Open Awards

Founded and endowed by Mr Meredith Fitzwalker Wren in 1949 for an act or acts of outstanding seamanship. It is awarded to yachtsmen or women of any nationality by a Judge or Judges appointed by the Committee of the Royal Cruising Club for the purpose.

During 2025 Pete and Linda sailed from Tasmania to New Zealand in Pete’s self-designed junk-rigged catamaran China Moon. On passage they encountered extreme conditions, suffered substantial damage to the steering system, lost two drogues and Pete had to climb the mast to cut down a sheet. Their experience is eloquently described by Linda: “we were both looking forward to our Tasman Sea crossing. The sea, with its infinite cleansing powers, should have washed away all that land life brings. Instead, it nearly wiped out our earthly lives, but against many odds, we survived.”

This medal is awarded in memory of Bill Tilman, an RCC member who delighted in combining cruising in high latitudes with mountaineering. It is awarded by the Committee of the Royal Cruising Club for an outstanding voyage in Arctic or Antarctic waters or in other remote places in high latitudes. The Committee takes into account objectives and achievements of exploration and of mountaineering.

Since 2019 Will has made several climbing and sailing voyages to East Greenland, Jan Mayen and Iceland on Integrity, his elegant 42ft wooden cutter. This is a vessel that Tilman himself would have recognised – deep keeled with a long bowsprit. Of note was his successful alpine style climb of Beerenberg Peak 2227m, the volcanic summit of Jan Mayen. The climb lasted over two days with only one short rest break. In 2023 Integrity transitted the North West Passage and since then he has been sailing and climbing in Alaska.

This medal was founded in memory of Jocelyn Swann and can be awarded by the Committee of the Royal Cruising Club to any person, club, corporate body or company who, in the opinion of the Committee, has rendered outstanding services to yacht cruising.

This year the Medal for Services to Cruising was awarded twice: Willie Wilson dedicated his working life to Imray. He joined in 1974 and will retire once the handover to FB Imray completes in 2026. When Willie joined Imray the catalogue comprised a small number of charts of the English coast and a handful of pilot guides. Now, Imray has more than 250 charts, 100+ pilot books worldwide and a suite of apps. His contribution to the cruising community and navigation for small craft has been enormous. Norman Kean and Geraldine Hennigan have edited the East & North Coasts of Ireland and South & West Coasts of Ireland Sailing Directions since 2006. The former is now in its 13th edition and the latter in its 16th edition. They have recently handed the baton over to Andrew Wilkes and Máire Breathnach . Paul Heiney’s introduction to the 16th edition sums up their extraordinary contribution to Irish sailing: Norman and Geraldine’s Pilots “represent the final word on Irish cruising, written by those who know all this coast's intriguing nooks and crannies, and who can guide you safely to a full enjoyment of what is one of the most fascinating coastlines in the whole of Europe”.