OCEAN CRUISING CLUB LIMITED

What OCEAN CRUISING CLUB LIMITED does

The Ocean Cruising Club Limited (OCC) is a UK-based, non-profit membership organization founded in 1954 that serves experienced blue water sailors worldwide. Full membership requires a qualifying non-stop ocean passage of at least 1,000 nautical miles (Great Circle) in a vessel not exceeding 70 feet overall length; Associate membership is open to aspirants working toward that qualification, supported by a Mentoring Scheme and a Youth Sponsorship Programme for sailors aged 18-25. The club reports over 3,700 members across 85 countries, supported by a volunteer network of more than 200 Port Officers providing local knowledge and hospitality in ports worldwide. The OCC is a virtual organization with no physical clubhouse, operating as a company limited by guarantee registered in England (No. 04919549) with a small staff team headquartered in Dartmouth, Devon.

The OCC's technology stack comprises a membership website (oceancruisingclub.org) with a members-only area, an OCC Mobile Application available on Apple App Store and Google Play with offline access capability, an InstantForum-based discussion forum, the OCC Fleet Map for real-time vessel position sharing, a Cruising Information Database, and an OCC Knowledge Base. Content products include the annual Flying Fish journal (published since 1964), a quarterly Newsletter, a monthly eBulletin distributed via ConstantContact, and an annual Members Handbook. Distribution relies on digital self-serve channels plus the Port Officer field network and reciprocal arrangements with yacht clubs worldwide that extend membership privileges to visiting OCC sailors.

The OCC's revenue model is built on recurring annual membership subscriptions across Full and Associate tiers, supplemented by one-time publication sales (Flying Fish, Members Handbook, and other materials) and ancillary event income. Go-to-market is community-led, with member referrals, rallies, shore and afloat events organized by Regional and Roving Rear Commodores, an active multi-platform social media presence (Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, BlueSky, LinkedIn), and a webinar programme. Notable partnerships include Science Afloat (matching sailors with marine researchers) and reciprocal yacht club privileges globally. No external investors, parent company, or funding rounds are disclosed.

Name

OCEAN CRUISING CLUB LIMITED

Legal name

Ocean Cruising Club Ltd

Website

https://oceancruisingclub.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Ocean Cruising Club Limited is a UK non-profit membership organization founded in 1954 for blue water sailors, requiring a 1,000-nautical-mile qualifying ocean passage for Full membership. It serves 3,700+ members across 85 countries via a digital platform (website, mobile app, forum, fleet tracker) and a 200+ Port Officer volunteer network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sailing Club Membership Services

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Sailing & Water Sports Teams/Clubs (Sailing, Rowing, Surfing) (MPAKABAH)

Keywords

• Blue water sailing
• Sailing membership club
• Ocean cruising community
• Yacht cruising network
• Sailing publications

Headquarters

HQ city

Dartmouth , Devon

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership fees from Full and Associate members, with subscription rates detailed in membership documents
2. Publications Sales: Revenue from Flying Fish journal (annual publication), Members Handbook, and other club publications

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The Ocean Cruising Club is a virtual, members-only organization for blue water cruisers founded in 1954, offering Full and Associate annual memberships that grant access to a global network of 200+ Port Officers, member-only digital platforms (website, mobile app, forum, fleet map, cruising knowledge base), and publications such as the Flying Fish journal and OCC Members Handbook. It also runs supplementary programs including a youth sponsorship scheme and a mentoring scheme for new ocean cruisers.

Product overview

The Ocean Cruising Club operates as a virtual sailing club for blue water sailors with no premises, using the world's seas and harbours as their clubhouse. The core digital offerings consist of the OCC Website (www.oceancruisingclub.org), the OCC Mobile App (available on Apple and Android), and the OCC Forum (InstantForum platform). These platforms provide access to member services including the Fleet Map tracker for vessel positioning, the Knowledge Base and Cruising Information Database, the Flying Fish Journal (annual publication), quarterly Newsletter, monthly eBulletin, and Members Handbook. The Club also maintains active presence across social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, BlueSky, and LinkedIn for member engagement and communication.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Flying Fish: The OCC's flagship annual publication containing inspirational articles about members' worldwide cruising adventures, as well as technical articles, unbiased book reviews and members' obituaries.

Products and services

• Full Membership Annual Full Membership subscription for experienced blue water cruisers who have completed a qualifying 1,000+ nm non-stop ocean passage aboard a yacht not exceeding 70 feet; provides full access to the OCC network, publications, digital platforms, and Port Officer support worldwide.
• Associate Membership Annual Associate Membership subscription for aspiring blue water cruisers who intend to complete a qualifying ocean passage; provides access to OCC publications, digital platforms, and the member community prior to a first qualifying voyage.
• Flying Fish Journal The OCC's flagship publication, a journal distributed to members featuring voyage accounts, cruising reports, and technical articles contributed by blue water cruisers.
• OCC Members Handbook Annual reference handbook issued to OCC members covering club services, Port Officer network, and member resources.
• Best Practices in Bluewater Cruising A published reference work from the OCC offering curated guidance on blue water cruising practices and seamanship for members.
• OCC Mobile App Official mobile application of the Ocean Cruising Club, available on iOS and Android, providing members mobile access to club resources and member services.
• OCC Forum Members-only online discussion forum hosted on InstantForum, enabling OCC members to discuss cruising topics, share knowledge, and coordinate with one another.
• OCC Website The club's primary public-facing website providing member resources, news, the OCC Fleet Map, knowledge base, and information about the club.
• Youth Sponsorship Programme An OCC program that sponsors sailors aged 18-25 to undertake qualifying blue water voyages, broadening access to ocean cruising experience for younger participants.
• Mentoring Scheme An OCC scheme pairing experienced members with cruisers preparing for or undertaking their first qualifying passage, providing mentorship and advice.

Quantifiable outcome

• Members in 85 countries worldwide
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Reciprocal Yacht ClubsminorOthersMany yacht clubs worldwide provide OCC members visiting yachtsmen's membership privileges upon presentation of membership card.
• Science AfloatminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScience Afloat matches long-distance sailors with marine researchers, enabling ocean voyages to collect valuable scientific data for global research. OCC promotes this initiative to members.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Trans-Pacific Yacht Club: US-based club for sailors who have completed Pacific transoceanic passages. Comparable to the OCC in qualifying passage model and offshore cruising community focus.
• Seven Seas Cruising Association: International cruising association offering information exchange and rallies for cruisers worldwide. Comparable as a membership community serving the same offshore cruising demographic.
• World Cruising Club: Organizer of major ocean rallies (ARC, World ARC) for cruising sailors. Comparable as a community and rally organizer for the same blue water cruising demographic.
• Royal Cruising Club: UK-based yacht club for long-distance cruising sailors also requiring a qualifying passage for membership. Closely comparable to the OCC in mission, qualifying-passage model, and focus on experienced blue water sailors.
• Cruising Club of America: US-based membership organization for accomplished offshore sailors with a qualifying cruise requirement. Directly comparable to the OCC in selective membership criteria and offshore cruising focus.

Regional players

• Pacific Cruising Association: Membership association for cruisers in the Pacific region. Comparable in delivering cruising information and community, but with a regional rather than global focus.

Broad incumbents

• Royal Yachting Association: UK national governing body for sailing and boating with a much broader, less selective membership. Comparable as a UK-based sailing organization but covers all sailors, not just blue water.
• Yachting Monthly / Yachting World: Major sailing media brands covering cruising and blue water sailing. Comparable as content channels serving the same audience, though broader in scope.

Emerging players

• Jimmy Cornell - World Cruising: Cruising route planning and rally organization service founded by Jimmy Cornell. Comparable as a provider of ocean passage information and community for serious cruisers.

Others

• Noonsite: Free online cruising information portal covering ports, customs, and safety worldwide. Comparable as a knowledge resource serving the same blue water sailor audience.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/oceancruisingclub.bsky.social
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@OceanCruisingClub
• Facebookfacebook.com/OceanCruisingClubMembers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ocean-cruising-club-limited
• Instagraminstagram.com/ocean_cruising_club

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about OCEAN CRUISING CLUB LIMITED