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Charles H. Vilas Literary Prize

In memory of Charles H. Vilas, member for 50 years, assistant editor and editor of the Cruising Club News for 20 years, club historian for 10 years and winner of the Nye Trophy, the Governing Board established in 1991 the Charles H. Vilas Literary Prize.

A commemorative plaque is to be awarded by the Governing Board to a member who makes an outstanding contribution to Voyages (formerly the Cruising Club News) in the form of an article or articles, photographs or chronicle. The prize may be awarded as often as annually, but need not be made each year.

Awarded to Amy Jordan and Roger Block for their article “Why in the World Would You Go to the Solomon Islands?”.  In the southern summer of 2012-3, Amy and Roger sailed their Pacific Seacraft 40, Shango to the seldom-visited Solomon Islands for the cyclone season. Their story tells vividly of deserted but often exposed anchorages, and the poor but generous people - farmers, fishermen, carvers and artists - who shared their homes, meals and stories.

CCA has selected Nathaniel Benjamin (Vineyard Haven, Mass.) to receive the Club’s 2016 Vilas Award for his article “A Christmas Passage to Haiti.” The award was presented at the CCA’s annual Awards Dinner at the New York Yacht Club in New York on March 3, 2017. It is given “to a member for an outstanding contribution to the CCA Voyages annual magazine.”