Draft:Mark Hopking
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Mark Richard Hopking FSAScot AFNI AFRIN | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | April 28, 1971 |
| Occupations | Mariner, superyacht captain |
| Title | Baron of Balvill |
Mark Richard Hopking (born 28 April 1971)[1] is a British mariner and superyacht captain. He participated in Rebecca Ridgway's 1992 kayaking expedition around Cape Horn, documented in a 1993 ITV film[2] and Ridgway's book Something Amazing.[3] He also appeared in "Exposure", an episode of Channel 4's Cutting Edge documentary series.[4][5] In 1999, he captained the expedition yacht 2041 during two Antarctic seasons as part of Robert Swan's environmental programme.[6] He later commanded the 78-metre motor yacht Hampshire II and served as build captain for the 74-metre Feadship yacht Sherpa.[7] Hopking holds the Scottish feudal barony of Balvill[8] and is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.[9]
Early career and expeditions
[edit]Hopking began his maritime career in the early 1990s at the John Ridgway Adventure School in Sutherland, Scotland, where he served as crew aboard English Rose VI, a yacht that had competed in the 1977–1978 Whitbread Round the World Race under the name Debenhams.[3]
He joined Rebecca Ridgway's kayaking expedition around Cape Horn in 1992.[10][11] The expedition was documented in a 1993 ITV film[2] and in Ridgway's book Something Amazing, published by Hodder & Stoughton, in which Hopking features extensively.[3] He also appeared in "Exposure", an episode of Channel 4's Cutting Edge documentary series, reviewed by The Independent.[4][5]
In 1998, The Daily Telegraph profiled Hopking's career and financial planning in connection with his work with The Challenge Business, organisers of the Global Challenge yacht race.[12]
In 1999, he became captain of the yacht 2041, acquired by environmentalist Robert Swan for an Antarctic Treaty awareness programme. Hopking skippered the vessel from the United Kingdom to the Antarctic Peninsula over two seasons. The voyage was documented in the book 2041: Voyage South.[6]
Superyacht career
[edit]Hopking moved into the superyacht sector in 2001, holding successive commands on progressively larger vessels.[1][13] Between 2011 and 2016, he commanded the 78-metre Feadship motor yacht Hampshire II.[14] During this period, he received a Global Business Excellence Award for Outstanding Personal Achievement in recognition of an onboard policy and procedure management system he developed for regulatory compliance in yachting and shipping.[15] He also contributed to industry discussion on regulatory pressures and changes within the superyacht sector through the trade publication The Crew Report.[14][16]
He subsequently served as project manager and build captain for the 74-metre Feadship yacht Sherpa, overseeing construction at Feadship's Royal Van Lent shipyard. The build was documented in industry profiles and a privately commissioned documentary.[7][17][18]
Barony of Balvill
[edit]Debrett's lists Hopking as the holder of the feudal barony of Balvill, a dignity created by Crown charter in 1630.[8] The barony was assigned to Hopking in 2025 by deed of assignation from Torquhil Ian Campbell, 13th Duke of Argyll, following 395 years of continuous association with the Campbell family.[8] Scottish feudal baronies continued as incorporeal heritable property following the Abolition of Feudal Tenure etc. (Scotland) Act 2000.[19]
Heraldry and personal interests
[edit]Hopking was granted arms by the Court of the Lord Lyon in 2018, recorded on page 90 of volume 93 of the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland.[20] He also holds a personal tartan registered with the Scottish Register of Tartans.[21]
His interests in Scottish heraldry and genealogy led to his election as a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.[9][20]
He is a liveryman of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners and sits on its Treasures Committee, responsible for the conservation of the company's collection of silverware, paintings, and navigational instruments.[22]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Online UK Certificate of Competency checker – Certificate Record". Maritime & Coastguard Agency. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b The Remarkable Story Of The First Woman To Round Cape Horn – ITV, 1993 (Television documentary). 2022-08-10. Retrieved 22 November 2025 – via YouTube.
{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c Ridgway, Rebecca (1993). Something Amazing: Cape Wrath to Cape Horn by Way of Peru. Hodder & Stoughton. pp. 7, 64, 125, 128, 138, 140–142, 155, 159, 166, 170, 174, 185. ISBN 0340574801.
- ^ a b "Television: Good and Bad at Games". The Independent. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
- ^ a b Exposure – Cutting Edge, Channel 4 (Television documentary). Retrieved 26 May 2026 – via YouTube.
- ^ a b Swan, Robert; Mee, Roger (1999). 2041: Voyage South. 2041 Trust / JWP Ltd. ISBN 0952328275.
- ^ a b "Sherpa: all you need to know about Feadship's new superyacht". Superyacht Times. 30 April 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c "The Feudal Baronies of Scotland". Debrett's. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
- ^ a b "Public List of Fellows". Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Dunbabin, Bridget (29 October 1991). "Canoeists to tackle treacherous Cape". East Anglian Daily Times. Suffolk, England. p. 15.
- ^ "BT staff in link with canoe expedition". East Anglian Daily Times. Suffolk, England. 22 January 1992. p. 8.
- ^ Talati, Smita (28 November 1998). "Set fair for an easy berth on the beach". Cash Clinic. The Daily Telegraph. London. p. B14.
- ^ "Superyacht Laurel available for charter with Burgess". Boat International. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b "Captains' comments: Are we over-regulated?" (PDF). The Crew Report (76). SuperyachtNews / The Superyacht Group. 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
- ^ "Previous Winners". Global Business Excellence Awards. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
- ^ "The good old days of yachting – Captains' Comments". The Crew Report (77). SuperyachtNews / The Superyacht Group: 19. 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
- ^ "Feadship launches 74m explorer 'Sherpa'". Superyacht News. 30 April 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ The Making of a Dream (Documentary). Retrieved 26 May 2026 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Abolition of Feudal Tenure etc. (Scotland) Act 2000". legislation.gov.uk. The National Archives. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
- ^ a b Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland. Vol. 93. Edinburgh: Court of the Lord Lyon. p. 90.
- ^ "Hopking, M & Family (Personal)". Scottish Register of Tartans. National Records of Scotland. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
- ^ "Treasures Committee – Current Committee Members". Honourable Company of Master Mariners. 7 May 2026. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)