supplied on demand by generators as one still cannot store energy in batteries. At a cruising speed of 11 knots we consume 380 litres of diesel, half of what we would consume with diesel engines. At a slow-steaming speed of 9 knots, our total consumption (electricity, heating / air conditioning included) falls to 180 litres an hour, giving us autonomy for 12,000 miles and 40 days at sea with 40 people on board. Nothing is discharged into the sea: we recycle grey water for washing the boat for example, and produce freshwater for all our needs. But we only do oil changes in ports equipped for this, and then there’s no question of introducing foreign particles to an environment hundreds of miles from where we have taken water on for the desalination system.”
HSH Prince Albert II and Mr Fiat aboard Explorer Yacht YERSIN – Photo by Ameller
E for Education: “We can take children on board to educate future generations on protecting the environment. This is also what we did at the event with HSH Princess Charlene of Monaco. The broad smiles and messages they retained after a day on the water convinced us that this mission for the vessel is a very valid one.”
Motor Yacht YERSIN Blessing – Photo by Eric Mathon
“The vessel is called Yersin in honour of Doctor Alexandre Yersin (1863-1943), who worked for the Messageries maritimes merchant shipping company. Humanity owes this man a great deal for his research, notably his discovery of the bacillus behind the bubonic plague on 20th June 1894. I also chose one of his quotes – “You are not truly alive unless you keep moving” – to be the vessel’s motto,” commented an emotional François Fiat on the realisation of his dream, and who chose for this symbolic date the first anniversary day of the Yacht Club de Monaco’s new building.
Following a family cruise in the Eastern Mediterranean and Adriatic, M/V YERSIN, a winner of the Monaco Trophy 2014, will be displayed at the Monaco Yacht Show 2015 in September, before cruising the wider oceans.
