An International Club administered from the U.K., the Ocean CruisingClub (OCC) was founded in 1954 by the late Humphrey Barton not long after his epic crossing of the Atlantic in little Vertue XXXV. In those days long passages in small yachts were nowhere near as commonplace as they are today and the early members were an elite band of ocean voyagers whose achievements formed a common bond.

Today that same common bond continues to give the membership its raison d'être although without the same pioneering element that drew the founder members together. Although established in the UK, membership has spread to many countries and the UK members form slightly less than 50% of the total, which is steadily growing and now numbers over 1500. There is a strong element in the USA, particularly on the eastern seaboard. National Rear Commodores organise local events in Australia, Canada, Ireland, UK and the east and west coasts of the USA. With these events and a significant number of members on passage, the blue and yellow burgee with its Flying Fish motif is carried proudly throughout the cruising waters of the world.

The club has no premises. However, through excellent relationships with other clubs there is no lack of social occasions. Here in the UK the Annual Dinner is held in alternate years at the Royal Thames YC in London and at a Club on the South Coast of Engalnd. An evening party is held in a London Club at Boat Show time, a Beaulieu river meet in May is hosted by the Royal Southampton YC at Gins Farm and a West Country Rally is held in Falmouth over the August Bank Holiday week-end with a very popular dinner in the Royal Cornwall YC. The last event is a great opportunity for members who have been far afield during the summer to meet and compare notes.

Notable passages and expeditions, of which there have been many in the Club's history, are reported in Flying Fish - the twice-yearly journal of the OCC - and the Club's annual award citations reflect the amateur traditions within which these often ambitious voyages are quietly and competently achieved. In addition to Flying Fish a regular newsletter is issued to members and serves a wide range of interests, including: news of voyaging members and families, requests and offers of assistance, proposed voyages and expeditions and a Diary of the Club's social and cruising events throughout the world. 

The club has around 100 Port Officers who welcome members in harbours all over the world and provide help and introductions that are invaluable to new arrivals.

Details of club events, Port Officer contacts, newsletter information, extracts from Flying Fish and a picture gallery are just some of the items that can now be viewed by club members on this site.

To celebrate its Golden Jubilee in 2004, fifty years after its foundation by Humphrey Barton in 1954, the occasion was marked by the publication of a history of the Club over these 50 years, written by the Club Historian and ex-Commodore, Tony Vasey. As well as details of the Club's growth, the extraordinary exploits of the early pioneers are recalled, many of whom became legends in the then small world of deep sea cruising. These include the circumnavigation by the Carlins in a frail amphibious jeep, the daring voyages of Bill Tilman, and the attempted Atlantic crossing in a helium balloon by the Mudies. It is packed with lyrical quotes from the many early members writing on cruising such as Weston Martyr, Carleton Mitchell, Bill Snaith, and the ever-green Mike Richey. And it is brought up to date with tales from the latter day explorers such as John Gore-Grimes, Willy Ker, Bob Shepton and Paddy Barry. Thus the book is at once a record of the Club's development and an anthology of the exciting exploits of its many members throughout the world.

The book is a private publication of 319 pages with many colour and B & W illustrations. 'The Ocean Cruising Club The First fifty Years' may be obtained from the author, Toney Vasey, as shown below for £15 including P & P world-wide. Tony Vasey, Long Barn, Tarrant Rushton, Blandford Forum, Dorset DT11 9JQ, UK, Tel/fax: +44 (0)1258 480604