Introducing the evening, duty officer Mark Turvey said: "This is the occasion when we reflect on the sailing glories of the past season... and look forward to the anti-fouling." Not before the pots and gongs which grace the Club trophy cabinet were duly awarded.

Winners this year ranged from the crew of Arvika, skippered by Carol, for coming first in ISC for the Round the Island Race (despite a snapped shackle), to the (different) crew of Arvika for getting skipper Mike Gorvett to hospital swiftly when he needed urgent medical attention. The winners of this were Paul Cahill, James Donaldson and Stefano d'Isasca.

The Colonel Hudson trophy, awarded for an 'act of skill, courage or character' went to Graham Payne and Mike Birch for giving assistance to another yacht which was holed over 1000 miles from land.

Norman Hummerstone swept the board with trophies awarded for waterline length x oldest average age of crew and furthest distance to the Holland Rally. Perhaps we should insist he takes a few five year olds sailing next year to even out the chances for the rest of us?

Various logs won various prizes, but most notably the Vertue Cup went to Richard Keen for a meticulous log of his sailing trip to Foulness through the Havengore Bridge, which was also commended as a well-written article in the Little Ship magazine. Other prize-winning logs were written by Robert Fellowes, Sue Lyons, Martyn Graham, Brian Humber, Graham Payne and Donald Bent.

Motor boats featured with longest passage to the London Rally by Norman and Nathalie Nathan in their motor launch Goldie.

Once again, rear commodore sail and power Robin Whaite, was reading the citations and helping the Director of the National Maritime Museum, Kevin Fewster distribute the prizes. Once again, Robin had to nip round the other side of the table, this time to receive the prize for best article in the Little Ship magazine ("On Chesil Beach, by Accident", Summer issue).

Amidst stiff competition, Geoff Quentin got the Orfordness Light trophy for most "illuminating" rally, the one to Vancouver in September. Sue Cossell received the Alexander Catering Rose Bowl for her admirable organisation of the Brightlingsea Rally (something to do with beer and local breweries were involved).

Elizabeth Forbes picked up the Lady's Cup for furtherance to yachting in or out of the Club. whilst Alan Fulton gathered a gong for enabling Club members to use the website more easily. Charles Whittam, skipper of Juno, won the cup for IRC classes in the Round the Island Race. John DeWitt, skipper of Pim, got to Calais and won the longest distance divided by waterline length award (Mercers Shield) for his efforts.

Mike Forbes Smith chartered a boat for the Brittany rally and enabled many people to add their YM passage miles to their log books, so won the Lord Mayor's Medallion. Rachel Hedley was awarded the Ladies Seamanship trophy for skippering a small (26 foot) boat in the Round the Island Race with difficult conditions this year.

Shearwater, skippered by Andrew Ormsby, won the Fast Cruise 2010-11 series and the Wilson Haffenden trophy. The Suhaili cleat was deservedly won by the Fast Cruise organising team of Debbie Dickson-Gill, John Clarkson, Don Shackley and Graham Broadway,

Once supper was over, Kevin Fewster was on his feet again to talk about the National Maritime Museum and its plans for the future. He commented on the ship's logs that had won prizes as the museum and Oxford University are running a joint project to extract weather data from historic logs which is used to build up climate models for the future.

The museum will be 75 years old next year and Dr Fewster outlined the exciting developments that are planned and have taken place. The museum was given a donation of £20m by Sammy Ofer which has been used to create the eponymous wing which provides a new entrance and exhibition space.

And Dr Fewster said Queen Elizabeth II carried out her first public engagement, aged 11 years old, at the opening of the National Maritime Museum. The museum's visitors' book for Heads of State, gives a snapshot of the life of our reigning monarch.

A full list of trophy winners and photographs will appear in the Winter issue of the Little Ship.