Open to members and non-members. Awarded to the person who, by his or her writing, has done most to foster and encourage ocean cruising in small craft.

2006

Ian Nicolson (OCC Member) who has written more than 20 books, both narrative, but mostly practical, and certainly a splendid combination of entertainment and information for cruising yachtsmen. Born in 1928, Ian remains as passionate as ever in his late 70s about everything to do with boats and sailing. His early books, "The Voyage of the Maken", and "Sea Saint" tell of his adventures as a young man. In the first book he sails from the UK to Vancouver, via the Panama Canal in the 1950s. In The Sea Saint Ian describes how he hitchhiked from Canada to East Coast USA and built and fitted out the bare hull of a 30ft wooden yacht in Nova Scotia - sailing her singlehanded to Weymouth in the summer of 1954.

Some of his books - which include "The Boat Data Book", "Build Your Own Boat", "Surveying Small Craft", "A Sail for All Seasons" and "Yacht Design" - have been translated into several languages and Ian has written for all the British (and several foreign) sailing magazines over the years.

2005

Willie Wilson, MD of Imray Laurie Norie & Wilson (cartographers & publishers), has done an incalculable amount over the last two or three decades 'to foster and encourage ocean cruising in small craft'. While not himself a writer he has a very 'hands on' approach and until recently (when he's trained up assistants) did most of the layout of their many pilot books himself -- books which tens of thousands of cruising yachtsmen all over the world rely on. Also, his understanding and flexible approach (not least with regard to deadlines!) has allowed a number of invaluable books to see the light of day which otherwise might very well have been abandoned. 

2004 - Anne Hammick (Member) - for her extensive writing of cruising and pilot books and editorship of the OCC jour- nal: ‘Flying Fish'.   The quality of her work is outstanding, having been extensively researched and painstakingly edited to make it easy and pleasurable to read.  She goes on regular trips to check meticulously on updates to the various pilot books she authors or edits with the result that yachtsmen can rely, without hesitation, on the informa- tion presented in her books.

Her editorship of Flying Fish now spans 15 years during which time the Club has seen constant improvement in layout and colour content, much of which has been instigated by Anne.  The publication has always been published on time and members now look forward to receiving their high-quality magazine delivered to their homes or boats twice a year without fail.

2002 - Liza Copeland - OCC -  for her many articles in various magazines over the years and her, very readable, books about her family's circumnavigation with young children expounding upon the philosophy of cruising.

2001 - Tom Cunliffe

2000 - Nigel Calder

1999 - Hugh Marriott

1998 - Lin & Larry Pardey

1997 - Mike Richey