Pip Hare Wins OCC Seamanship Award
British sailor Pip Hare has been awarded the Ocean Cruising Club’s (OCC) Seamanship Award. The OCC Seamanship Award recognizes exceptional skill or bravery at sea.
Pip was one of the 40 sailors racing around the world singlehanded, nonstop 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 foiling IMOCA 60 Medallia 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 December 28, 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.
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.”
Pip Hare was sponsored by San Francisco Bay Area company Medallia on her campaign in the 2024/25 edition of the Vendée Globe. Her 2020/21 campaign, also sponsored by Medallia, saw her cross the finish line in 95 days, 11 hours, 37 minutes and 30 seconds.
Additional award winners for 2024 include:
• Vasey Vase: Tim Riley and Carol Osborne
• OCC Lifetime Award: Victor Wejer
• 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
Learn more at www.oceancruisingclub.org