The Club
Yacht Club Italiano is part of various associations, organizations, and foundations that aim to create a network, develop, and promote nautical culture and maritime traditions in Italy and around the world.
Fondazione Tender to Nave Italia ETS is a Third Sector organization established in 2007 through a joint initiative of the Italian Navy and Yacht Club Italiano, with the goal of promoting the culture of the sea and sailing as tools for education, training, rehabilitation, social inclusion, and therapy. For over eighteen years, the Foundation has been committed to supporting people with disabilities and vulnerabilities through educational projects aimed at developing self-esteem, enhancing individual abilities, and building meaningful relationships. These projects, which follow an annual cycle, culminate in a week-long sailing experience aboard Nave Italia, a brigantine officially listed in the Italian Navy's fleet since 2007 and crewed by Navy personnel. The experience at sea is the core of a structured educational process developed in collaboration with associations, non-profits, schools, healthcare institutions, social services, and both public and private organizations engaged in inclusive initiatives. Since its inception in 2007, the Foundation has carried out 371 projects, involving over 6,000 beneficiaries and more than 1,000 professionals and volunteers. This innovative model of social solidarity is made possible thanks to the support of the Italian Navy, the Yacht Club Italiano, and the Promotori Benemeriti – ACRI, Fincantieri, Rolex, Siad, and Intesa Sanpaolo – as well as numerous supporting partners and private donors who share the mission and values of the Foundation.
The International Council of Yacht Clubs (ICOYC) is a non-profit association that brings together many of the most prestigious yacht clubs in the world—a consortium of 43 yacht clubs representing 24 countries across 5 continents. There is no official founding date for the ICOYC. Initially, it was conceived as a way to strengthen international ties between yacht clubs. It wasn’t until between 2005 and 2010 that the name and structure of what would become the International Council of Yacht Clubs began to take shape. The ICOYC aims to deepen international relationships among its member clubs and to share knowledge and experience for the benefit of all. It also offers all members the opportunity to visit and use the facilities of fellow member clubs and, in some cases, to receive a temporary membership while staying abroad. Regional Conferences and Global Forums are organized annually or biennially—valuable opportunities to exchange ideas, gain insights, and visit the host club and its country. Members, although in limited numbers, may join our two official delegates (Ludovica Reggio, Representative) at their own expense. Yacht Club Italiano brings to the Council the beating heart of Mediterranean seafaring tradition, being one of the oldest yacht clubs. Keep up with all the latest from the world of ICOYC: https://www.icoyc.org/news-insights/icoyc-currents-email-newsletter/
Associazione Italiana Vele d’Epoca (A.I.V.E.) — was founded in 1982 as a non-profit organization with the primary aim of preserving the historical, artistic, and technical heritage represented by vintage and classic sailing yachts. The Association is based at the Genoa headquarters of the Yacht Club Italiano and is affiliated with the Italian Sailing Federation, which recognizes it as the official class association for vintage and classic sailing yachts.
Atlantic Challenge Genova, a non-profit amateur sports association, is based at the Yacht Club Italiano and is affiliated with the Italian Federation of Coastal Rowing and Fixed Seat Rowing (F.I.C.S.F.). Its mission is to promote youth education in maritime culture and sailing, with particular attention to the preservation, transmission, and development of seafaring traditions. Atlantic Challenge Genova has launched a collaborative program with the Scuola di Mare Beppe Croce, open to both young people and adults, to introduce them to this unique sport with ancient roots, combining elements of sailing and rowing. The association participates in vintage sailboat gatherings and maritime festivals with its Bantry yole, Creuza de mä, serving as an ambassador of Genoese maritime heritage. It also represents Italy at the International Contest of Seamanship, where crews of young people from different nations are tested in the art of seamanship, competing in a spirit of friendship and brotherhood.
Associazione Italiana Derive d’Epoca (AYDE) was founded by a group of boat owners, with the Yacht Club Italiano as a founding member, represented by Carlo Croce. The Association has grown into a national organization, thanks to the contributions of individual owners and clubs, supported by a technical committee and an external supervisory board. This external board enables AYDE to serve as an information platform, facilitating communication between private sailors and sailing organizations across Italy, with the aim of promoting recreational sailing. AYDE is a non-profit amateur sports association, and the only one of its kind in Italy. It serves as a point of reference for all those interested in the history of Olympic sailing and wooden one-design keelboats, both fixed and trailerable.
The Sail Training Association Italia (STA-Italia) is a non-profit organization founded in 1996 aboard the training ship A. Vespucci, born from the collaboration between the Yacht Club Italiano and the Italian Navy. Like the other 26 Sail Training Associations (STAs) around the world, STA-Italia promotes sailing activities and Tall Ships gatherings as tools for youth education and for fostering international friendship among young sea and sailing enthusiasts.
