The Arthur B. Hanson Rescue Medal is an award given to skippers of pleasure boats or race support vessels who effect rescues of victims from the water. The award is made for rescues in U.S. waters, or those which occur in races originating or terminating in a U.S. port. The purposes of the award are to recognize the significant accomplishment in seamanship which has saved a life, and to collect further case studies in rescues for analysis for the US Sailing Safety-at-Sea Committee which will eventually be incorporated into the extensive educational programs of US Sailing.
The Hanson Rescue Medal is normally awarded to racing sailors, cruising sailors, race management personnel or amateur powerboat operators, although other persons may qualify. Professional rescue personnel (policemen, firemen, Naval and Coast Guard personnel, salvage boat operators, etc.) may be eligible to receive the award, if they participated in a rescue effort while in an off-duty capacity; or if their rescue effort went above and beyond their normal call of duty; or if the rescue involved an exceptional achievement of seamanship.
The rescue or attempted rescue must take place within territorial waters of the United States, or the rescue or attempted rescue must have taken place as part of a sailboat race or voyage that originated or stopped in a United States port. At least one person involved must be a citizen of the United States and one vessel or aircraft involved must be owned or operated by a citizen of the United States.
Award Criteria
When considering an award, the Committee shall take into account the following factors:
- The prevailing weather and sea conditions at the time of the rescue.
- The types of vessels involved.
- The proximity to shoals, headlands, shipping traffic, and other hazards.
- The number of, experience and/or qualifications of the victim(s).
- The specific details of the rescue process.
- The rescuer’s intrepidity or risk of his or her own life.
- The involvement of other parties in the rescue effort, directly or indirectly.
- The proximity to the scene of professional rescue services.
- The role or function of the rescuer at the time of the incident.
- The rescuer’s professional training or experience.
Nominate a Skipper for an Arthur B. Hanson Rescue Medal
Previous Award Recipients
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
- 8/21/2016 Ford Yacht Club Lightning Regatta
- 7/24/2016 Chicago Yacht Club Race to Macinac Island
- 10/23/2016 Chesapeake Bay
2015
- 9/12/2015 Flying Scot Atlantic Coast Championship 1
- 9/12/2015 Flying Scot Atlantic Coast Championship 2
- 9/12/2015 Flying Scot Atlantic Coast Championship 3
- 9/12/2015 Flying Scot Atlantic Coast Championship 4
- 9/12/2015 Flying Scot Atlantic Coast Championship 5
- 9/12/2015 Flying Scot Atlantic Coast Championship 6
- 9/12/2015 Flying Scot Atlantic Coast Championship 7
- 9/12/2015 Flying Scot Atlantic Coast Championship 8
- 4/22/2015 Dauphin Island Race 1
- 4/22/2015 Dauphin Island Race 1
2014
2013
2012
2011
- 7/19/11 Transpac Race
- 7/17/11 Chicago Mackinac Race 1
- 7/17/11 Chicago Mackinac Race 2
- 5/7/11 Chicago Corinthian YC, IL
- 5/7/11 Dallas, TX
- 4/17/11 San Francisco, CA
- 4/9/11 San Francisco, CA 1
- 4/9/11 San Francisco, CA 2
- 4/9/11 San Francisco, CA 3
2010
- 11/21/10 Lewisville, TX
- 10/23/10 Chesapeake Bay
- 10/2/10 Chicago, IL
- 8/25/10 Lake Champlain, VT
- 8/13/10 Put-In-Bay, OH
- 8/8/10 USMMA, ME
- 8/7/10 Point Vicente, CA
- 7/31/10 Chesapeake Bay
- 7/23/10 Huntington Lake, CA
- 7/17/10 Chesapeake Bay
- 6/12/10 Payette Lake, ID
- 3/26/10 Edgewater, MD
2009
- 11/27/09 Tampa Bay FL
- 9/10/09 Long Island Sound 1
- 9/10/09 Long Island Sound 2
- 9/4/09 Lake Erie
- 8/19/09 San Francisco Bay, CA
- 8/1/09 Lake Huron, MI
- 1/25/09 Kaneohe Bay, HI 1
- 1/25/09 Kaneohe Bay, HI 2
- 1/25/09 Kaneohe Bay, HI 3
2008
- 10/18/08 New Jersey Coast
- 4/20/08 Rye, NY
- 3/29/08 Farallones, CA
- 1/13/08 Lake Pontchartrain, LA 1
- 1/13/08 Lake Pontchartrain, LA 2
2007 No Information Available 2006
- 11/10/06 Galveston Bay TX
- 8/27/06 Lake Michigan IL
- 8/20/06 Narragansett Bay RI
- 6/17/06 San Francisco Bay CA
- 1/25/06 SF Bay CA
2005
- 11/8/05 Boca Raton FL
- 10/8/05 Allatoona GA
- 8/31/05 Catalina CA
- 5/28/05 Swiftsure, WA
- 4/20/05 Sunset Series, CA
2004
- 9/5/04 Annapolis Race Week MD
- 5/29/04 Newport Memorial Day Regatta, RI 1
- 5/29/04 Newport Memorial Day Regatta, RI 2
- 5/29/04 Newport Memorial Day Regatta, RI 3
- 5/15/04 Marina del Ray, CA
- 4/4/04 Dixie Sailing Club, AL
- 3/21/04 San Francisco Bay, CA
- 3/20/04 Balboa Yacht Club, CA
- 1/31/04 Puget Sound, WA
- 1/30/04 Bahamas
2003
- 10/2/03 RIWKC Annapolis MD 1
- 10/2/03 RIWKC Annapolis MD 2
- 10/3/03 RIWKC Annapolis MD 3
- 9/20/03 Santa Cruz Yacht Club, CA
- 9/17/03 Tahoe Windjammers YC, CA
- 8/12/03 Joaquin River, CA
- 8/4/2003 Vineyard Island Yacht Club MA
- 7/2/03 Surf City Yacht Club, NJ
- 5/18/03 Detroit, MI
- 3/16/03 Mission Bay, CA
2002
- 11/17/02 Bahamas 500
- 7/21/02 Chicago-Mackinac 1
- 7/21/02 Chicago-Mackinac 2
- 6/15/02 Singlehanded Chicago Mackinac, WI
- 6/2/02 Fairfield, CT
- 5/3/02 Moore 24 Nationals, CA
- 3/21/02 San Francisco Bay, CA
- 3/16/02 San Francisco, CA 1
- 3/16/02 San Francisco Bay, CA 2 3/16/02 San Francisco, CA 3
- 2/23/02 Titusville, FL
- 2/23/02 TAMUG Team Race, Galveston, TX2001
- 10/27/01 Pamlico Sound, NC
- 10/19/01 San Francisco Bay, CA
- 10/6/01 Chicago, IL 1
- 10/6/01 Chicago, IL 2
- 9/9/01 Frank Heyes Regatta, IL 1
- 9/9/01 Frank Heyes Regatta, IL 2
- 8/3/01 Berkeley Yacht Club, CA Friday Night Race
- 7/22/01 Gulfstream Sailing Club, FL
- 6/17/01 San Francisco Bay, CA
- 6/11/01 Hawaii
- 6/01 San Francisco Bay, CA
- 6/3/01 Edgewater Yacht Club, Lake Erie, OH
- 5/26/01 Lake Beulah, WI 1
- 5/26/01 Lake Beulah, WI 2
- 5/26/01 Lake Beulah, WI 3
- 5/20/01 Baltimore Harbor, MD
- 4/28/01 Seattle Yacht Club, WA
- 4/21/01 Pamlico Sound, NC
- 3/4/01 Schock Memorial, CA
2000
- 9/23/00 Big Boat Series, CA
- 8/5/00 Santa Barbara to Kings Harbour, CA
- 8/2/00 Put-In-Bay, OH
- 7/16/00 Oakland, CA
- 6/16/00 Newport-Bermuda Race
- 6/10/00 Lake Michigan, IL
- 5/26/2000 Cheney KS
- 5/25/00 Cape Haterras, NC
- 5/13/00 DRYA Tune Up, MI
- 4/15/00 Pamlico Sound, NC
1999
- 10/13/99 Wed Night Series, Charlevoix, MI
- 7/14/99 Wed Night Series Charlevoix, MI
- 6/18/99 Offshore Sailing School, IL
- 5/30/99 Chicago Corinthian YC Olympic Cup, IL
- 5/2/99 SCORE Race, Santa Cruz, CA
- 4/24/99 St. Sebastion, Atlantic Ocean, MA
- 3/1/99 Double Handed Farallones 1
- 3/1/99 Double Handed Farallones 2
- 2/15-16/99 Around Alone, Southern Ocean
1998
- 10/11/98 Candlewood Lake Regatta, CT
- 7/4/98 SAYRA Offshores, Charleston, SC
- 6/20/98 Around the Horn, Palos Verdes, CA
- 5/14/98 Deep South Lightning Regatta, SC
- 5/98 Hospitality Regatta, Jackson, MS
- 2/15/98 SCYA Midwinters, CA
1997
- 10/10/97 Indian Harbor-Stratford Shoals, CT
- 8/16/97 Falcon Cup Race, Lake Erie, OH 1
- 8/16/97 Falcon Cup Race, Lake Erie, OH 2
- 6/22/97 Ensign Regionals, CT
- 4/27/97 USODA World of Europe Trials, NC
- 3/14/97 Martinique
- 1/13/97 Peregrine, Gulf of Mexico
1996
- 9/7/96 Jack and Jill Race, Grosse Ile, MI
- 8/13/96 Dorade Annual Races, NY
- 7/4/96 Fourth of July Races, NJ
- 6/26/96 Bermuda Race, Atlantic Ocean
- 6/8/96 Kendall North Regatta, Chicago, IL
- 5/24/96 Catalina Island, CA
- 5/5/96 O’Day Trophy, New London, CT
- 3/9/96 Lake Pleasant, AZ
1995
- 11/4/95 Bridgeport, CT
- 5/29/95 Doyle-Sacony Regatta, MA
- 5/29/95 Memorial Day Handicap Race, WI
- 5/13/95 Long Island Sound, CT
- 1995 Double Handed Farallones Race, CA
1994
- 12/3/94 Vashon Island Race, Puget Sound, WA
- 8/01/94 Chicago YC, IL
- 7/23/94 Chicago-Mackinac, Lake Michigan-1
- 7/23/94 Chicago-Mackinac, Lake Michigan-2
1993
- 9/12/93 Marina del Ray, CA
- 9/12/93 Lutz Regatta, Chicago, IL
- 9/1/93 Chesapeake Bay
- 8/29/93 Waukegan PHRF, IL
- 7/29/93 MORC Internationals
- 7/17/93 Big Lipton Trophy Regatta, CA
- 4/1/93 Atlantic Ocean
1992
- 9/1/92 Vixen Ledge Regatta CT
- 8/21/92 Lake Michigan, MI
- 8/1/92 Grand Traverse Bay, MI
- 8/1/92 Lake Texoma, TX
- 8/1/92 Honolulu-Molokai, HI
- 7/26/92 Chicago-Mackinac, Lake Michigan
- 7/12/92 MORF Lake Michigan, IL
- 6/20/92 Bermuda Race 1
- 6/20/92 Bermuda Race 2
- 6/2/92 Chicago to Waukegan, IL 1
- 6/2/92 Chicago to Waukegan, IL 2
- 6/1/92 Off Soundings Regatta, CT
- 5/31/92 Port Huron, MI
- 5/1/92 San Francisco Bay, CA
- 3/1/92 Sarasota, FL
1991
- 8/3/91 Annapolis, MD to Newport, RI
- 7/25/91 Lake Erie, OH
- 7/6/91 Montrose Harbor, IL
- 6/13/91 Lake Michigan, IN
- 5/25/91 Newport Beach, CA
- 5/24/91 Santa Cruz – Santa Barbara Race, CA
- 3/2/91 GCYC San Francisco, CA
1990
1989