Ocean Cruising Club- Call for nominations

by OCC/Nancy Knudsen on 17 Nov 2013 The Ocean Cruising Club, that international club of those who have cast off the docklines and sailed away to adventure, are seeking nominations for their annual awards. To qualify for some, one has to be a member of the global cruising club, but others are open to all. Do YOU know someone who deserves to be nominated? Here are the awards and criteria:

THE OCC AWARD: first awarded 1960 (members only)
Awarded to the member or members who has/have done most to foster and encourage ocean cruising in yachts or other small craft and the practice of seamanship and navigation in all branches. This may include any invention, report, idea or action which is intended to promote the objects of the Club.

THE BARTON CUP: first awarded 1981 (members only)
Presented by founder Hum Barton’s adult children, twins Peter Barton and Pat Pocock, the base of this handsome two-handled cup displays a Commodore’s burgee, taken from a brooch owned by their mother, Jessie Barton. It is the OCC’s premier award and recognises the most challenging voyage made by a member or members.

THE ROSE MEDAL: first awarded 1984 (members only)
Named in honour of founder Hum Barton’s yacht Rose Rambler, the Rose Medal is awarded for the most challenging short-handed voyage made by a member or members. (NB: short-handed is normally defined as single- or double-handed)

THE WATER MUSIC TROPHY: first awarded 1986 (members only)
Presented by past Commodore John Foote and named after his succession of yachts all called Water Music, this set of meteorological instruments set into a wooden cube is awarded to the member or members who has/have contributed most to the Club by way of providing cruising, navigation or pilotage information.

THE OCC AWARD OF MERIT: first awarded 1987 (open to all)
One or more awards, open to members or non-members who have performed some outstanding voyage or achievement.

THE RAMBLER MEDAL: first awarded 1990 (members only)
Also named after founder Hum Barton’s yacht Rose Rambler, the Rambler Medal is
awarded for the most challenging short voyage made by a member or members. (NB:
The OCC’s definition of a ‘short voyage’ is extremely flexible!)

THE QUALIFIER’S MUG: first awarded 1993 (members only)
Presented by Admiral (then Commodore) Mary Barton for the most ambitious or arduous qualifying voyage by a new member or members, as submitted for publication in Flying Fish or the Newsletter.

THE VASEY VASE: first awarded 1997 (members only)
Presented by past Commodore Tony Vasey and his wife Jill, this vase with an Indian military history is awarded for a voyage of an unusual or exploratory nature made by a Club member or members.

THE GEOFF PACK MEMORIAL AWARD: first awarded 1997 (open to all)
Donated by IPC Magazines in memory of Geoff Pack, who at the time of his early death was Editor of Yachting Monthly and OCC Rear Commodore, this award goes to the person (member or non-member) who, by their writing, has done most to foster and encourage ocean cruising in yachts or other small craft.

THE JESTER MEDAL: first awarded 2006 (open to all)
Donated by the Jester Trust as a way to perpetuate the spirit and ideals epitomised by Blondie Hasler and Mike Richey aboard Jester, the Jester Medal is awarded to a member or non-member who has achieved a noteworthy singlehanded voyage in a vessel of 30ft or less overall.

THE OCC PORT OFFICER MEDAL: first awarded 2008 (open to OCC Port Officers and Port Representatives only)
Introduced at the suggestion of Rear Commodore Mark Holbrook, this medal is awarded to one or more Port Officer(s) or Port Representative(s) who has/have provided outstanding service to the Club and the wider sailing community by developing and promoting their port, harbour or locality.

Awards Committee Awards:
The following awards do not normally result from members’ nominations. Suggestions are always appreciated, however, and will be forwarded to the appropriate person or sub-committee.


THE OCC AUSTRALIAN TROPHY: first awarded 1990 (Australian members only, in the gift of the Australian membership)
Presented by Sid Jaffe, twice Rear Commodore Australia, this trophy, carved from a solid piece of teak by Wally Brandis, is awarded for a voyage of merit made by an Australian member or members that either starts or ends in Australia.

THE DAVID WALLIS TROPHY: first awarded 1991 (open to all, in the gift of the Flying Fish Editorial Sub-Committee)
Presented by the family of David Wallis, Editor of Flying Fish from 1964 until 1990, this silver salver is awarded for ‘most outstanding, valuable or enjoyable contribution to Flying Fish’, as chosen by the Editorial Sub-Committee.

THE ENDURANCE AWARD: first awarded 2007 (in the gift of American membership) Created by Fred Hallett, then Rear Commodore USA South East, The Endurance Award recognises those who have persevered in going to sea despite obstacles which would have made those with less devotion to sailing to remain ashore.

SPECIAL AWARDS- Given as a Special Award in recognition of a truly epic voyage

A Special Award was made in 2011 to Matt Rutherford, on completion of his astounding 309 day, 27,077 nm solo non-stop circumnavigation of the Americas in his 27 ft Alvin Vega, St Brendan to raise money for CRAB, a nonprofit sailing program for people with disabilities.

Special awards were made in 2013 to honour Gerry Hughes and Jeanne Socrates on truly remarkable accomplishments: Gerry having circumnavigated solo as a deaf man and Jeanne as the oldest woman.

There's also a new award this year, the OCC Award for Seamanship.

To make a nomination:

Please e-mail the Awards Sub-Committee [awardsnominations@oceancruisingclub.org] with the following information:

The name of the Award:

The name of the Person or People proposed:

The name of the Boat: (if relevant):

The name of the Proposer (nominations for awards restricted to OCC members only must be made by a Full or Associate member):

The reason this person (or persons) is/are being proposed for this particular award (no more than 300 words, or two average paragraphs, please):

Supporting websites/blogs/publications etc:

Deadline: 30th November 2013

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About the Ocean Cruising Club:

The Ocean Cruising Club is an international club for blue water cruisers administered from the UK. The distinctive blue and yellow burgee with a stylized Flying Fish is a welcome and respected sight in any anchorage. Founded in 1954 by the late Humphrey Barton, the Club known affectionately as the OCC exists to promote long-distance cruising in all its forms. It has no premises, regarding the oceans of the world as its clubhouse. However, it enjoys visitors' rights with a number of major clubs world-wide.

Membership is about what the applicant has done, rather than who he or she is. The sole qualification for membership is the completion of a continuous ocean passage of at least 1000 nautical miles, measured along the rhumb line, in a vessel no more than 70 feet in length, and is open to anyone aboard, either skipper or certified as competent by the skipper.