Sailing Magazine
by Richard Crockett
I am scanning and archiving press cuttings I have accumulated and which I guestimate run into tens of thousands! A daunting task which I believe to be necessary as for many years I have been concerned about the lack of interest Clubs, Classes and other sailing related organisations give to preserving their history.
This is my personal crusade to save the rich history of our sport, and to share it in the hope that you will enjoy reminiscing, and learning more.
To read the full reports, click on the LINK following the headline.
1985. “Catmen Claw Back to Triumph”. Alan Lawrence and Gary Shaban came racing through from the back on the final leg of the Argus-Stannic 100 Hobiecat race from Blouberg to Langebaan and emerged overall winners.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK: 1985 01 07 442
1987. “Crewless Yacht Adrift Off Coast”. A 13,7-metre yacht is adrift off the Cape West coast after being abandoned by its crew of two. The yacht, Fiji, also known as Strike One, spent part of last year “under arrest” at Saldanha Bay.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK: 1987 01 07 14
1987. “Voortrekker II Takes Early Lead”. South Africa’s John Martin in Tuna Marine Voortrekker II has shot into an early lead in the third leg of the BOC round-the-world yacht race which started in Sydney harbour yesterday.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK: 1987 01 19 43
1988. “Dolphins Come to Aid of Yachtsmen”. A school of dolphins helped rescue three men after their yacht capsized a kilometre off the Haga-Haga coast yesterday.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK: 1988 01 07 copy
1990. “Capsized Yacht Sails in”. Solo French yachtsman Philippe Poupon, aboard a somewhat battered Fleury Michon, finally reached Cape .Town at 11.30am yesterday – nine days after he capsized in the Roaring Forties about 1 500 sea miles to the south-west during heavy sailing conditions.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK: 1990 01 07 175
1991. “Navy to Back SA Yacht in Mil Millas Regattas”. South Africa’s classic ocean-racing yacht, Voortrekker II, is to have the backing of the SA Navy’s replenishment vessel, the SAS Tafelberg, in the international Mil Millas yacht regattas in South American waters next month.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK: 1991 01 07 401 2
1993. “Former Gardener to Sail in Second Cape-To-Rio”. A former gardener will be swopping his spade for a winch handle for the second time to sail in the Rothman’s Cape-to-Rio race, due to start on Saturday.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK: 1993 01 07 348
1993. “Long’s Record is Set ·For Davey Jones Locker in this Year’s Cape to Rio Race”. American Huey Long’s 1976 transAtlantic record of 17 days, five hours on the yacht Ondine, will almost certainly be consigned to the depths in the 1993 Rothmans Cape to Rio race, which starts in Table Bay on Saturday afternoon.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK: 1993 01 07 352
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 8500 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
