Historical

by Richard Crockett My sincere apologies for the rather long break, but who would have thought it would take a full month to have an iMac repaired in Cape Town, and three weeks to have a faulty NAS drive replaced under warranty! Plus a few other challenges thrown in on the way certainly did not help. Normal service has now been resumed. So as today is the first day of August, I have decided to dedicate the day to ‘Voortrekker …

By Richard Crockett I am able to share news over a 33 year period today, starting with a Lipton Cup report from 1959 and ending with a report on Ant Steward and his open boat circumnavigation in 1992. 1959. Thrilling Climax to Lipton Cup:  1959 06 20 – 1959 Lipton – OCR 2 1984. The ‘Winner’ Loses Yacht Race:  1984 06 20 – Ostar – 392 1986. No Report Made by SA Yacht:  1986 06 20 – 000048 – OCR …

By Richard Crockett A new week during which we will see the winter solstice come and go! Roll on summer? And more newspaper news from yesteryear with news shared between 1968 and 1997. 1968. Atlantic Hunt for Lone Sailor:  1968 06 19 – Voortrekker 1 & Dalling – OSTAR – 776 – OCR 1970. Mercury Crew Trials Begin:  1970 06 19 – Rio ’71 – Don Pfotenhauer Collection – 468 – OCR 1987. Collision Off Cape Point:  1987 06 19 …

By Richard Crockett Today I am able to share 8 interesting news cuttings. 1987. Yacht Race on Dias’s Route:  1987 06 13 – 000204 1988. Sailors Plucked From Yacht:  1988 06 13 – 10 1990. No Sign of Two Yachtsmen Washed Overboard:  1990 06 13 – 124 1990. Sailing Martin Brothers Strike Huge Log At High Speed:  1990 06 13 – 388 5 1991. Tiny Yachts Ideal for Veranda Vikings:  1991 06 13 – 408 19 1991. SA Yacht in …

By Richard Crockett Another week has just started as the year flies past. It will be a short week for followers of this Blog as I have commitments from Tuesday onwards and will not be able to produce the daily news. Back again next week though. 1968. Dalling Silent in Rough Weather:  1968 06 12 – Voortrekker 1 & Dalling – OSTAR – 775 – OCR 1970. Boys Crew Cape Yacht:  1970 06 12 – Rio 1971 – Don Pfotenhauer …

by Richard Crockett Bringing the week to a close are 7 newspaper cuttings spanning a period of 24 years. 1968. Now Chay Blythe Sails on World Trip:  1968 06 09 – Don Pfotenhauer Collection – 000164 – OCR 1968. Mjojo Sails In:  1968 06 09 – Don Pfotenhauer Collection – 000208 – OCR 1970. Two Schoolboys Will Sail in ‘Cape to Rio’:  1970 06 09 – Rio ’71 – Don Pfotenhauer Collection – 424 – OCR 1985. Galactica Irked by …

by Richard Crockett After a lay-day yesterday it’s back to the news from yesteryear with a selection spread over four decades. Enjoy. 1968. Dalling Believes He is Leading:  1968 06 08 – Voortrekker 1 & Dalling – OSTAR – 779 – OCR 1969. Mr Irvine’s Sea Trip to the Seychelle Islands Ends Down on the Farm:  1969 06 08 606 3 – OCR 1970. Sleek?… Just Wait Till You See Her Sister!:  1970 06 08 – Rio 1971 – Don …

by Richard Crockett 1968. Tabarly Drops Out of Race:  1968 06 06 – Voortrekker 1 & Dalling – OSTAR – 778 – OCR 1976. 121 Men and Four Girls Against the Atlantic:  1976 06 06 – OSTAR front page – _Redacted 1988. Martin Leading Class in Ocean Race:  1988 06 06 – 6 1988. Solo Sailor(ess) Makes Maritime History:  1988 06 06 – 7 1991. Reed, Martin Take the Honours:  1991 06 06 – 408 13

By Richard Crockett Here are a selection of interesting news snippets from around the country. 1971. Prize-giving for Buccaneer Yachtsmen:  1971 06 05 – Billy Leisegang – 002288 – OCR 1985. SA Yacht Momentum Life Arrives in San Diego:  1985 06 05 – 467 1993. Outsailed by Vaalies:  1993 06 05 – 217 1997. Durban’s Regatta Chances Format:  1997 06 05 – 609 2008. Sailing is Pretty Much My Life:  2008 06 05 – 071

By Richard Crockett Well here we are at the beginning of June and the winter solstice to look forward to later in the month. As always there’s a varied selection of news to share today. 1957. Yachtsmen Relieved At Postponement:  1957 06 01 – 1957 Lipton – RCYC Lipton Trustees – 001859 – OCR 1968. Foggy Starts Suits me, Says Bruce:  1968 06 01 – Voortrekker 1 & Dalling – 874 – OCR 1970. Bow At A Venture:  1970 06 …

By Richard Crockett I have decided today to share 5 newspaper cutting from the 1956 Lipton Challenge Cup. These share some insight into how the event played out in those days, especially the issue of sportsmanship and how a tie for first place was decided. Enjoy! 1956. Imported Yacht to Defend Royal Cape’s Lipton Cup:  1956 05 00 – 1956 Lipton – RCYC Lipton Trustees – 001837 – OCR 1956. Cape Retains Lipton Cup:  1956 05 31 – 1956 Lipton …

by Richard Crockett Regrettably I have no more worthwhile news on Cmdr. Bill King and ‘Galway Blazer II’ to share, so it’s back to the news from yesteryear. 1993. Top Yachtsmen Sail Into Storm of Controversy:  1993 05 30 – 214 2004. African Dream of Shosholoza:  2004 05 30 – 649 2008. On the Water:  2008 05 30 – 693 2 2008. Jong Seilspan Van SA, Shosholoza Vaar in Italie:  2008 05 30 – 694

by Richard Crockett I mentioned ‘Galway Blazer II’ in my last Blog and promised more. So taking things sequentially, this is the next part of her story as told in SA Yachting Magazine. The feature is entitled “Corsair’s Fine Tow” and was written and illustrated liberally with fine photographs by David Baker who was a crew member aboard Col. Stan Jeffrey’s ‘Corsair’ which set sail from Cape Town to assist Cmd. Bill King – ‘Galway’s’ skipper. This is a fine …

by Richard Crockett Fifty years ago, give or take a few days, Commander Bill King finished an arduous solo circumnavigation in ‘Galway Blazer II’ as it was a slow passage fraught with problems. Today I will share a report from SA Yachting magazine where it was reported that he had entered the Golden Globe race, give background about him, and the fact that he had been rolled in the Southern Ocean and took refuge in our waters. As I am …

By Richard Crockett And here’s the news as seen over the years in various newspapers. 1969. Sunmaid Leads in Lipton Cup Yacht Race:  1969 05 24 – 1969 Lipton – 000117 – OCR 1980. Hudson Retires After Touching Yacht:  1980 05 24 – 1980 Fireball Worlds – 000821 – OCR 1990. The World Changed, But the Waves Kept Piling High:  1990 05 24 – 144 1992. Durban Dinghy Crew Are World Champs – Now for the Olympics:  1992 05 24 …