On This Day – 1 April. A Newspaper History of Sailing

by Richard Crockett

From the overwhelming response I receive from these posts, from all over the world I may add, the interest is cranking up rapidly and I am being connected with some wonderful people thirsty for more. Thank you all who have made contact.

Should you wish to copy, forward or share material from here, PLEASE acknowledge the source as: Sourced From the SAILING Mag Archives & Historical Records.

To read the full reports, click on the LINK following each headline.

1968. “Sailing Club At Port Shepstone Grows Fast”. The new Port Shepstone Sailing Club, which was formed in November last year with three boats, now has as many as 25 on- its register.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1968 04 01 COMBINED571 3

1989. “It’s A Race Against Time for Bertie”. Springbok yachtsman Jean Jaques Provoyeur, is facing a mammoth task with utmost enthusiasm – that of building a super boat for Bertie Reed, and programming a state-of-the-art yacht for the tough 120-day Globe Challenge race starting on November 26 in Des Sables D’Odonne.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1989 04 01 372 2_Redacted

1990. “Cape to Lisbon Race Isn’t Plain Sailing!”. Top skipper Dave Abromowitz threw down the gauntlet to veteran yachtsmen Bertie Reed, Bobby Bongers and Ted Kuttel yesterday to beat him as 24 yachts set out from Table Bay at the start of the gruelling Portnet Dias Yacht Race to Portugal.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1990 04 01 145

1992. “In Search of Sponsors”. Michelle begins her day by scanning the Yellow Pages for prospective sponsors – and then it’s down to some serious negotiating.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1992 04 01 987

1995. “22 Yachts to Contest Da Gama Ocean Race”. Twenty-two yachts will set off down the treacherous Wild Coast in the 1995 Wilbur Ellis Da Gama Ocean race from Durban to East London which starts on April 27.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1995 04 01 822_Redacted

2007. “SA Crew A Dangerous Mix of Skill and Popularity”. In 1851, Queen Victoria was aboard the royal yacht off the Isle of Wight when the schooner America beat 14 English boats to take the first America’s Cup trophy.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  2007 04 01 690_Redacted

2007. “Durban Brothers Team Up on Shosholoza”. Sailing together is not something Durban brothers Shaun and Mike Pammenter get to do often these days.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  2007 04 01 698

Comments and contributions are welcome. Email: editor@sailing.co.za

What is “On this Day” About?
I am busy archiving many boxes of press cuttings I have accumulated and which I guestimate run into tens of thousands! A daunting task which I believe to be necessary before ditching them as I have been concerned for many years about the lack of interest Clubs, Classes and other sailing related organisations give to preserving their history.

Should you wish to copy, forward or share material from here, PLEASE acknowledge the source as: Sourced From the SAILING Mag Archives & Historical Records.

From the overwhelming response I receive from these posts, from all over the world I may add, the interest is cranking up rapidly and I am being connected with some wonderful people thirsty for more. Thank you all who have made contact.

This is my personal crusade, and instead of simply archiving and keeping the contents away from prying eyes, I will share my spoils in the hope that you will enjoy reminiscing as much as I do, and continue to do as I wade through the labourious process of scanning each and every cutting in my archives.

As each scanned cutting will be searchable, I will be able to create presentation packs personally tailored to a persons exact requirements – ie. Rothmans Week, the NCS Regatta, the Rio Race, Mauritius Race, Vasco da Gama Race and more – or simply by the name of an individual (like Ant Steward and his open boat exploits) who want a record of his/her sailing career for the family archives.

I have already done this by scanning in excess of 10 000 pages of material I have on ‘Voortrekker’ – from idle chatter, to concept, to the formation of what ultimately became the South African Ocean Racing Trust (SAORT), to the fruition of the 1968 OSTAR Race in which Bruce Dalling and ‘Voortrekker’ excelled – and even beyond that.

The possibilities are endless – so watch this space.

Comments and contributions are welcome. Email: editor@sailing.co.za