Tuesday 17 April 2012

The 1985 Cape to Uruguay Ocean Race

That year the wind was light, some of the fleet never made it past Rio do Janerio, Tal Gal and Elangani were two of them. We found ourselves down at Ilha Grand for a bit of a break before the long return leg home.


The Lavranos designed Elangaini, a picture taken from the cockpit of Tal Gal (ocean planet) an Endurance 37. Elangani at least had a crew but had to sail 1000 miles further than ourselves being a Durban boat.


Correction: News just in from one of the race competitors, Franz Loots follows:

Elangeni, the Lavranos One Tonner.


I must correct you on that one. They did indeed finish the race and got a 4th on handicap. They had some real hot Durban sailors onboard under Terry Clarence. After the race they headed North aiming for the USA.

Thank you Franz.


The bay is what I named Peters Place, Ilha das Palmas, the bay can be found to port when you enter the channel to Ilha Grand on the way down from Rio.


Elangani and Tal Gal taken from Peters front garden.


All pictures by R Mc Bride using a Canon FT film camera and Kodaks Ektachrome slide film. Click on the pictures for a larger view.

Peter had a pet monkey, it was very tame and was left to run around during the day, in the evening it was tied to the house on a long line but I expect she could have untied the knot if she wanted?

The girl is one of the Elangani crew, she had done the race leg and was now heading home with the three guys who made up the rest of the crew, does anyone have a name for her? I remember she told me she was also a girl who liked to jump out of planes with a parachute!

How hard can that be.

Roy



The 1985 edition of the race proved to be a real test of fortitude because of unfavourable light winds, which made for an extremely slow 4 500-mile journey. It meant many crews had to deal with depleted water and food supplies. Many of the entrants had to ask for their leave from work to be extended.

The 35-boat fleet generally made good time to Ilha de Trinidade, the point at which they would turn down the South American coast, but once there they struggled.

Apple Macintosh, Momentum Life and 3CR12 were the yachts in contention for line honours, but they didn't threaten the record for the route, despite making it to Ilha de Trinidade ahead of the pace Rampant II had set three years earlier.

3CR12 fell out of contention by heading too far west early on, and then heading too far north after that, admitted her skipper Alan Tucker.

It was left to Apple Macintosh and Momentum Life to fight it out for line honours, and their battle became extremely close. "It was like a cross-ocean match race, except that we were never really close enough to sail in the same wind," said Momentum Life's Ludde Ingvall.

Apple Macintosh went on to reach Punte del Este first, but only after a great challenge from Momentum Life. She made it into port a day and four hours ahead of her rival, but on corrected time her advantage was reduced to 16 hours.

Bertie Reed, the skipper of Interflora Retrans, echoed the thoughts of many when he said: "I really think the course should be re-examined, and we should try to get Rio back as the finishing point."

Spirit of CIW III finished over a week later, but she edged out Apple by just three hours to take the handicap win. (ernst vd laan as skipper)


The race report was taken from this web site, many thanks. http://www.southafrica.info/about/sport/south-atlantic-sailing.htm

An update on my incorrect assumption that Elanagni did not finish the race was sent in by Frans Loots.

Elangeni, the Lavranos One Tonner.


I must correct you on that one. They did indeed finish the race and got a 4th on handicap. They had some real hot Durban sailors onboard under Terry Clarence. After the race they headed North aiming for the USA.


Thanks Frans.

Roy