Historical

By Richard Crockett Today’s newspaper cutting is one I simply had to share as the Sunday Tribune gave the 1968 Saldanha Bay nationals a full page of coverage! Today local newspapers are hardly interested in out sport as the attitude adopted is very often simply this: “If you can’t hit it or kick it, it’s not sport!”. The open few paragraphs of this mighty spread read as follows: “The national Yachting Regatta is over, and Saldanha Bay has once more …

By Richard Crockett It’s very rare that the Lipton Cup is contested outside of the July and August period as stated in the Deed of Gift, but in 1973, towards the end of the 30-Square metre reign as a Lipton class, the races were held in April. There’s nothing reported on in my archives for today other that a wonderful spread of four pics and lengthy captions. SO ENJOY THESE ALL HERE:  1973 04 11 – Lipton Cup – stitched …

By Richard Crockett 58 Years ago today an auspicious occasion in the history of sailing in this country was marked when the Cape Times announced that a “Springbok” yacht would be sailing in the 1968 single-handed transatlantic race from Plymouth to New York, and that construction was to start “at once”. This was of course the birth of ‘Voortrekker’ although the vessel was not named that until much later. While the Rembrandt Group of companies had agreed to finance the …

by Richard Crockett The South African ‘Shosholoza’ America’s Cup campaign knew no boundaries as it enveloped people the world over. The spirit within the team, the energy the team displayed, their very quick and steep learning curve were all contributing factors. But, the compassionate and humanitarian aspects of their campaign is what probably brought them the most recognition, honour and awards too. Much of this was to do with their charismatic leader – Captain Salvatore Sarno. The Sunday Tribune reported …

By Richard Crockett Singlehanded sailing is tough – very tough – and probably why so few practice this aspect of our sport. And it gets even tougher the older one gets – just ask Ian Duncan who competed in the singlehanded Stannic Southstar race from Hout Bay around St Helena and back to finish in Cape Town. After 44 days at sea on board his Miura ‘Adamant’ Ian, who at 55 was the elder of the four yachtsmen in the …

By Richard Crockett I do hope that today’s newspaper cutting from 1992, that’s 33 years ago, does something to rekindle Match Racing in this country. Match Racing is one of the very few types of sailboat racing that brings the words “spectator fleet” into the equation. In a country bereft of the very cutting edge yachts like those sailed in the America’s Cup and GP Racing, all of which is done close to shore with big spectator fleets, match racing …

By Richard Crockett The 505 worlds off Durban in 1994 was a great event with some stunning displays of fast sailing and good pics to be had by photographers brave enough to go to sea. That was 31 years ago now, with the newspaper report giving a good account of how well the sailing was going. It’s opening paragraphs read as follows: “It’s the great British comeback as defending 505 World Champions Ian Barker and Tim Hancock staged a determined …

By Richard Crockett There are very few people who follow our sport who have not heard of John Martin and Bertie Reed – both absolute legends in sailing. Surprisingly they rarely sailed together. 19 years ago today they did just that as reported by Henri du Plessis who wrote as follows: “When they sailed alone over so many miles, they saw the sea in torment so often. “But when they sailed together for the first time in years on Saturday, …

By Richard Crockett 57 years ago today Alec Rose rounded Cape Horn on his singlehanded voyage around the world aboard ‘Lively Lady’. Mrs. Dorothy Rose (55) opened a bottle of champagne last night to celebrate her yachtsman husband’s feat in rounding Cape Horn and predicted that he would be home by mid-July. “I never doubted for one moment that he would get round.” she declared ln her home above the tiny greengrocer’s shop she is minding for her husband. READ …

by Richard Crockett Unless reminded it’s hard to remember that the culmination of the ‘Shosholoza’ America’s Cup campaign was 18 years ago. My, how time flies! Most followers of this blog need little reminding of those heady ‘Shosholoza’ days, nor of the America’s Cup, so I won’t delve deeper other that to share the comments made by the author of today’s newspaper cutting. He said: “It is hard not to get caught up in the excitement and energy that swirls …

By Richard Crockett Here’s some final info on the J22 Worlds in Table Bay in 1997 when Ian Ainslie won the event along with Rick Mayhew and Gary Sindler as his crew. This Was in A Fleet of 52 Yachts. The Mercury newspaper said this: “South African Olympic skipper Ian Ainslie on Orion has won the J22 Yachting World Championship with a huge lead after eight radically diverse races where wind conditions ranged from furious 29-knot south easterlies to dying …

By Richard Crockett Isn’t it interesting that the name ‘Voortrekker’ keeps appearing regularly these days, as if due to some magic, especially as positive action to save, restore and display her permanently are positive. In 1990 she received an almost last-minute sponsorship reprieve permitting her to compete in the Portnet Dias Race to Lisbon via the Azores. On this day 35 years ago, the Pretoria News reported as follows: “Happiness in yacht racing is a generous sponsor – and happy …

By Richard Crockett I really do enjoy the really old history of our sport, and especially the tales of how the old salts from yesteryear took all weather and all conditions in their stride. There were no long-range weather forecasts telling them not to sail. Rather, they simply went out there and took it all on the chin! The Easter Race from Cape Town to Saldanha Bay was a tight affair with two yachts ending tied with the same time. …

By Richard Crockett This historic newspaper cutting is thanks to Dudley Dix who entrusted me with his archive material dating deep back into the pre-1950s. This cutting gives some history on the “Paraffin Cup”. Sailing into the teeth of a brisk southerly wind, 15 yachts of the Royal Cape Yacht Club left yesterday for their Easter cruise to Saldanha Bay. READ MORE HERE:  1948 03 26 – dix – OCR 62_Redacted

By Richard Crockett Due to the interest shown in yesterday’s newspaper cutting of the J22 Worlds in Table Bay, here’s another report on the racing. “Cut-throat tactical racing in strong south-easterlies gusting up to 29 knots, characterised the second race of the J22 Yachting World Championships in Table Bay yesterday, which saw Dave Hudson on ‘Orion Espresso’ pull through the huge fleet of 52 yachts to take the gun at the finish.” READ MORE HERE:  1997 03 26 – S&A …