Blue Water Medal, 1939

medal

MEDALS, BADGES & COMMEMORATIVE ITEMS
USA, NY, Sheepshead Bay; Italy
1939
wood; metal
Overall: 9 3/4 x 8 x 3/4 in.

Blue Water Medal of the Cruising Club of America, awarded to John Martucci. Circular, bronze medal, mounted on wood; cast around edge of medal "THE BLUE WATER MEDAL OF THE CRUISING CLUB OF AMERICA"; reads in center "AWARDED TO/ JOHN MARTUCCI/ FOR HIS VOYAGE IN THE/ YAWL 'IRIS'/ FROM SHEEPSHEAD BAY TO/ ITALY AND RETURN/ JUNE 3RD TO NOVEMBER 11TH 1939"; Atlantic Ocean with square-rigged vessels at sail is illustrated on center of medal. Medal set with hinged standard on back, on a 9-3/4" x 8" wooden center piece, of which is surrounded by border with mitered corners.

The Cruising Club of America established the Blue Water medal in 1923 to recognize the year's most meritorious example of seamanship by an amateur of any nation. Its winners are a Who�s Who of ocean sailing. In 1939, the year after he launched his yawl Iris, John Martucci earned the Blue Water Medal for his 11,000 mile sail to Italy and back. With his wife Consuelo and three friends he made a 24-day crossing of the Atlantic, then sailed the Italian and French coasts before sailing back across to Bermuda and arriving off New York in a November storm. His friends at the Sheepshead Bay Yacht Club were just beginning his welcome-home dinner when he came ashore.

1956.652