David Roache, Norman Hummerstone, Richard Falk launch of LSC navigation award

The Little Ship Club has created a new navigation trophy, the 'Norman Hummerstone Trophy', to be awarded each year to a skipper who has completed a passage of at least 2,500 miles using predominantly traditional navigational techniques, in the opinion of the awarding panel. Nominations for the annual award will be sought from the sailing community and will be scrutinised by a panel made up of the Club’s Flag Officers and led by Club president Sir Robin Knox-Johnston. The trophy was officially launched at the End of Training Dinner on Tuesday 24 April 2012.

The passage will either be single-handed or short-handed and will exemplify the spirit of self- reliant seamanship. The Little Ship Club has a long record of providing training in seamanship and navigation and the Club has great pleasure naming this trophy after Norman, now 91 years old and a member for almost 50 years, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the teaching of seamanship and navigation.

Norman, awarded an MBE in 2001, is a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation and holder of an RYA Lifetime Achievement Award for services to navigation and still sails his boat, Barbary Heron, from her home berth in Burnham on Crouch.

Welcoming the establishment of the navigation award, Sir Robin said: “The teaching of traditional navigation techniques sits comfortably alongside the modern syllabus of training courses that the Little Ship Club provides. This trophy will celebrate the spirit of sailing that the Club embodies.”

The trophy is a 1940s Hughes sextant which it is hoped will be used by the Club to teach astro-navigation, the recipient of the award will receive a commemorative medal to mark their achievement.

David Roache, Little Ship Club Commodore, paid tribute to the huge contribution that Norman Hummerstone has made both to the Club and to the wider sailing and navigation community. He said: “It is a fitting tribute to Norman’s teaching that we are establishing this award. Although we all (Norman included) have access to modern GPS systems, most sailors have experienced a moment when they have to fall back on traditional navigation techniques.”

It is expected that the first award of the trophy will be at the Southampton Boat Show in September 2012 and the Club is seeking nominations from the sailing community for suitable candidates who completed a suitable passage between 1 January 2011 and 30 April 2012.

To nominate a suitable recipient, contact the Club office: office@littleshipclub.co.uk or write to The Commodore, Little Ship Club, Bell Wharf Lane, Upper Thames Street, London EC4 R 3TB