News

by Richard Crockett There are many features that come from the Rio Races with today’s newspaper cutting being one of the more modern ones – from just 31 years ago! The opening paragraph of this feature read as follows: “The biggest, newest and most expensive hi-tech maxi-yacht built for the Cape-to-Rio race was launched yesterday with her proud Natalian owner brashly predicting that she will steal the thunder from the Cape entries in the race.” There were many twists to …

By Richard Crockett It’s very easy to forget just how excited yachties and the public were about the first Rio Race, and how owners and crew faced the “race against time syndrome” to make the start line in time. Durban was no different as today’s report shows, and also reveals how slowly money was being collected by the Natal Ocean Racing Foundation (NORF) to pay for the ‘Mercury’, the yacht they had commissioned specially for the race. Theirs was not …

By Richard Crockett These “blasts from the past” remind one of great events and people in our sport, today being Isabelle Autissier. Remember her? Well way back in 1994 she won the first leg of the BOC Singlehanded race around the world into Cape Town. This is how Dale Granger introduced her: “As “Isabelle mania” engulfs Cape Town, it’s not difficult to see why the 38-year-old Isabelle Autissier, the first-leg winner of the BOC Challenge round-the-world race, has retained the …

by Richard Crockett I was reminded yesterday by a follower of this Blog of the 41st anniversary of John Martin and Bertie Reed’s victory in the Round Britain Race. As there is not much news of any consequence in the newspaper cuttings today, I have chosen to share the magazine reports on their magnificent victory. According to Bob Fisher’s report, their victory was hard fought and well deserved in a large fleet. This is what he said about the fleet: …

By Richard Crockett It was not long ago I shared a newspaper cutting about John Martin and his singlehanded exploits aboard ‘Allied Bank’ in the round-the-world race. That resonated with followers of this Blog, so today’s piece will hopefully also tickle the tastebuds! “I’ve lost R250 000 in an hour and a half; not even a used car salesman could have done that to me,” said Springbok solo yachtsman John Martin yesterday. READ THE FULL REPORT HERE:  1990 10 24 …

By Richard Crockett Here’s a delightful piece about two very different women who competed in the 1981 Whitbread Round the World Race. Back in those days, 42 years ago now, it was rare to have women aboard racing yachts. Gladly times have changed significantly and for the better as women now compete as equals alongside men, making sailing a very unique sport. Debbie Scaling was aboard ‘Xargo III’, the South African entry skippered by Padda Kuttel. The report says: “On …

By Richard Crockett The BOC singlehanded round the world race is without doubt one of the toughest challenges of our sport. The only good thing about it is that is has a few compulsory stops along the way compared to the “ultimate challenge” which is the Vendee Globe Challenge which is non-stop. There is always some drama in these races as the fleet traverse some of the worst conditions nature can throw at them. Yet that’s all part of the …

By Richard Crockett The photos I posted yesterday created quite a stir, many comments and some reminiscing about races from many years back. The general consensus is that these photos were from Rothman’s Week in 1974 – the very first Rothman’s Week. There was a comment that it may have been the start of the 1971 Rio Race, but ‘Golden Fleece’ never competed in any Rio Races. Despite searching my archives very thoroughly I was unable to find a complete …

By Richard Crockett There is very little “newspaper news from yesteryear” of any major consequence in my archives, so having come across this cutting during my search, I have chosen this very short picture caption piece for good reason. Cherry McIvor is a great follower of this blog who has followed my scribblings for years. I met her “way back when” during the first-ever Intervarsity Regatta at Midmar in 1976 (I think!). She is an avid sailor, both dinghy and …

By Richard Crockett I remember following the Whitbread Round the World race from its inception, and being in awe, and somewhat jealous too, of those who were selected to crew. One of my abiding memories of the actual Whitbread Races was Whitbread’s advertising as a brewer of beer. The advert was simple with an image of a rough sea and the words “Water, Water everywhere – and not a drop to drink”. Now imagine if the ocean was beer instead …

by Richard Crockett In recent weeks I have posted newspaper reports on the “heady” days of John Martin and Bertie racing around the world singlehanded. They were good days indeed as not only did these two fly our flag high wherever they went, but the news media back home lapped up their every word. As a result the media took a like to our sport and went the extra mile to give the sport as a whole additional coverage. It …

by Richard Crockett It’s not often that the local South African boat building industry has something to crow about, especially if they are building racing monohulls, yet Cape Performance Sailing is on a super-fast downwind plane with its sails crammed full of orders. Having set up shop just 36 months ago, the yard headed by Davey James and Stephen du Toit, have just launched their 50th boat, and have Hull 57 in build right now. That’s impressive stuff as the …

by Richard Crockett Who remember when the SA Navy bought three Centurion yachts from a French yard? Their names all began with ‘Southern’, being ‘Southern Isle’, ‘Southern Floe’ and ‘Southern Maid’. These were fine yachts in their day with all three competing in the 1976 Cape to Rio Race. And they went on to compete in many other events around the country. I do wonder what has happened to them, and whether the SA Navy still has them, and if …

By Richard Crockett It’s back to the Mauritius Race way back in 1987 when the race was at an all-time high due to the short, sharp and fast exhilarating passage was one able to make from the island to the finish line in Durban. Line honours went to ‘Royal Palm’ skippered by Dave Abromowitz while the overall winner on handicap was Ted Kuttel aboard ‘Spilhaus’. The only Durban yacht to shape in terms of prizes was the L34 ‘Close Again’ …

by Richard Crockett Remember the America’s Cup days when shenanigans were the order of the day and sportsmanship short on supply? Well there was plenty of that in this series, despite this report being in the early days of the 1987 cup series. One of the biggest protagonists was Dennis Conner, who had lost the America’s Cup in 1983, and was doing his best to win it back. After this race he protested the legality of the Kiwi boat! This …