On This Day – 20 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.

1988. “British Yacht Disrupts America’s Cup Plans”. A British syndicate announced yesterday they had entered this year’s America’s Cup, disrupting plans for a proposed head-to-head clash between the San Diego Yacht Club, holders of prestigious trophy, and New Zealander Michael Fay.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1988 04 20 9

1990. “Island Officials Hold Dias Yacht”. A mercy mission to help a stricken Cape Town sailor aboard the former handicap leader in the Dias Cape Town to Lisbon race turned into a nightmare for the crew yesterday when the Ascension Island authorities “froze” their yacht in lieu of medical bills.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1990 04 20 877

1991. “Vaal Yachts Boost ‘Kei Coast Race”. Two Transvaal entries yesterday brought the number of yachts registered for next month’s Wilbur Ellis Da Gama race from Durban to East London, to 44.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1991 04 20 406 36

1994. “Kiwis Show the Way for South African Yachting”. Barring civil war or a major economic collapse in South Africa , the Whitbread fleet will almost certainly stop over in Cape Town during the next 32 000-mile round-the-world yacht race in 1998.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1994 04 20 463

1995. “Dodds and Arnold Win Hobie Title”. Plettenburg Bay Yacht Club hosted the Hobie National championships last week.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1995 04 20 919_Redacted

1995. “‘Real Magic’ Saves Sea Adventurers From Disaster”. With torn sails, no engine and no lights, an adventurous couple floated helplessly somewhere in the dark Indian Ocean, their yacht buffeted by gale-force winds.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1995 04 20 920_Redacted

1995. “Solo Yachtsman Tugged To Safety”. A solo yachtsman who sailed from Cape Town to South America has been forced by a storm to abandon the voyage just 70 nautical miles from Cape Town on the return leg.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1995 04 20 921

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