Sailing Magazine
by Richard Crockett
To read the full reports, click on the LINK following the headline.
Today the written word plays a minor role in our history with the power of pictures taking pride of place. So be sure to follow the link to see all the pics.
1984. “New Single Handed Yacht Race for 1986”. The world’s first single handed cross ocean race for matched one-design yachts will start from Cape Town in January, 1986 sailing to Punta del Este, Uruguay, along the same course as the South Atlantic race next month.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK: 1984 12 20 319 13_Redacted
1988. “Dias Yacht Race to Be Repeated in 1990”. The Bartolomeu Dias yacht race will be sailed again in 1990, this time from Cape Town to Lisbon.
Mr Teddy Kuttel, chairman of the Cruising Association of South Africa, announced at the Rothmans Week prize-giving ceremony at the Civic Centre last night that it was all systems go for the event.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK: 1988 12 20 922
1993. “Sieraaj (14) Ken Seiljagte”. Sieraj Jacobs, wat pas die junior (10-15 jaar) nasionale kampioenskapstitel in die afdeling vir Optimist-jaggies losgeseil bet, bet op 14 jaar die seilvernuf van ‘n geharde soutbaard.
TRANSLATION: “Sieraaj (14) Knows Sailing”. Sieraj Jacobs, who just won the junior (10-15 years) national championship title in the Optimist Class Division, has the sailing skills of a hardened salt beard at 14 years.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK: 1993 12 20 300
1996. “When A Landlubber and A Salty Yachtsman Get Together … .”. I always knew that yachts were difficult to spot at sea but I have found that they are even more difficult to find while in port. (Have you ever been to the Royal Cape Yacht Club?)
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK: 1996 12 20 885
1997. “The Sea’s the Life for Martine”. While most people are still dreaming up plans for 1998, French sailor Martine Morel, 30, already has plans for the millennium.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK: 1997 12 20 902
1999. “Rio Race Original Returns”. South African sailing enthusiasts will feel a lump in their throats on January 8 when Voortrekker, the grand dame of South African sailing, makes a nostalgic comeback to ocean racing at the start of the MTN Cape-to-Rio race.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK: 1999 12 20 865
2000. “Drama and Self-sacrifice on the High Seas”. French skipper Yves Parlier, sailing Aquitaine Innovations in the Vendee Globe around-the-world race, has been dismasted in the Indian Ocean.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK: 2000 12 20 332
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.
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 have, 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. Rathmines 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 4000 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
