The EC 26 ‘Cassiopea’ is a VI class IOR. The boat was born in 1972 and is unique as it’s not a production boat but a laminated wood ‘prototype’ designed by the famous designer Epaminonda Ceccarelli: it’s the model based on which hundreds of identical boats were later produced in fiberglass. This EC26 has won many important offshore regattas, such as the international week of La Rochelle in France in 1973.

The boat is captained by biologist Carmelo Isgrò, SEA BEYONDer (PRADA Group and UNESCO-IOC), skipper and FIV (Italian Sailing Federation) sailing instructor.

Cassiopea has been restored thanks to the ‘Cassiopea project’, an initiative carried out by the MuMa Sea Museum of Milazzo with the support of SEA BEYOND, a PRADA Group project in partnership with UNESCO-IOC to promote ocean education.

It involves the recovery of this ancient wooden sailboat to create a ‘sustainable oceanographic boat’, which sails the Mediterranean Sea spreading the beauty of our sea, to enhance and ultimately protect it.

The boat was presented in Barcelona during the 37th America’s Cup in the presence of Lorenzo Bertelli, Max Sirena, the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team, the PRADA Group Team and the UNESCO-IOC Team.

The boat’s recovery project is being carried out in stages: after the complete restoration that brought it back to its original 1972 appearance, its transformation into an increasingly eco-sustainable vessel has begun.

The summer of 2024 saw a meticulous restoration of the boat carried out by Sicilian craftsmen with the help of MuMa volunteers.

The boat is equipped with modern oceanographic research instruments that allow monitoring and studies on marine environments and anthropic impacts, thus becoming a ‘small floating research laboratory’. Research and monitoring projects are carried out thanks to collaboration with major Italian scientific institutes, such as SZN, INGV, ISPRA, OGS, CNR, ARPA and with prestigious universities, including Milano-Bicocca, Catholic University, University of Messina, and many others.

The first phase of this ‘new life’ journey of Cassiopea will have as its first important stop reaching the United Nations World Ocean Conference (UNOC3), which will be held in Nice. Along the route, from Sicily to France (and back), the boat will stop at numerous ports, where public on-board visits will be organized. On these occasions, the activities carried out will be presented and educational workshops will be offered for both students and visitors of all ages. Additionally, at local Yacht Clubs, project presentation meetings and Ocean Literacy lessons are organized to raise awareness about sea protection.