Peter Batterley Trophy for Photo-Journalism

The Trophy

The Trophy is awarded on an annual basis for the best photo-journalistic or technical article published by a GXSA member, normally on the GXSA website. The article should be of interest or help to members of the Association.

Articles must have a nautical connection and could include Cruising Logs, Racing, History, Sailing Techniques, Waterway Conservation, Boat Construction, Biography, Education, and other topics related to the interests of GXSA members.   Articles are limited to 3000 words in length and must include at least one relevant image, plus a contemporary photograph of the author. All content must be the author’s own work, excepting other work which must be attributed, with copyright license granted to GXSA, where appropriate.  The winning article must be of a quality suitable to enhance the reputation of GXSA.

Each year the winning submission is selected by a vote by the general membership, using the GXSA website to view and vote on the submissions. Voting will be open from January until March, with the trophy being awarded to the article with the most votes. In the event of a tie, the current GXSA Committee would provide a casting vote.

The award is given on an annual basis, and must be returned at the end of the year, to be given to the subsequent winning entry.  Each year, the name of the winner will be recorded on the GXSA website.

Click the year you’d like to visit: 2023 (earlier years are coming as we import them following our technology update)

Peter Batterley

In 1965 Peter Batterley was one of the 5 founder members of GXSA. Peter tells stories of the 5 GXSA members meeting in the Community Association, and sitting round an overturned tea chest showing knots to each other. How things have changed?!

He was a keen mountaineer earlier in his life, but after moving to Gerrards Cross Peter built a Heron dinghy from plans published in the newspaper, and eventually learned to sail at Cookham Reach Sailing Club.  When his sons were 12 & 15, they wanted to learn to sail. Peter bought an Enterprise dinghy and the family became very successful dinghy racers, often competing parents vs. children, at Cookham.

Eventually his wife, Elizabeth, suggested that they should try ocean sailing and, after a few charter holidays, they bought a series of yachts from 28’ to a 33’ Neptune Class ketch, which they really enjoyed sailing.

Later, whilst visiting Peter Brett (who was designing a 38’ charter yacht) in the Isle of Wight, Peter Batterley helped re-design the Rival 38 into a successful luxury 4 berth cruising ketch (along the lines of the famous Contessa 32).

He later moved to Dartmouth, where Peter and his wife sailed 40,000 miles in their own Rival 38, and created a series of Cruising Logs that inspired this award.

Peter passed away in 2016, at the age of 94.