Cruising Club of America Announces 2023 Award Winners

The Cruising Club of America has long honored outstanding achievements in blue-water cruising, seamanship, innovation and service through its annual awards program. In 2023 the club revealed its list of honorees, recognizing six individuals whose efforts and accomplishments reflect the broad range of skills, courage and dedication associated with long-distance sailing and the cruising community. For the first time in the program’s history, three of the six award recipients are women, a notable milestone for the club and the wider sailing world.

About the Awards and the 2023 Honorees

The Cruising Club of America’s awards span categories that highlight lifetime achievement, exceptional single voyages, acts of seamanship and contributions to safety, design and club service. The 2023 recipients include experienced ocean sailors, a remarkable young solo voyager, a lifesaving rescuer, and long-serving volunteers whose work has strengthened the club and the cruising community. Each award celebrates a different facet of cruising and seamanship, from daring singlehanded passages to sustained contributions in education and service.

Blue Water Medal

Kenichi Horie, at age 83, received the Blue Water Medal for a lifetime of ocean-crossing achievements. Horie is widely recognized in Japan as a leading figure in long-distance sailing and has a decades-long record of offshore voyaging. The Blue Water Medal honors exceptional accomplishments at sea and, in this instance, acknowledges Horie’s enduring commitment to ocean voyaging over many years.

Young Voyager Award

Cal Currier, a high-school student from California, won the Young Voyager Award after learning to sail, buying and preparing a 30-foot sloop, and completing a solo passage from Massachusetts to Portugal within a single year. Currier’s journey exemplifies initiative, rapid skill development and the spirit of independent voyaging that the Young Voyager Award seeks to encourage among younger sailors.

Rod Stephens Seamanship Trophy

Kirsten Neuschäfer of South Africa was honored with the Rod Stephens Seamanship Trophy for her critical role in rescuing a fellow competitor during the 2022 Golden Globe Race. The award recognizes exemplary seamanship in the face of adversity, and Neuschäfer’s actions during an emergency at sea demonstrate the courage, quick decision-making and practical skill that are the hallmarks of the trophy’s intent.

Diana Russel Award

Mary Crowley received the Diana Russel Award in recognition of her innovative contributions to sailing design, education, training, methodology and safety. Crowley’s lifelong dedication to sailing and her role as founder of the Ocean Voyages Institute were specifically cited as central to this honor. The Diana Russel Award highlights individuals whose work has measurably improved safety, learning and best practices for cruising sailors.

Richard S. Nye Award

Barbara Watson was presented with the Richard S. Nye Award for her significant service to the Cruising Club of America. Watson has held leadership positions within the club, including serving as station Rear Commodore and club historian, roles that reflect a deep commitment to preserving club traditions, supporting fellow members and advancing the organization’s mission.

Far Horizons Award

David Tunick earned the Far Horizons Award for two solo transatlantic passages aboard his 55-foot Sparkman & Stephens yawl, Night Watch. The two crossings were made more than twenty years apart, underscoring a long-term engagement with serious offshore voyaging and the discipline required for repeated solo ocean passages. The Far Horizons Award celebrates long-range voyaging and the courage to undertake challenging passages across vast ocean distances.

The 2023 awards reflect both individual daring and collective values: seamanship, innovation, education and service. Recognizing a diverse group of sailors—young and old, professional and amateur, men and women—the Cruising Club of America’s selections emphasize the many ways people contribute to and exemplify the cruising ethos.

—Lidia Goldberg

This article was originally published in the March 2023 issue.