and the Cruising Club of America.

The CCA was founded in 1922 by a group of yachtsmen dedictaed to offshore cruising.

In the founder's statement, the club made its objectives crystal clear: "...let us refuse stoutly to accumulate an onshore contingent; let membership be a sign of achievement, giving us a standard at home and abroad such as no American yacht club has had, Let the club burgee be a bit of bunting all afloat will respect and that sea lovers everywhere will strive to possess. Thus we shall become an active force in influencing others to make adventurous use of the sea.'' Today the CCA has a membership of more than 1,100 international sailors who have proved their competence at sailing long distances.

The CCA's membership includes stations in Bermuda, Boston, Essex (Connecticut), New York, Chesapeake, Pacific Northwest, San Francisco, Southern California, Florida, Bras D'Or (Nova Scotia), Gulf of Maine and Buzzard's Bay and enjoys affiliations with similar organistaions overseas.

The club is also a leader in matters of safety at sea. Through its charitable arm, The Bonnell Cove Foundation, the club has made grants to organistaions working to improve vessel tank testing, man overboard retrieval systems, marine sanitation systems and safety equipment. And the CCA has also underwritten the production of a Coast Guard video on procedures for ocean rescues. Its Safety at Sea Weekend in March this year attracted more than 500 sailors.

The cluba makes many awards and tributes for seagoing achievement, the most significant of which is the Bluewater Medal, established in 1923 to "record and reward examples of meritorious seamanship and adventure upon the sea, displayed by amateur sailors of all nationalities''.

The medal was first awarded to Frenchman Alain J. Gerbault, who single-handedly and non-stop sailed a 34-foot cutter from Gibralatar to New York in 100 days. And during World War II, the BWM was awarded to the "little ships'' of Dunkirk and flown to Britain on a ferry command bomber on orders by CCA member Franklin D. Roosevelt for presentation by the Prime Minister to the heroic seaman who evacuated the Allied armies from the beaches.

Sailors of a dozen nationalities have won the BWM over the years. Last year's award went to American Karen Thorndike in recognition of her 31,000-mile solo circumnavigation in the 36-foot cutter Amelia .

SAILING SLG