On This Day – 2 June. 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. “Tabarly Sails Into the Lead”. With heavy rain, a calm sea and a vast armada of spectator craft, Plymouth said goodbye to 34 men, one woman and a dog who set sail, at 11 a.m. today, bound for the new lands of North America.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1968 06 02 – OSTAR – stitched final – The Observer

1968. “Vrystaat Spirit for Dalling”. S.A. sailor sets off on lonely 3,000-mile yacht race.
Bruce Dalling set sail from Plymouth at noon today aboard the Voortrekker in the 3,000-mile solo yacht race across the forbidding North Atlantic to Newport, Rhode Island. Ringing in his ears was the shout of ” Vrystaat” roared out by the small band of South African supporters who gathered at the Millbay Docks to watch the start of the loneliest yacht race in the world.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1968 06 02 – OSTAR – stitched final 750-1

1990. “America’s Cup Has Ugly Record”. It’s an ugly and ornate piece of Victorian silverware, which cost the Royal Yacht Squadron only 100 guineas (£105) to buy in 1851.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1990 06 02 121 2

 

1992. “No Trace of Lone Sailor As Storm Approaches”. An extensive search off the west coast has failed to find any trace of lone yachtsman Chris Cairncross, while a winter storm continues to approach the Cape.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1992 06 02 421 5

1994. “Sails set for world champs”. Some of the country’s top young sailors will host what could be called a Marathon Disco at the Royal Cape Yacht Club tomorrow evening.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1994 06 02 858

1994. “Top Pair Look Unbeatable”. NEW Zealand Endeavour and Yamaha, the two class leaders in the Whitbread round-the-world race, were sprinting towards almost certain victory yesterday.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1994 06 02 862

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