Historical

By Richard Crockett Dave Hudson with his crew Terry Reynolds, sailed into first place overall in the fourth race of the world Fireball championships yesterday. Conditions were almost ideal with a 10 to 12-knot north easterly blowing fairly steadily, although it did kick up a lumpy and confused sea. The lead in this race changed three times, and on the third beat, when in the lead, JJ Provoyeur led, but overstood the mark to let Hudson through and win the …

By Richard Crockett The fifth race of this world championship contest had competitors battling 25-knot north easterly winds which gusted up to more than 30 knots. This resulted in a sea with a heavy chop – typical Durban conditions. Nearly all the yachts racing capsized at least once and there were many retirements because of broken gear, mainly rudders. There are two things I personally like in today’s offering, that being the South African contingent revelled in the conditions with …

By Richard Crockett The 1990 Portnet Dias race from Cape Town to Lisbon via the Azores was a close race with Jerry Harrison snatching a narrow victory by just 84 minutes after almost 7000 nautical miles of racing. Twenty-four hours of post-race drama and tension ended when the Cruising Association of SA confirmed that Jerry Harrison and his Durban yacht ‘Jasco Spirit of St Gerard’ were the overall winners after a protest against them was dismissed. READ MORE HERE:  1990 …

By Richard Crockett In Newport, Rhode Island, 34 years ago today Bertie Reed, a “master” solo sailor, walked off with one of yachting’s top prizes at the BOC prize giving. This was an honour richly deserved after he rescued John Martin deep in the freezing waters of the Southern Ocean during the third leg of the BOC race. The argus newspaper reported said this: “Although Reed was only eighth overall after 27 000 miles in the around the world race …

By Richard Crockett It’s hard to believe that the Fireball Worlds off Durban in 1980 was 45 years ago? Regrettably Durban did not live up to it’s reputation as a “world class” sailing venue on the first day as the wind was very light allowing just one race, with the second race being abandoned when what little wind there was simply vanished. Added to the lack of decent wind, the lumpy sea did little to assist competitors. It was a …

By Richard Crockett Today’s news is somewhat off the wall as I have only chosen it because ‘Tiggy’, an Irish Terrier, competes on board when the owners are sailing. He’s, or maybe it’s a she, is a good looking mutt according to the pic! However it is also about Ruth Goodman, the only woman skipper at the Hout Bay Yacht Club, who finished in fifth position overall in the HBYC’s summer series. I wonder whether Ruth still sails? READ MORE …

By Richard Crockett Despite the Fireball fleet being battered by strong winds during the pre-worlds, it was Rick Nankin who ended up beating the rest and winning the Fireball Nationals title. Nankin sailed consistently and was among the top five in almost every race, pushing favourite and last year’s champion, Dave Hudson, into second position. Yesterday’s conditions were not the best with 25 knot south-westerly winds causing many competitors to retire. Rescue craft were kept busy helping yachtsmen from the …

by Richard Crockett It seems to be anniversary season as the Point Yacht Club turns 133 years old today, and the Royal Cape Yacht Club celebrated its 120 anniversary recently. On this day 33 years ago the PYC celebrated its centenary in style with a Ball in the City Hall and other festivities over a period of time, one of which included a Boat Show. The Club was founded on a tug, the ‘Richard King’ moored in the Point area. …

By Richard Crockett Way back in days of yore the Cruising Association of South Africa (CASA) had a completely voluntary “certificate of competence” system that yachties could avail themselves of to certify their competence. This was a rigorous exam where quality time at sea was of utmost importance, plus good knowledge of the “Rules of the Road” and much more. Those who took the exam and passed had a highly envied qualification. Back in 1981 Commander Peter Noice of the …

By Richard Crockett The America’s Cup is always a closely contested event, but sometimes it’s so close that neither of the competing crews know who actually won until some time after the race! And especially so in the finals. This is what happened in the 1992 America’s Cup in San Diego, and this is how it was described in the media: “Race one was over before it began. Race two didn’t finish till well after the finish line. “Neither skipper …

By Richard Crockett There is always a ton of work to ready a yacht for a race or long passage as the “to do list” is usually long and endless. Do they ever get completed? That was certainly the case with ‘Voortrekker’ after she sailed into the UK from Cape Town. One of the items on the list was to take her designer sailing so the he could check the boat sailed to his expectations or better. Dalling and his …

By Richard Crockett Many may have forgotten the days when John Martin raced ‘Tuna Marine Voortrekker II’ with distinction in single-handed ocean races. Well today, some 38 years ago now, Martin took his trusty steed to victory in the final leg of the BOC solo round-the-world race. The Argus ran today’s feature on its front page and opened the report as follows: “Cape Town yachtsman John Martin put on a spectacular display of sailing for the hundreds of spectators who …

By Richard Crockett Take yourself back 30 years to the America’s Cup and compare it to today’s offering. Which format do you prefer? So going back all that time makes me ask the question as to what “Big Bad Dennis Conner” would think of today’s Cup format? Dennis was a formidable competitor becoming the darling of USA sailors and Cup followers having won the cup, to being just “Big Bad Dennis” after he became the first man to lose it! …

By Richard Crockett Today’s newspaper cutting is the direct result of an invitation I gave to a newspaper journalist to join ‘Meditech Computers’ on the 1995 Vasco da Gama Race from Durban to East London. Being the “yachting scribe” for the local rag he though he had better have a taste of life at sea, so accepted with delight. Well, let’s say that this was not the best decision he had made in life as he found out the hard …

By Richard Crockett To my knowledge there are just a handful of South African sailing vessels which have circumnavigated Africa. One crew man to achieve this is Gugulethu man Theo Madayi. This is how the Argus newspaper report from 21 years ago, introduced Theo: “From Gugulethu·comes a young man who has turned dreams into a reality. Theo Madayi stepped off an ocean-going yacht on Saturday after circumnavigating the African continent. “The yacht was ‘Inspia! Yacht 2041′, sponsored by Coca-Cola. The …