The Ocean Cruising Club has announced the winners of its 2024 awards for sailing and voyaging accomplishments, featuring its Seamanship Award to British Vendée Globe racer Pip Hare and the Lifetime Award to Canadian cruiser and long-time advisor for cruisers tackling the NW Passage, Victor Wejer.

Published 5 days ago

Source:  Ocean Cruising Club

The OCC Lifetime Award

Victor Wejer received the OCC’s Lifetime Award based on his outstanding 20 years of service and support to cruising sailors venturing through the Northwest Passage. Based in Ontario, Canada, Victor embraced new technologies by offering customized, personalized guidance including live group video conferences with OCC boats as they journeyed through the ice-riddled waters of the Canadian high latitudes.

One of the many OCC Port Officer Representatives, Victor has taken his duties well beyond the extensive support offered to the world’s sailors. An author of the Polar Yacht Guide (which is available on the Royal Cruising Club Pilotage Foundation’s website), Victor has supported more than 100 boats transiting the Northwest Passage.

As he notes, “I have gotten many calls from adventurers wanting to make the Northwest Passage. For most, I strongly advise them to stay away. A perfect crossing will have no story to tell at the end. No problems. No issues.”

Darek Krowiak and the crew of SY Hayat were one of the vessels to have the assistance of Victor.  “Huge congratulations,” said Darek. ” SY Hayat crew was very fortunate to have you in our team. Without you we wouldn’t go. ”

Noonsite Editor, Sue Richards, congratulated Victor for an award well-deserved. “From all of us at Noonsite, you have been an enormous help to our team over many years, assisting with accurate information for northern sailing routes and stopovers and the often-complicated paperwork that far-flung destinations require. So many cruisers are grateful for your positive attitude, energy and commitment to enable them to navigate waters they have dreamed about.”

The OCC Seamanship Award

The OCC Seamanship Award recognizes exceptional skill or bravery at sea. Pip Hare gained international attention when her foiling OMOCA 60, SV Medallia, was dismasted during the 2024 Vendée Globe Race.

Pip was one of 40 sailors racing single-handed, non-stop and without assistance in what is often considered the greatest sailing race around the world. She was in 15th place, approximately 800 nautical miles south of Australia, when her boat lost its mast.

Fortunately, Pip was not injured but she had to abandon the race and seek safe harbor. Armed with a hacksaw and gloves, she removed most of the rig, preserving the hull’s integrity and saving the boom, furlers and one outrigger. With only materials on board and her ingenuity and skill, Pip erected a jury-rigged mast, enabling her to fly the trysail.

In her blog, viewed by thousands of sailing enthusiasts worldwide, Pip reported that her “slow boat to Australia” was able to make progress north. After 13 days, in conditions up to gale force winds, she made landfall in Melbourne on 28 December, 2024.

“I am very humbled to receive this award from OCC,” Pip notes. She is currently trying to find another major sponsor and hopes to have a boat on the starting line for the 2028 Vendée Globe Race.

Additional award winners for 2024 include:

• Vasey Vase: Tim Riley and Carol Osborne
• OCC Jester Award: Jacqueline Evers
• David Wallis Trophy: Wim and Elisabeth van Blaricum
• Water Music Trophy: Carla Gregory and Alex Helbig
• OCC Award (members): Zdenka Griswold; Bill Weigel
• OCC Award (open): Jesse and Sharon Rose James with the Trinidad Operations 
Centre; Bob Bradfield
• Qualifier’s Mug: Fabian Fernandez
• OCC Events and Rallies Award: Reg Barker
• OCC Environmental Award: Ivar Smits and Floris van Hees
• Port Officer Service Award: Cristian Yanzer

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About the OCC Awards

Nominations are made by OCC members; selection is by an experienced panel of bluewater cruisers and approved by the OCC General Committee.

About the Ocean Cruising Club

The Ocean Cruising Club is the “home port” for those who have made long voyages across big oceans. With 61 nationalities represented by its 3700+ members and some 270 Port Officers in 100 countries, we have a more diverse membership and a more international reach than any other bluewater sailing organisation.

The OCC exists to encourage long-distance passage-making in vessels under 70ft (23.26m) LOA. To qualify for OCC Full Membership, voyagers must have completed a non-stop ocean passage between two points at least 1000 nautical miles apart. Associate Members are committed to achieving that goal. This requirement distinguishes the OCC from all other sailing clubs, even as it draws us together as a group. 
Our membership has tremendous offshore experience– in the number of circumnavigators, in the range of extraordinary voyages completed, and in the number of solo sailors and women sailors among our ranks.

• Web: www.oceancruisingclub.org
• Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/OceanCruisingClubMembers/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/oceancruisingclub/

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The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the view of Noonsite.com or World Cruising Club.