News

By Richard Crockett Why is it that every time this Blog mentions or depicts a Dabchick there are always positive responses? Is it because the humble Dabbie was the first boat that so many old salts cut their teeth on and took command of alone for the first time? Or is it simply that it was always exciting to sail? So many questions – that only those reading this can answer – so please COMMENT. One must never forget that …

By Richard Crockett Class news is crammed full today with 8 pages of news from 15 different classes, including a report, accompanied with photos, of the Glinane Finn Week. Classes Covered Today Are: • Finn • FD • Spearhead-goodricke • Enterprise • 505 • Sharpie • Andy • Tempo • Dabchick • Sprog • Extra • RCOD • GP 14 • Glinane Finn Week • OK Dinghy READ IT ALL HERE:  1967 02 – SA Yachting – class news from …

By Richard Crockett I was intrigued by the report in the February 1967 issue of SA Yachting which stated that a yacht harbour was to be built at Miller’s Point in False Bay. It appears that this never happened, who knows why, as from what I gather there is today a slipway used mainly by ski-boats. It was named Miller’s Point in 1825 when the land was bought by Edmund Miller who developed it as a whaling station. The area …

By Richard Crockett As mentioned yesterday, the February 1967 issue of SA Yachting magazine was almost dedicated to the National Regatta on every page, with this summary really showing what a great regatta this was. It’s author, Peter Brown, went to great lengths to show the importance of having had Keith Musto and his crew Tony Morgan competing in the FD class. From his account they played a significant role in changing our local FD sailing as they were helpful …

by Richard Crockett Last week I shared the feature on Don Ord’s newly imported FD, which had the old salts salivating about their FD days. Thanks to Dudley Thomson, I have images of that boat still sailing today at the Benoni Sailing Club. It is now owned by Des Geraghty and is named ‘Campari’. Enjoy these images of an FD which is now 60 years old and still racing! In case you missed the Blog last week, READ IT HERE: …

  by Richard Crockett Now here’s a report to get you teeth into as virtually the entire February issue of SA Yachting was dedicated to this regatta that happened 59 years ago. It was described “as a national not soon to be forgotten”. Nearly 300 boats, 21 social events and hundreds of yachties jostling for position on the hard and in the car parks as there were on the start lines! There are 14 pages in this report and many, …

By Richard Crockett I am always quite surprised how some historical features I share generate more interest than others. The most popular tend to be when names are mentioned which bring back memories. So the Class News today covers the following classes: • Finns • Spearhead-Goodricke • Tempo • FD • RCOD • Sprog • OK Dinghy • Sharpie • Andy • Enterprise • Extra • GP 14 READ ALL ABOUT THEM HERE:  1967 01 – SA Yachting – class …

by Richard Crockett It’s such a pity that the FD is hardly seen on local waters any longer as it was such a graceful looking speedster, especially in full flight. It’s also spoken about with superlatives that only true-blue FD sailors can! Way back when in 1967 Don Ord imported a state-of-the-art fibreglass FD into this country, and it was written about in SA Yachting Magazine in awe. This is what was said: “Called the Plastrend Flying Dutchman Hull, the …

by Richard Crockett SA Yachting magazine had a Durban correspondent who loved to capture the round-the-worlders when they arrived in Durban, and always wrote about the people, their boats and the passages they had undertaken. Bianca Lavies was an extraordinary talent. Today there are just two pages of news, but they are crammed full with photos and news. Heading the pack was the departure of Robin Knox-Johnston’s ‘Suhaili’ from Durban for the UK. A pic with a lengthy caption is …

By Richard Crockett The fact that this feature was researched and written in the mid-1960s when many hardened sailors were pretty darn steadfast on the fact that multihulls were unsafe, makes the feature worthy of an unbiased read, especially as marinas around the world are flooded with multihulls today. The author is Brookes Heywood, an experienced old salt and prolific writer who opened the feature as follows: “Criticism and doubt about multihulls in South Africa has come mainly from those …

by Richard Crockett Reminiscing about past sailing exploits is something most yachties like to do, especially from their formative years when still wet behind the ears and eager to make a mark for themselves. That’s why I found today’s opening feature on the Point Yacht Club Cadet Week so interesting as there are so many names that I recognise, many of whom still actively sail today. And who would have known that there was an initiation ceremony for newcomers to …

By Richard Crockett The photos on the opening page of “Class News” caught my attention as they showed a huge amount of Dabchick class activity as a record entry of 60 boats were on the water for the annual inter-schools regatta on Zeekoe Vlei. There was even a girls team from Herschel who were represented by Lindsay White; “Pip” Broadbent and Perry-Anne Johnson. The Following Classes Are Covered Today: • Dabchick • Spearhead-Goodricke • Finn • Tempo • Flying Dutchman …

by Richard Crockett Club Notes in particular is always popular as those intrepid sailors from days of yore enjoy the old reports and photos of themselves, friends and on-water foe! So after a month of Lipton Cupping, there’s another interesting series of Club Notes to enjoy. The Headlines Are: • Sails on the Highveld by Peter Brown • Up to 14ft At Florida – Page of “People Pics” • Transvaal Provincial Champs • Florida Small Boat Regatta • Transvaal Youth …

by Richard Crockett One of the reasons I have chosen today’s feature is that it mentions ‘Sandefjord’. I am sure we all remember her epic circumnavigation and especially the movie they made on her voyage. It is what inspired me to want to sail. Bianca Lavies wrote the following about her: “S0 much bas been written – and will still be written, and seen, when their film is ready – about ‘Sandefjord’s’ voyage round the world that I will not …

By Richard Crockett After sharing historic and current Lipton Cup news for the month of August, it’s back to covering more historical history of the sport in this country with this fascinating short editorial which happened on Sandvlei near Muizenberg. Aerohydrofoils are designed for speed on the water using the wind as motive power, and skim over the surface of the water like an ice yacht on foils which gives dynamic lift. This concept was being trialed in model form …