by Ian Stalker
School’s not out for those wanting to learn how to operate a distinctively Martinique boat that evokes widespread pride on the tropical island. Tourism authorities note that courses are available for visitors wanting to learn how to sail the local favorite Martinique yole, described as a light, fast, shallow-draft boat with a tapered shape, no keel or rudder, and one or two sails.
Yole crew members perch off the hull on long movable poles to balance their boat, something UNESCO, which in 2020 placed them on its Register of Good Safeguarding Practices, states requires “great agility, physical engagement and perfect coordination.”
The Martinique yole was traditionally used by fishermen and is ideal for the specific conditions along the island’s coasts. But during the 1950s and 1960s, other types of boats made of composites and equipped with motors gradually supplanted it. Faced with the threat of disappearance of the boats, which reflected the history and society of the island, a movement to safeguard them developed, first with races organized by the fishermen and gradually expanding. It is now supported by a broad range of longstanding associations and partnerships.
The main objectives of the safeguarding program are to preserve the know-how of local boat builders, transmit know-how on sailing, strengthen the ties between yole practitioners and the local community, and create a federation capable of organizing major events, particularly the annual summertime Tour des Yoles, a multi-day race that circumnavigates Martinique and is hugely popular with locals.
Martinique tourism authorities are now promoting the watercraft to those vacationing on the Caribbean island.
Mathieu Meril of Martinique destination management company Coeur des Iles says his company will cater to those wanting to learn how to sail a yole, with instruction given by veteran yole sailors.
“It’s a hands-on experience,” he says of the classes, while reassuring would-be students that they’re capable of operating one of the boats. “It looks more difficult than it is.”
Yole sails may be 17 square meters, with the “steady winds” found off Martinique shores making local waters a great place for wind-powered boats, he added.
Claudie Ampigny of Martinique’s Le Panoramic hotel notes that her property can arrange for guests to go on a yole day excursion, an outing she promises will be “lots of fun.
“It’s something typical of our island,” she continues. “You will never find it anywhere else.” Meanwhile, Meril says those who are intrigued by yoles will only be able to board one in Martinique.
“Kayaking you can do in Alaska,” he says. “If you want to ride a yole, you can only do it in Martinique. “
This year’s Tour de Yoles is July 27-August 3. For more information on the Tour de Yoles, check out https://joedan.fr/event/tour-des-yoles-2025/.
