Bob Carlisle  At the risk of causing offence and accepting that we're rightly keen to encourage new members, I've just copied this from our website:

"A Full Member of the OCC must have completed a non-stop ocean passage between two ports, where the distance between the ports is not less than 1,000 nautical miles measured by the shortest practical Great Circle route, as skipper or member of the crew in a vessel of not more than 70ft (21.3 m) LOA."

Did this statement not used to include a requirement for your also going a certain distance offshore and not having/being 'professional' crew?

A few years ago we met a couple of newish members who related the tale of their qualifying passage from the US east coast to the Eastern Caribbean Islands, their only assistance coming from a professional skipper, two professional crew and almost 900 litres of diesel. My thoughts then (and now) were that I certainly wouldn't have signed-up as their proposer or seconder.
More recently I've noticed a qualifying passage from Italy to Southern Portugal; having done that route myself I don't envy them the trip and would also assume that to achieve it 'non stop' they too must've had a huge diesel reserve to call upon. But is it 1000 miles? (I've no Med charts aboard at the moment to confirm) Perhaps it is by the time you've detoured to avoid making a landfall in Corsica, Sardinia, or the Balearic Islands. Though given the amount of fuel that passage almost invariably entails, I doubt I could've managed to motor past the super-cheap diesel available to replenish it on either side of the Gibraltar Straits in favour of continuing on to Portugal. I concede that the Atlantic 'Ocean' requirement rather than crossing the Mediterranean 'Sea' on that passage is theoretically fulfilled during the final hundred-odd miles across the Bay of Cadiz from the Straits of Gibraltar Straits to Portugal.

I'll ignore any abuse, but would be interested in well argued opinion either way.
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Lynn Weiss Hoenke Is there a problem with motoring? Can a motor boat not be part of the OCC?
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      Bob Carlisle Actually, I think that's changed too, I'm sure the original requirement used to be 'in a sailing vessel of not more than 70 feet'?
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Nigel Collin Studdart I would support the open and warm welcoming nature of the OCC that I have felted appreciated around the world. In terms of qualifying passages having done many miles both as an "amateur" and a professional with a dozen crew aboard running superyachts I am happy to report that superyacht crew can be very excellent seaman and outstanding individuals. I am lucky to have had many crew in my many miles of sailing. Whether that's under power or sail brings its own challenges. Managing and handling a Motor vessel on an ocean passage brings its own challenges and having done both I would take a sailboat anytime ( Hence now my own oyster 435). On a power vessel the winds, swells and sea state are if anything even more important as they impact stability and fuel consumption. I would certainly not look on anyone making long voyages under power with anything but respect. I suppose in terms of qualifying passages the OCC relies on peoples honesty and there own narrative. certainly I have no longer any records of mine way back in the 80's! So I respect th trust put in me by teh membership secretary. So to cut a long story short in a world that is sometimes less inclusive I would wish that the policy and application of the OCC continues as an inclusive community of worldwide seaman and seawomen .
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Ken Montgomery Whether it’s sail or power is not the issue I think as both demand certain skills to make a safe offshore/ocean passage. I think the issue is about being able to demonstrate sound seamanship on a non-stop offshore/ocean passage from A to B. Such a passage requires planning, preparation, contingency, self/reliance and fosters a better understanding of ones boat and their ability to manage it and to reflect and learn.


Bill Balme

I have sympathy for Bob's perspective. I think it much more significant to make a passage in your own boat or a friend's boat in which you are actively participating as crew - versus a gimmee in a professionally crewed yacht - however - I can say we see very few of the latter coming though the membership applications.  

As to the motoring thing - difficult to rule that out since one of the founding members of the club came trans Atlantic in a modified, amphibious jeep! To quote the minutes of (I think the first meeting of the OCC) "This meeting was enlivened by Ben and Elinor Carlin arriving in their amphibious jeep, in which they had qualified for the Club by ‘driving’ it across the North Atlantic. Under ‘Any Other Business’, Ben proposed that members arriving at meetings in their own vessel should have their subscriptions waived.
The motion was not carried, but the whole attendance repaired to the street outside to join the throng of passers-by examining this strange contraption. They had made undoubtedly the most original ocean passage of all those present.

Bill Balme