On This Day – 4 March. 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.

1986. “Cape Yacht is Beaten to Horn”. Atlantic Privateer, after losing headway at the weekend on a course apparently too far south, has been beaten to Cape Horn by two other maxis in the Whitbread Round-the-World Race – UBS Switzerland and Belgium’s Cote d’Or.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1986 03 04 008

1987. “Yacht Race Postponed”. The next three-yearly South Atlantic Race, scheduled to start in Cape Town in January 1988, has been postponed indefinitely.
The Cruising Association of SA (CASA) said yesterday this decision had been taken “largely due to the anticipated local involvement in the Dias Festival next year, as well as the close proximity of the Beachcomber Race between Mauritius and Durban”.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:   1987 03 04 3

1990. “All Set Fair for Biltong Bertie”. The 45-year-old face washed by thousands of nautical miles of sea air, and slapped every now and then with salt water “after shave”, lit up in anticipation, writes MARK. SEIDEL.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:   1990 03 04 990

1991. “Three·Times Lucky As Reed Rounds Horn”. Springbok yachtsman Bertie Reed, who became the first South African solo yachtsman to round the dreaded Cape Horn at the tip of South America three times – considers himself a very lucky man.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1991 03 04 260

1992. “Yacht At Home in Icy Antarctic Seas”. Science fiction has sailed into Table Bay harbour in the shape of the Antarctica, a 120 aluminium yacht, on its way back from a three-month scientific research voyage to the icy waters around the Antarctic continent.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  1992 03 04 193

2005. “Wind Sinks Big Day for Shosholoza Squad in Table Bay”. Strong winds wrecked Team Shosholoza’s daily six-hour training session in Table Bay yesterday – along with a chance to show off their prowess to special guests.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:   2005 03 04 765

2009. “Heartfelt-welcome for Winning SA Yachtsmen”. Tears of joy marked the homecoming of the six young sailors who surprised the old salts in the Cape to Bahia yacht race by taking fourth place in the gruelling contest.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK:  2009 03 04 682

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

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