Sailing Magazine
by Richard Crockett
During the inaugural Cape to Rio race in 1971, the 10-metre van der Stadt-designed sloop ‘Pionier’ sank after hitting a whale. That was on 28 January 1971 at the position 24 30’ south and 07 06’ west.
Forty years later (now 53 years later) the two remaining survivors of that tragedy, Willie Schütten and Jenifer Webb remembered the sinking, and the rescue, over dinner.
The five crew for the race were Willie Schutten, the owner, Peter Flockermann and Tony Keeney, Jennifer and Gordon Webb. Just prior to the sinking they had heard on an SABC radio broadcast that they were third on handicap and 11th in the fleet of almost 60 boats.
Gordon Webb wrote prolifically on this event, with the report used in the magazine, making incredibly interesting reading.
READ IT ALL HERE: Pages from 2011 03 – SAILING Magazine – OCR
