On This Day – 24 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. “Yacht Puzzle Continues”. With the rescued yachtsman Joan de Kat, and the leading survivors in the transatlantic yacht race nearing land, the spotlight has switched back to the race itself and the continuing puzzle – who is leading?
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1968 06 24 – OSTAR 796

1970. “Rio Race – Ruling May Scupper Local Entries”. Only foreign yachts taking part in South Africa’s first ocean yacht race – the Cape to Rio race-will be shipped back to their home ports free of charge, or at nominal rates. South African yachts will have to pay.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1970 06 24 477_Redacted

1970. “Exciting Race Ahead”. At least five South Africans can look forward to one of the most exciting and most arduous yacht races in history – the Cape Town to Rio event early next year ‘- in·Ocean Spirit – launched on the Medway at Hoo near Rochester, Kent on Monday.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1970 06 24 482

1970. “Rio Yacht Race Trophy. Gets Gold Facelift”. The silver and gold trophy for the Cape Town to Rio de Janeiro ocean yacht race is to be changed – even more of the valuable metals will be added to make it worth at least R2,000.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1970 06 24 487

1986. “Voortrekker Leads Monohulls”. The South African ocean racer Tuna Marine Voortrekker, crewed by John Martin and Rob Sharp, was well in the lead yesterday among the monohulls in the Carlsberg Transatlantic Race, with only about 400 nautical miles to go to the finish at Newport, USA.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1986 06 24 480

1988. “Give Cape Town Back its Island”. The Minister of Justice’s decision to allow yachtsmen to land on Robben Island and picnic within a restricted area is a welcome move towards greater public use of Table Bay’s unique land feature. Such landings have to be arranged in advance through the Royal Cape Yacht Club and are limited to six yachts at a time, but they represent an important relaxation of the regulations that have for so long rendered the Island virtually inaccessible to all but convicts and officialdom.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1988 06 24 15

1992. “Yachtsmen Set to Take Wind Out of Others’ Sails”. International isolation might have dulled SA’s competitive edge in disciplines such as athletics but some other codes have survived with their skills intact. One such code is yachting.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1992 06 24 421 26

1999. “Woman Sailing Star to Head HMYC”. History was made at Henley Midmar Yacht Club on Saturday afternoon when Brenda Tarboton was elected commodore of the club at their annual general meeting. She is the first woman commodore in the club’s history.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1999 06 24 948

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 18 000 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