Sailing Magazine
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. Grassy Park Teenager Joins World Yacht Race
By Richard Crockett At just 19 years old, Marvin Sampson, an Electrical Engineering student from Grassy Park, temporarily left his studies for Mauritius where he joined the fleet of Clippers for the 5th leg of the Round the World Yachts to race to Cape Town. He also sailed the next leg to Salvador, Brazil, a …
“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. Bok Skippers Race for Glory in Hi-tech Yachts
By Richard Crockett It was 35 years ago today when both John Martin and Bertie Reed started the Two-Star transatlantic race from Plymouth to Newport. This was the first real test of their new hi-tech yachts, so besides being a major shake-down race, it would also show them first-hand just how their trusty steeds fared …
“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. Nautical Vicar is Heading for the Sun
By Richard Crockett Today I am able to share a long newspaper cutting from The Observer in London that gives almost saturation coverage to the entire Ostar (Observer Single-Handed Trans-Atlantic Race) fleet, except those who have not reported. At ths stage the leaders have covered about 800nm, with The Observer believing that Bruce Dalling could …
“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. RAF Says Dalling is Third
by Richard Crockett Having flown a sortie over the fleet, an RAF spokesman said that ‘Rob Roy’, sailed by the Rev. S. W. Pakenham, was in the lead, followed by the ‘Sir Thomas Lipton’, sailed by Geoffrey Williams, and Dalling’s ketch, ‘Voortrekker’. Also revealed was the fact that the leaders were well clear of the …
“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. Carry on Regardless, Bruce
By Richard Crockett After mainsail and boom problem yesterday, and many messages of support, Dalling has continued on regardless. Whether this was because of a message he received from the Voortrekker project committee or not, the message said “Bad luck, but carry on regardless – now good luck to you”. After studying the latest reports …
“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. Dalling in Trouble: Boom Breaks
By Richard Crockett Just 300 nautical miles into the Atlantic Bruce Dalling had to deal with a broken gooseneck. The mishap occurred while he was trying to reef the mainsail. Dalling described the incident via radio-telephone to his sister Carole Chamier. “The accident happened when he was trying to get the mainsail down in a …
“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. 2 Lipton Cup Yachts Venture Out in Heavy Rain Squalls
by Richard Crockett “With sheets of spray whipping over their foredecks and the wind at near-gale-force squalls screaming through the rigging, two of the Lipton Cup yachts – ‘Yvette’ and ‘Vanya V – ventured from their berths in the yacht harbour to-day.” How could I not share this opening paragraph from the Argus newspaper report? …
“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. Tabarly Sails Into the Lead
By Richard Crockett 57 years ago today Bruce Dalling set sail in ‘Voortrekker’ as a competitor in the Observer Singlehanded Transatlantic race (OSTAR). A group of South African’s had conceived the idea and put in hours of hard work to achieve their dreams of an entry in this world class race. These men were the …
“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. Top Yachtsmen Sail Into Storm of Controversy
By Richard Crockett With preparation for the first ever Lipton Cup in J22 class yachts going on feverishly behind the scenes, those who sail this class of yacht need to be very aware of the class rules and not infringe them. 33 years ago Ian Ainslie and his crew were disqualified from the J22 Nationals, …
“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. All At Sea, and Loving it
By Richard Crockett I do enjoy sharing features about people who taste our sport for the very first time and instantly fall in love with it. “It’s tough discovering you are passionately addicted to sailing – 600 km from the sea. “Somehow the prospect of landlocked Hartbeespoort Dam isn’t quite the same as a stiffish …
“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. Vasco Da Gama Race 2025. Another Toughie
by Richard Crockett The use of trackers in yacht races is an absolute must in modern day ocean racing, and this race has for several years now used YB Tracking – the Rolls Royce of trackers. Sadly though this is not followed up with social media offering info from the boats, wind strengths, directions and …
“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. Soling At Midmar Made A Magnificent Sight
By Richard Crockett I can’t remember when, even if ever, that I have mentioned the Soling Class in dispatches, so when this newspaper cutting popped up for today, I simply had to share it. The article talks about a lone Soling named ‘Jade’ being a magnificent sight as she sped on her way to line …
“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. Britannia Rules the Waves
By Richard Crockett Due to the immense interest in the 1980 Fireball Worlds off Durban when many of yesterdays’s sailing heroes competed, here is the finale with report on the winners, the final race, a complete set of results plus a photo of the South African team. The final race was staged in conditions far …
“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. Hudson Wins A Tight Race
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 …
“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. High Winds Hamper Fireball Contest
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 …
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!