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It is surprising just how much the Club was moulded at that inaugural meeting.
Clearly Hum had done a great deal of thinking about how it would develop,
since many innovations only relevant to a worldwide cruising fraternity were
introduced from the outset. The minutes of the first meeting are rather stark,
running to only one sheet of foolscap in Hum’s not so fair hand. It must be
said, however, that his signature bears a certain royal flourish.
MINUTES OF THE INAUGRAL (sic) MEETING OF
THE OCEAN CRUISING CLUB HELD AT THE R.N.V.R.
CLUB, LONDON ON THE 27TH JANUARY 1954
Founder members present were:-
Mr E.B.C. Thornton Mr G.B. Heywood
Lt.Col. R.G.F. Scholfield Mr J. W. Johnstone
Miss Sheila Busk-Wood Mr Stanley Smith
Mr W.W. Phelps Mr H. M. Austin
Mr C.C. Constance Mr W.I.B. Crealock
Mr F.W. Morgan Mr W.B. Howell
Mr J.J.N. Wyatt Mr Colin Mudie
Mr E.W.R. Petersen Lt.Cdr. A.G. Hamilton R.N.
Mr H.I. Hughes Mr H. Barr
Mr L.G. Greenwood Mrs H. Barr
Mrs Ann Davison Mr H.D.E. Barton
Mr Ben Carlin
Mr. Barton took the chair and explained the
aims and objects of the proposed Club. A
proposal was made by him that such Club
should be formed with the aims and objects as
set out in the draft Rules and this was
passed unanimously.
The name was discussed but no definite
decision was arrived at.
A copy of the proposed rules was handed to
members. They were passed in principle with
the exception as regards the name. They are
to be carefully considered by the Committee,
who will seek legal advice if necessary, and
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be resubmitted for final approval at the next
A.G.M.
The following members offered to serve on
the committee:-
Mr W.I.B. Crealock Mr Colin Mudie
Lt.Cdr. A.G. Hamilton R.N. Lt.Col. R.G.F. Scholfield
Mr W.B. Howell Mr H.I. Hughes
Mr G.B. Heywood Mr H.D.E. Barton
As the number did not exceed the fifteen
allowed by the Rules no ballot was necessary.
A secret ballot was then held to elect the
three Flag Officers, the scrutineers being
Gp.Capt. E. Haylock and Mr.Dicken (both non-
members). The results were announced by the
former and were as follows:
Commodore Mr. Humphrey D.E. Barton
Vice-Commodore Lt.Col. R.G.F. Scholfield
Rear Commodore Mr. Colin Mudie
The Commodore thanked members for electing
him. He said that it was a great honour and
he wou1d do his best for the Club. He asked
members to enlist all the new members they
could and said that if everyone put into the
Club a little more than they took out of it,
it was sure to be a great success.
The question of the design for a burgee
and tie were discussed and the matter
referred to the Committee.
The Commodore then thanked the R.N.V.R.
Officers’ Association for allowing the use of
their Club and granting temporary membership
to all those present. The official
proceedings then terminated.
At the first committee meeting, on 15 February 1954, it was proposed that
Provisional Membership be allowed so that the would-be voyager could gain
confidence by rubbing shoulders with the great and the good in the deep-sea
world. The period of such membership was to be limited to one year, during
which the member was expected to qualify or show good reason why he had
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not done so. Otherwise he had to leave the Club at the end of the year. This
appears to have fallen into disuse some time later, but was revived under the
name of ‘Associate Membership’ in 1989 with exactly the same objectives.
At the same meeting it was also proposed that overseas branches be formed
where there was a sufficient concentration of members. It is not clear what the
thinking was behind the term ‘overseas branches’, but since the question of
National Rear Commodores had not yet been suggested it appears that they
were considering some form of semi-autonomous groups. This has caused
confusion throughout the life of the Club and as recently as 1990 was the cause
of considerable friction when ‘branches’wished to collect subscriptions locally,
thus taking financial control away from the Treasurer.
On 3 April 1954 the Commodore wrote to all members informing them of
developments. He reported that the Secretary had ‘written to the editor of every
known yachting periodical in the world telling them about the Club’, which no
doubt explains why the 56 members that Hum was then able to report had
grown to 86 by the 27 April deadline to be deemed Founders. Also, whereas the
56 that Hum reported were spread across five nationalities, the 86 members,
three weeks later, covered thirteen. Clearly the Secretary’s worldwide trawl
was having some effect.
Hum went on to explain the diligence with which the insignia had been designed:
‘Your committee had given the burgee and tie
their most careful consideration. The Rear
Commodore (Colin Mudie) was entrusted with
the designs and he made two visits to the
Natural History Museum in order to study
flying fishes. He found there were about ten
varieties! The one he has selected seems to
be an admirable flying fish in every way and
it will, I am sure, prove equal to its
duties. The burgee has a dark blue hoist with
a yellow fly and a yellow flying fish
disports itself on the blue part of the flag.
The tie is dark blue bespeckled with golden
flying fishes. It is a tie of distinction and
I am sure you will like it.’
It also received the approval of the editor of Yachting Monthly, who wrote:
‘I like the burgee that the newly-formed Ocean Cruising Club
has adopted. It has a sea-blue hoist and a yellow fly with a flying
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fish in yellow on the blue. They have a tie too. How is it described?
Poisson-volant d’or azure flippant.’
Little did Hum or Colin realise how widely that distinctive burgee would be
flaunted across the world over the next half century.
Hum rounded off his letter with thanks to the RNVR Club which had allowed
the OCC the use of its premises for meetings and social functions. He reminded
members that this splendid club offered country membership for one guinea.
Not only was this good value, but it showed a touch of class as only the best
institutions still conducted transactions in old-fashioned guineas despite that
coin having been replaced by the sovereign in 1817.
There is no record of the original proposed Rules but it is interesting to read
the objects as stated in the sub-committee’s submission which was approved
at a Special General Meeting on 28 April 1954:
OBJECTS
The objects for which the Club is formed are:
(a)To foster and encourage ocean cruising
in small craft and the practise(sic) of
seamanship and navigation in all
branches.
(b)To issue bulletins containing names and
addresses of members, information as to
projected voyages in small craft, news
of members and such other material of
which the Committee shall approve.
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(c)To keep records of voyages made by
members and to publish accounts of such
voyages.
(d)To collect information likely to be of
use to members and to arrange for such
information to be available to members
on application to the Secretary subject
to such terms as the Committee may from
time to time decide.
(e)To encourage the formation of local
branches all over the world and to
appoint honorary local representatives.
(f)To encourage by any means social
intercourse between the members and to
provide amenities for the use of the
members and their guests.
These Objects are identical to those existing today, and the rest of the Rules
stand with only very minor changes. For a club that developed ‘on the hoof’,
so to speak, this was remarkably prescient.
This meeting was enlivened by Ben and Elinor Carlin arriving in their amphibious
jeep, in which they had qualified for the Club by ‘driving’ it across the North
Atlantic. Under ‘Any Other Business’, Ben proposed that members arriving at
meetings in their own vessel should have their subscriptions waived. The motion
was not carried, but the whole attendance repaired to the street outside to join
the throng of passers-by examining this strange contraption.
They had made undoubtedly the most original ocean passage of all those
present at the first meeting. Ben had bought the vehicle at auction in the States
for $900 and made extensive alterations to make her fit for an ocean passage.
In those more prudish days one other thing remained to be done before embarking
in such close confinement, and that was to marry his long-standing American
girlfriend. Two weeks later, in June 1948, they set sail, or more accurately, they
started driving towards the Azores. They turned back twice before eventually
getting going in earnest, but the weather was fine and at the end of a week they
were 400 miles on their way. At that point the thrust bearing on the propeller shaft
began to make ‘expensive noises’. The bearing was taken to pieces, but the balls
were found to be hopelessly chipped and broken, and they had no spares!
The weather remained fine and for the next ten days they just drifted. If it had
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not been for the bitterness of defeat, life would have been quite pleasant, although
the living accommodation provided by Half Safe could hardly have been called
luxurious. Behind the two front seats there was one 5ft long bunk arranged
athwartships – and nothing more! There was not even a stove to cook on.
They ate all their food cold, except for caught fish which they ‘cooked’ on the
hot exhaust. It was like living in a small saloon car. They were in the North
Atlantic shipping lane and sighted quite a number of steamers, but hesitated to
signal for assistance. They knew well enough that they themselves would be
rescued, but they dreaded the thought of abandoning the jeep. It never occurred
to them that there was any possibility that it too might yet be saved, but this is
just what happened. Here is Ben’s graphic description:
‘After about a week I thought that it was time we did something
about being picked up and started keeping night watches; vessels
were hard to attract in daylight. We were still choosy and turned
down many prospects because either:
(a) They were east or southbound, or
(b) Bound for Philadelphia, or
(c) Too large and shiny, or
(d) Too small and rusty.
Would you go to sea in this contraption?
Half Safe, in which the Carlins ‘drove’ around the world
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One night a large vessel acknowledged my SOS twice and took
no further action. I’d like to meet that sonovabitch. We finally
hooked a north-bound tanker heading, I thought, for Boston.
When she stopped we had all our valuables packed ready to
abandon ship and a hammer handy to tap a hole in the side of
Half Safe. I shinned up a ladder and asked the captain – an old
Norwegian and a gem – if we might come aboard. He replied,
‘Hell, you’re not going to leave that goddamned jeep lying
around?’ You can imagine how hard I swallowed.’
Half Safe needed considerable repairs which they could not afford, so they
both took work for the winter and set off again in the summer of 1949. They
towed two tanks of petrol but lost them in a blow, so it was back to Halifax and
back to work for another winter. They finally left for the Azores in July 1950,
this time towing a much improved streamlined tank holding 280 gallons. They
were blessed with good weather, but after about a week the engine began to
lose power. Ben took the cylinder head off, standing on the seat and leaning
over the dashboard while the stationary jeep tumbled about. Elinor was seasick
– most of the time. This Ben did three times, each time decarbonising the heads
and pistons. After 31 days they waddled into Flores to be warmly welcomed by
the islanders who were much taken with their ‘zheep amfibic’.
They left the Azores for Madeira in mid November anticipating a week’s
passage, but in the event took 23 days, 13 of them being spent lying to a sea
anchor in horrendous conditions. After they lost their towed tank they had
insufficient fuel to reach any land, so raised the Azores on the radio and the
Portuguese Navy said they would divert a destroyer. When it arrived it too had
been damaged in the storm, which had reached 60 knots. Ben described sleeping
conditions in the blow,
‘Lying across the two seats with my shoulders braced against
one side and my feet against the other, I could feel Half Safe’s
side panels springing in and out like a fiddler’s elbow.’
They reached the Moroccan coast via the Canaries, but arrived with a heavy
surf running. Being an Australian, Ben knew a thing or two about surf and
neatly beached Half Safe on Africa. With little further trouble, apart from being
arrested when they drove up the dockyard slipway in Gibraltar, they arrived in
England in time for the Special General Meeting before continuing right round
the world.
The first Annual General Meeting was held at the RNVR Club on 9 December
1954 and was followed by dinner at the price of 12/6d (62½p). It is not recorded
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what dress was de rigueur, but it is known that there was some controversy.
The more conservative members preferred dinner jackets, which caused difficulty
for the likes of the Carlins who were likely to arrive, in their amphibious jeep,
straight from sea.
Accounts for the first ten months were presented and showed a trading loss
of £6.7.2d but a balance of £67.11.5d which, in the opinion of the Secretary,
‘had established the Club on a sound financial basis’.
Income and Expenditure Account
Expenditure Income
Printing £40. 8. 6 Subscriptions 1954 £134. 9. 9
Stationery 13. 7. 1 Subscriptions 1955 1. 0. 0
Postage 23. 2. 8 Sale of regalia 67.18. 4
Purchase of regalia 107.11. 2 Tickets for dinner 17.15. 0
15” Royal Typewriter 20.18. 0 Annual dinner 4. 4. 0
R.Y.A. subscription 2. 2. 0 Members’ accounts 6.17. 1
R.N.V.R. Club donation Sundry Revenue 7. 6. 7
to staff fund 2. 2. 0
Expenses of inaugural
meeting in London 2.18. 2
Hon Secs expenses for
meetings 4. 7. 6
Dinner party expenses 22. 6. 6
Sundry expenses 6.14. 4 Balance £6.7. 2
£245.17.11 £245.17.11
Reconciliation Statement
Cash at Bank £28. 5.10
Stock in hand at cost 28.17. 2
Sundry debtors 19.15. 6
£76.18. 6
Less
Members’account £6.17. 1
Ellams duplicators 2.10.0 9. 7. 1
Assets over liabilities £67.11. 5
I have examined the foregoing accounts and
certify the same are correct according to the
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best of my information and explanations given
me and as shown by the books of the Club.
A.C. Sandison
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