Please select your home edition
Edition
Armstrong 728x90 - Performance Mast Range - TOP

YANMAR signs long-term agreement with IMOCA as Official Technical Partner

by YANMAR 4 Dec 2025 07:31 PST
Wouter-Jan Van der Wurff and Antoine Mermod © YANMAR Marine International

YANMAR announces a long-term strategic partnership with the International Monohull Open Class Association (IMOCA). Beginning in 2025, the company will become the official technical partner of the IMOCA Class.

As part of this agreement, YANMAR becomes the reference technical partner and the main supplier of next-generation marine engines and propulsion systems for IMOCA Class sailing yachts.

This partnership strengthens YANMAR's position as a global leader in the marine propulsion systems market, whose reliability and technical support have proven their value worldwide.

The annual IMOCA Globe Series Championship is based on a points system that rewards consistency and excellence. Through this ranking, skippers accumulate points throughout the year based on their performances in the IMOCA Globe Series races and the grade of each race, whether sailed single-handed, double-handed, or with a crew.

Today, IMOCA aims to drive meaningful change within the sailing world. Its mission is to foster progress not only within the IMOCA community but across offshore racing and the broader nautical discipline. This commitment to ocean protection and responsible practices is now well established, supported by concrete initiatives and strong collaboration with industry partners.

These values are fully shared by YANMAR, which has set itself the objective of becoming an environmentally neutral company, free of greenhouse gas emissions and based on the use of recyclable resources, as part of the Yanmar Green Challenge 2050.

Wouter-Jan Van der Wurff, President and CEO at YANMAR Marine International, said: "This is a fantastic partnership for us. We are delighted to support the IMOCA Class, which brings together the world's most advanced and innovative offshore racing yachts. This long-term partnership is based on our cutting-edge engine technology and our global support network. We admire and share the IMOCA Class's vision. Their approach perfectly aligns with our philosophy of a sustainable future, where humanity and nature thrive together."

Antoine Mermod, President of the IMOCA Class, said: "We are very pleased to begin this partnership with YANMAR. We share the same ambition: to combine technological innovation with a responsible vision of offshore racing. Together, we aim to contribute to the evolution of our sport and, more broadly, of the maritime industry."

Related Articles

Vaikobi 18ft Skiff Racing
A personal partnership with Australia's 18s When the 27-boat fleet lines up for Race 1 of the JJ Giltinan 18ft Skiff Worlds, one of the leading teams in the regatta will be Vaikobi, skippered by Kirk Mitchel, with Andrew Stephenson on the sheet and Daniel Barnett in the bow. Posted today at 6:52 am
99th Bacardi Cup Day 1
77 Stars power across Biscayne Bay on the Opening Day The 99th Bacardi Cup opened Monday with champagne sailing and a close finish that set the tone for the week ahead. On a 15 to 17 knot champagne day, 77 Star teams charged off the line on Biscayne Bay for the first of six scheduled races. Posted today at 6:05 am
Superyacht Challenge Antigua Ready to Set Sail
An exceptional fleet is set for four days of spirited racing The 15th edition of the Superyacht Challenge Antigua returns to Nelson's Dockyard, bringing together an exceptional fleet for four days of spirited racing in Antigua with laid-back parties in one of the most beautiful natural harbours in the world. Posted on 2 Mar
A Q&A on the Thistle Midwinters East Championship
A Q&A with Tommy Glenn and Suzie Domagala on the 2026 Thistle Midwinters East Championship Some sailboat designs just look right, and in ways that sometimes portend future trends in yacht design. Such is the case with the Thistle, a 17-foot centerboard dinghy that was designed by Gorden “Sandy” Douglass in 1945. Posted on 2 Mar
2026 Rolex Middle Sea Race Registration Open
One of offshore sailing's most celebrated challenges The Royal Malta Yacht Club (RMYC) is pleased to confirm that the Notice of Race for the 47th Rolex Middle Sea Race is now available online, with entries officially open for one of offshore sailing's most celebrated challenges. Posted on 2 Mar
Optiorange 2026 in Valencia overall
Finland's Sisu Selio and Spain's Mª Antonia Peñalver crowned champions The Optiorange 2026 now has new owners. Finland's Sisu Selio (Brando Seglare) and Spain's Mª Antonia Peñalver (CN Mar Menor Los Alcázares) have been proclaimed champions of the eighth edition. Posted on 1 Mar
Finding the Perfect Single-Handed Challenge
My Two-Year Journey into the 2.4mR Class Two years ago, I was a fifty-something, sailor looking for my next chapter on the water. I wanted a boat that was technical, rewarding, and tactical—yet didn't demand the raw physical punishment of a Laser or Moth. Posted on 1 Mar
KPMG Sydney Sail Grand Prix Overall
Canfield leads U.S. SailGP Team to Historic Win The U.S. SailGP Team has won the KPMG Sydney Sail Grand Prix, sailing to victory ahead of Emirates GBR in second and Los Gallos in third. It marks the team's first event win since Cádiz in Season 4, and Canfield's first ever in SailGP. Posted on 1 Mar
SailGP: Their Finest Hour - Why USA won in Sydney
All-USA team answers critics with a well executed strategy in fickle Sydney breeze. The USA SailGP team, skippered by matchracing champion, Taylor Canfield answered their long-standing critics with an emphatic win in the Final of KPMG SailGP Sydney. However it wasn't the Finest Hour for the TV/Video coverage of the finish. Posted on 1 Mar
Portugal Grand Prix Round 2 at Vilamoura overall
Winners decided in the 470, 49er, 49erFX, ILCA 7 and ILCA 6 classes The 8th Portugal Grand Prix – Round 2 concluded Saturday in Vilamoura, with final races sailed in a northerly breeze that stabilized through the afternoon, allowing the majority of the scheduled program to be completed. Posted on 1 Mar
Vaikobi Custom TeamwearBarton Marine Pipe GlandsVelocitek 2026