Sailing Magazine
By Richard Crockett
41 years ago on this day in 1984 John Martin and ‘Mainstay Voortrekker II’ finished the singlehanded Transatlantic race as second monohull across the finish line after 17 days 22 hours and two minutes on the stormy North Atlantic. Martin was sailing against some of the most sophisticated yachts in modern ocean racing.
He proved once again that what South Africans lack in hi-tech, they make up for in grit and determination.
His main rival was ‘Thursday’s Child’ skippered by American Warren Luhrs, and built with only best materials and equipment that money could buy.
For the first nine days Martin managed to keep ‘Mainstay Voortrekker’ ahead of her, but at dawn on the tenth day, ‘Thursday’s Child’ drew astern of the South African boat. “I was sailing like crazy, trying to make the most of the light wind”,Martin said.
“And there was Warren standing on the deck fiddling with his camera. By nightfall, ‘Thursday’s Child’ had disappeared over the horizon.
After that, ‘Voortrekker’s’ skipper pushed his boat to the limit, trying to catch up – all to no avail.
It’s a rivetting feature.
READ IT HERE: 1984 06 24 – sunday times – John Martin – 004958a – OCR
