A Blast from the Past
On this page are pics and images from our archives that we think may be of interest to readers, as they may have made it into the pages of either SAILING or SA Yachting magazines. We invite readers’ comments, information about the pics and even clarification on information we may have regarding the pics, the people and the boats featured.
All comments and contributions to: editor@sailing.co.za
“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. America’s Cup 150th Jubilee Regatta
By Richard Crockett “Memories are surely made of this” is the subhead for today’s feature which was written by Bob Fisher. “There will never be another regatta like it – the Jubilee Regatta had it all” he said. There were boats from all eras, including the Rudi Shaefer-commissioned replica of the schooner ‘America’, built in …
“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. Transatlantic Schooner Record
By Richard Crockett The only reason I share today’s offering is that I simply love the images which accompany the feature. In days of yore ocean going yachts were big, bold and magnificent. They had tons of canvas too, and were for want of a better word simply splendid. ‘Windrose’ broke a 97-Year Drought when …
“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. More J22 Worlds on Table Bay
By Richard Crockett I do marvel at what my archives reveal from time to time. Today, staying with the 1997 J22 Worlds on Table Bay, SA Yachting magazine reveals that this was the very first keelboat World champs ever held in South Africa! Who knew that? The editorial reveals that the starts showed a lack …
“Talking Sailing From My Archives” J22 is Now the Lipton Class
By Richard Crockett The Lipton Cup trustees have made a tough decision to make the J22 the boat of choice with immediate effect – so in August this year there will be a J22 fleet on Table Bay contesting to see who lifts the old mug in victory. This was a tough, yet popular, call …
“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. Completely “Cowed”
By Richard Crockett Now here’s an interesting piece with a smattering of humour which shows the other side of Cowes Week, or maybe it’s just the side of Cowes Week that few own up to! It was published without credit, and sadly, for the life of me, I cannot recall whom the author is! Maybe …
“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. Renaming A Yacht
By Richard Crockett Today’s feature is actually titled “Vigor’s Inter-denominational Boat Naming Ceremony”. It was written by yachtsman and author John Vigor who emigrated from Durban to the USA many, many years ago, with his wife and two kids aboard their Morgan 31. Vigor is a man of the sea who competed in the very …
“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. Playstation’s Round Britain and Ireland Record
By Nick Leggatt The last few sailing record features I have shared have been well received, so here’s another. This time it’s about another ‘Playstation’ record, and is written by Nick Leggatt who always pens a fascinating feature as he captures all the special moments so well. Leggatt sets the tone from the very first …
“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. Spindrift
By Richard Crockett Here’s a wonderful light read written by Brian (Mugs) Hancock, which starts off with this quote: “The cure for everything is salt water – sweat, tears and the sea.” lsak Dineson He finishes the article like this: “It’s an addictive feeling, far from any of the physical aspects of sailing, but somehow …
“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. Inhaca Getaway
By Richard Crockett Here’s a gentle way to ease you into the new week and have you dreaming of new sailing destinations. The feature is sub-titled “Or, what are you doing with your family next winter?” It’s about some “trailer-sailing Vaalies” sailing from Maputo to Ilha Da Inhaca as a wonderful opportunity to escape the …
“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. Playstation’s Transatlantic Route of Discovery Record
By Richard Crockett In today’s offering, South African Nick Leggatt, is part of the ‘Playstation’ crew who broke the “route of discovery record” – sailing from Cadiz to San Salvador. Reading Leggatt’s editorial, this was no easy passage despite the record. And, having an average speed of 16,93 knots one may wonder what all the …
“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. Mari Cha IV Smashes Transatlantic Record
By Richard Crockett Keeping to a similar theme from earlier this week, today I am able to share the ‘Mari Cha IV’ record. And of course there was a South African aboard too – this time it was Jan Dekker. At 140-foot in length it was probably no surprise that ‘Mari Cha IV’ became the …
“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. Knysna’s New Sharpie
By Richard Crockett Who remembers the Sharpie? I reckon that only a handful of old salts from days of yore will remember them. Way back in 2004 John Fowler, emigrated from England and settled in Knysna. In England he sailed Sharpies, with the English ones being a bit different from the Sharpies we had here in …
“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. Cheyenne’s Done It!
By Richard Crockett Today we read about yachts (can we really call them that?) doing 50 knots on foils and singlehanders racing around the world non-stop in a mere 64 days. It makes the record that ‘Cheyenne’ set in 2004 appear to be somewhat pedestrian! The opening paragraph of the report on her records reads …
“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. The Queen’s Birthday Storm – Part 2
By Richard Crockett Today I continue with part 2 of the Queen’s birthday storm which deals with specifics like what they learnt, a drogue, a hand-held VHF, gear and the shortcomings of short-handed sailing. In terms of the toll the storm took, these are the gory details as quoted: “Seven boats were abandoned. One was …
“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. The Queen’s Birthday Storm – part 1
By Richard Crockett Storms at sea are one of those things that everyone going to sea in a small boat has to prepare for, and be prepared when getting clubbed by a particularly bad one. The Fastnet race, the Sydney Hobart race and the Vasco da Gama race are just a few of the races …


June 2017 issue
by Richard Crockett
I always enjoy browsing through the SAILING Mag archives and looking at the pics of yesteryear as some bring back memories. This month a file named ‘Dragons’ caught my eye as I know they are a popular class in the UK, and knew of one here in Durban. And then close to that file was one marked ‘Enterprise’ – and having sailed one, and restored one, I though it was worth a look especially as one hardly hears about this classic class any longer, despite some top names having owned them.
Pic 1. The caption to this reads: One of South Africa’s two Dragons: **Galatea sailed by Guy Reynolds in Durban. At the next Olympics South Africa hopes to be represented in this class fro the first time.
Now this pic is undated, so can anyone give an indication of that, and the name and home club of the second Dragon in the country?


Pic 2. This is an old pic, dated 1955 – so it was taken over 60 years ago. It was taken during the 1955 Cowes Regatta. The caption says: HRH The Duke of Edinburgh (right) pulls in the genoa as his yacht **Bluebottle rounds the Old Castle Buoy. Uffa Fox can be seen in front of The Duke.
Chris Talbot has advised me that this is Trio was owned by Leo Caney. He also said that he was a bailer-boy on Trio in his youth and had to keep his head below deck at all times to keep windage to a minimum. Plus, it appears that Caney had an uncanny knack of running into Enterprises and dismasting them. His crew threatened to notch the tiller for every hit!
Pic 3. A fleet of Enterprise dinghies in close contest. The caption reads: Adam French, the new Highveld champion, being closely followed by Carlo Brovelli and Maurice Hare.
Does anyone know if Adam French still sails?
Pic 4. The Enterprise was always a tough old boat to sail in a breeze. This pic, taken in 1975 at the Enterprise Highveld Champs on Florida Lake, has this caption: Brian Downham and crew hanging out well in their Enterprise whilst sailing through a gust at Florida Lake.
Brian Downham was a dab-hand in most classes he sailed.
Responses to Previous Issues
Johan Van Rooyen
April 2017 issue pic 1 pg 28
L- R are Suzette Anderson, then Kate Steward. I am not sure who the third person is. I believe it was when they sailed **Fouchini Girl in the Cape to Rio Race.
Rob Martin
April 2017 issue pg 28
Regarding the Sprog pics, the 1969 Champion at Allemanskraal Dam was John Mackay on ‘Stagalee’. I was his crew.
‘Stagalee’ was the first Sprog with Highfield levers and an adjustment at the foot of the mast including a cunningham cringle at the Jib. It was first owned by Bryan Metcalf and then purchased by the Mackay’s.
John and his brother Daniel won the Graduate National Championship in Lourenco Marques in the early Sixties. I think he was then twelve or fourteen years old. After that he competed in ‘Stagalee’.

He is the brother-in–law of the Tarboton family who sail at Midmar.
John Mackay’s swansong was the Saint Helena Race where he crewed for John Levine on a Stadt34 – the average age of the crew was in the middle sixty’s – and the old buggers showed the way!