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BCA Cruising, Perpetual And Service Awards Open For Nominations And Applications

David Mitchell

Salt
Island Packet 40
September 29th, 2026

It is time once again to recognize our members’ significant cruising achievements and our long-serving volunteers. Ever since the first awards were presented in November 1978, BCA has taken time to acknowledge our members who made it out onto the deep blue seas and the watchkeepers who helped along the way.

Think about your own sailing / crewing / volunteering experience this past year and what your BCA friends have been up to:

  •  Are you a BCA Dreamer who has cast off in the past few years to become a Doer?
  • Have you completed a coastal 999 NM harbour-hop voyage, to Mexico, perhaps?
  • Have you just returned from offshore or completed an offshore passage?
  • Did you participate in an offshore race to Hawaii, for example, or the return to the Pacific Northwest?
  • Are you retiring from a Chapter Watch or the Board of Directors after a minimum of three consecutive years of service?
  • Do you know someone who is eligible for a cruising or service award or deserves special recognition with a perpetual award?

If your answer is “yes” to any or all of those questions, now is the time to act.  Your own cruising accomplishments deserve recognition and celebration, and the greatest compliment you can pay to a fellow BCA member is to put them forward as a nominee.

Nomination / Application Process

If you think you are eligible for an award, or know someone who is, contact David Mitchell, BCA Past Commodore. Include the following information in your email:

  • Award being applied for
  • Name(s) of the nominees
  • Boat name (if applicable)
  • Qualifying details

A short description of the BCA awards can be found in the 2026 Member Directory, pg 10. More detailed information, including qualifying criteria and the nomination process, can be found on the BCA website.

Nomination Deadlines

Deadline for Cruising and Service award nominations is Oct 18, 2026,  to allow time for production and delivery of the physical awards.  Deadline for Perpetual award nominations is Nov 7, 2026.

Award Presentations

Awards will be announced at the AGM/Awards ceremony in December and presented at the Chapter December club meetings. We look forward to celebrating your accomplishments and adventures!

 

About The Author

David Mitchell

Salt
Island Packet 40

David is a dreamer who is planning to begin his offshore adventures in 2024. However, he is no stranger to the sea. His career in the Royal Canadian Navy reached 34 years in March 2021. Upon retirement, David and his partner in life and adventure, Trina Holt, plan on cruising the world. Time will not be rushed for this couple as they, likely, make their way through the many local spots and up to Alaska. Eventually, SALT will carry David and Trina south and onward with the winds. David’s volunteerism within BCA started quite quickly. He had committed himself to the position of Vancouver Island Vice Commodore prior to the end of his first year as a BCA member. After cutting his teeth in the VI Chapter he took on the role of Bluewater Cruising Association’s Commodore, where he sits today. David often states, “It is never too early to take on a position within BCA. In fact, it enhances the experience and increases your level of preparedness for offshore sailing.” David and Trina are extremely happy living on SALT, which they purchased in February of 2020.

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