Sailing Magazine
Photo : Bianca Lavies
By Richard Crockett
Boat building in this country was always considered a cottage industry for good reason as its strength was in all the home-built boats that were a feature of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Today the industry’s strength are the commercial multihull builders who compete with the best in the world.
The proliferation of home builds was sufficient for SA Yachting magazine, in September 1967, to devote a feature to a few of the boats being built – and the people building them.
A Racer-Cruiser.
Dave Cox was building a Diana class.
Umfundisi Ready.
The Pace family of 5 were completing their 41-foot steel yawl.
Pair of Couples.
Two Durban couples have for the past 10 months been building a 26-ft. yacht in a garden on the Bluff which they eventually plan to take to the Mediterranean for a trip.
Sturdy Motor-Sailer…
A 37-ft. ketch-rigged motor sailer was recently launched by Max Loudon of Durban who is busy fitting her out for a trip to Bazuruto.
Dulcie Helped Too
In the garden next to a Durban North home proudly stands a sturdy 37-ft. sailing yacht. Chips Thorpe and his wife Dulcie spent more than four years of every minute of their spare time building her.
Hiscock Inspired …
In a garage of a Sarnia home two men have been working for the past 2 ½ years on a 30-ft. yacht which they hope to launch next year.
READ MORE HERE: 1967 09 – SA Yachting – home builders – OCR
