Welcome to the Ocean Cruising Club
Welcome to the Ocean Cruising Club. In the interests of safe seamanship, you should be aware that the OCC cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information contained on its web sites and assumes no responsibility for, and does not verify, maintain or keep up to date the information. Your access to and use of the information and/or submission of information to the OCC’s websites is governed by Terms and Conditions to which all users of the OCC sites must agree.
15 Apr 2012 Jenny Franklin (credits to Beth Leonard, Daria Blackwell, Tony Vasey's OCC First 50 years)
Founded in 1954 by the late Humphrey Barton, the Ocean Cruising Club exists to promote long-distance cruising, in all its forms. As Hum quotes in his book Atlantic Ventures, “...above all, we must keep alive that courageous spirit of adventure...”
From its earliest days, the OCC has celebrated those amateurs who dared to brave the ocean in small boats, and many of its early members are now legend: founder Hum Barton, Francis Chichester, David Lewis, Bill Tilman, the Reverend Bob Shepton, John Guzzwell and famed boat designers Rod Stephens, Bill Crealock and Colin Mudie are some of the many names on the books. Still to date, many of the world's most adventurous sailors have chosen OCC membership.
The people in the Ocean Cruising Club represent the distilled essence of the cruising community, a potent combination of accomplishment, experience, idealism, eccentricity, generosity and humility. The sole qualification for full membership, the only ticket to entry, is by stepping aboard your boat, casting off the docklines and making a continuous ocean passage of at least 1000 nautical miles, measured along the rhumb line, in a vessel under 70 feet. It is open to anyone aboard, either as skipper or certified as competent by the skipper. There are two additional classes of membership; associate for those aspiring to cross oceans, and senior for those who have set their anchors ashore at a venerable age. Membership is about achievement, and the OCC welcomes those who qualify without restrictions; it has always enjoyed a high propertion of female sailors amongst its ranks.
Our youngest members? Gambia to Tobago 2012
14 May 2012 David, Sarah, Bethany and Bryn Smith
David: Designed by Oswald Berckemeye, a Gitana 43 originally built in 1981 for the Cape Town to Rio race, CAPE became ours in January 2006, and has carried us safely over 11,500 miles – without too much trouble.
Founder Member Colin Mudie
9 May 2012 Jenny Franklin
Scottish boat designer who worked under Laurent Giles and Uffa Fox among others before establishing his own firm, naval historian, balloonist, advocate for the integration of the handicapped sailor, one might say that Colin Mudie has little use for the ‘ordinary’. But then neither does his wife Rosemary!
Founder Member Ian Nicolson
9 May 2012 Jenny Franklin
When I contacted Founder Member Ian Nicolson to ask for something for this article, this was his reply:
“Ohhh JENNY OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!!!!! Jennnnny!! My "working CV" runs to 4 plus pages. I'm trying to get my 24th and 25th book written. I run four jobs and my next birthday is 3months away when I will be 84.
I sail [whisper it not, it's racing] two evenings a week and potter around at the w/ends in my mature Rival 34. I'm so busy I do not have time to die, which explains why I am still alive.
I have an article in the next "Flying Fish" and I fear the Members of the OCC will get fed up with hearing about me."
Jenny: On that basis, I thought I’d just put this up from his company website and let you all do the digging yourselves – he’s a fascinating read!
Matt Rutherford - The OCC honours him
21 Apr Jenny Franklin
Matt Rutherford, 30, completed an epic voyage by sailing under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge on April 18th. He left last June and has now sailed his Albin Vega 27 around the Americas singlehanded and nonstop, passing through the Northwest Passage, doubling Cape Horn and returning to the Chesapeake.
The OCC has honoured this amazing feat of seamanship with a special award recognising his iconic voyage. Sid and Rebecca Shaw, Regional Rear Commodores for the SE USA,
What your Port Officers do
9 May 2012 Jenny Franklin
In response to a recent mailing, we have begun to get a glimpse of what some of these Port Officers do out there where often no-one can see them – and we have some really exciting, enthusiastic, pro-active Port Officers out there! Do contact your POs, even if just to drop in for a social drink - they'd love to see you. Following are some comments from Madeira, Norfolk, Spain and Cowes.
Catia Carvalho, PO Madeira has just picked up from the OCC Forum on the website that several boats would be travelling her way, so sent them an email saying:
Been to Hong Kong? Help!
9 May 2012 Andrew Miller
Greetings! In 2013 we will be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Hebe Haven Yacht Club in Hong Kong.
I have been tasked with forming a committee to produce a heavily illustrated book to celebrate the club's half century. I would like to dedicate a chapter to ocean cruisers that have visited HHYC over the past 50 years, and we would very much like to hear from them - perhaps with appropriate photographs and a brief description of themselves, their vessel, their voyage, and most importantly their visit to HHYC.
OCC Awards Event
24 Apr 2012 Jenny Franklin
To kick the day off, Peter and Wendy Whatley had invited a small group to sail across the Solent in Ear to Eternity for the Committee luncheon – what better way to arrive at the Royal Yacht Squadron than by yacht? It was also a great informal way of getting together with some Committee members and the Award of Merit winners Thies Matzen and Kicki Ericson, a delightfully low-key couple who take the eco-lifestyle very seriously.
Having lived full-time aboard the 30ft Wanderer III (the Hiscock’s boat) for the past 30 years, in all weather, in extreme places like the Antarctic (they had just returned from 26 months in S. Georgia!), they had many tales to tell, as did all the award winners later that evening.
Panama Canal toll hike
26 Apr 2012 Jenny Franklin
The board of the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has approved a toll increase of 15% in two years, on seven types of large ships, and from 60% to 113% for small vessels passing through the Panama Canal as of 1 July 2012, sources said.
For smaller vessels, there are proposed increases in four price levels on the basis of the length (L) of the vessel, ranging between 60% and 113%, so the new tolls would be $500 to $800 dollars for smaller boats (15.24 meters) and $1,500 to $3,200 to the largest (30.48 meters). Furthermore, the rate per ton of displacement, now $3.02, also will increase 15.5% to $3.25 as of 1 July, and to $3.49 in the the same month next year.
London docking Restrictions during Olympics
23 Apr 2012 Jenny Franklin (credits to CA newsletter)
Bearing in mind that London has a good number of overseas visitors during the summer, it is worth noting that there will be restrictions during the time of the Olympics.
London: Restrictions will operate between Gravesend to Putney during July and August. Craft can expect to be intercepted at Gravesend and only those who can prove they already have a berth booked will be allowed to proceed. Boats without a pre-booked berth will be turned away. See Port of London website: www.boatingonthethames.co.uk
Weymouth and Portland: Restrictions will operate from 16th July to 9th September.
OCC communications gather momentum
18 Apr 2012 Simon Currin
With The New OCC Facebook Page, the current edition of the Flying Fish now iPad and Kindle compatible, and the website Forum gathering momentum fast, the OCC is coming alive!
Have you done a search for Port officers recently? The site has been greatly improved, with search buttons for place and individuals down the side, and a Google Earth overlay to show exactly where all out POs are.
On the Forum (see update below) this provides a permanent and searchable (by google) record, and so is an ideal cache for those more serious discussions that will still be of use in years to come.