In the Mount Hope Bay Model Yacht Club, we award a perpetual trophy called The Corinthian Trophy at the end of every season.  It was first awarded in 2012 by our new, at that time, Commodore, Ed Haddad.  The idea for such a perpetual trophy came about by a conversation that former Commodore, Chick Carter, had with Ed as he handed over at the end of 2011. Chick’s thought was that we had developed a club of “Corinthian Sailors”, and we should award one member of the club who fits this description each year with a perpetual trophy that could be kept for a year.

During the competition season of 2012, Ed gave a lot of thought to what the trophy might be and he eventually decided to donate a yacht’s lamp which had accompanied him on the twelve month sailing voyage that he and his wife, Barbara, made in 1999 and 2000. This was their voyage of a lifetime and traversed the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea and back across the Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea to Newport, RI.

This is a brass lamp, chrome plated and very sturdy.  Modelled on an English Miners’ lamp, this lamp was lit, fueled by kerosine, during the voyage to save the battery power.  It also took one or two knocks!  Ed also created a handsome wooden plinth on which to mount the lamp.

Ed’s next task was to define “Corinthian Sailor”, which, in general use, over the years became a description of an amateur sailor with overtones of sportsmanship and fair play.  Ed’s definition of the award recipient was: A club member who contributes and works to help make our club function well for the enjoyment of its members. He or she should also be an enthusiastic sailor and needs to be helpful and supportive of our fellow members.

And that’s the way it stayed and will stay, a trophy to be truly proud of.