History

This Trust originated as a result of Bruce Dalling’s success in sailing the 50ft custom designed, locally built, “Voortrekker” into second place in the 1968 OSTAR Singlehanded Trans-Atlantic Race. A group of RCYC yachtsmen formed a special committee to focus on entering SA yachtsmen into international racing events to promote awareness of our deep-sea yacht racing skills.

A long-distance race across the Atlantic between two of the world’s most beautiful cities, Cape Town and Rio de Janeiro, was proposed and well supported by the RCYC, the SA Navy and our local clubs and sailors. The Iate Club de Rio de Janeiro gave their enthusiastic support to the hosting of the race fleet at the finish and, with this support, the Cape to Rio Race was officially launched. Fifty-nine yachts, both local and international, started from Table Bay on 2 January 1971!

To arouse interest and awareness of the significance of this new Trans-Atlantic Sailing event throughout the country, a “Merbok” logo was designed, to be the marine equivalent of the “Springbok” sports logo.  A brochure was printed, ties and badges with the Merbok logo were produced. This race was given tremendous coverage from the local press, the public were invited to become “patriots” and to buy ties and badges to give support to this first ever South African Ocean Yacht Race. The response from our citizens throughout the country was overwhelming. The Chamber of Mines designed the South Atlantic Race Trophy and presented it to SAORT. However, with the race sponsor funds and additional money being contributed by the public, the race chairman, Justice Louis van Winsen (also president of RCYC) decided to open a special trust to monitor and control the monies being received. It was named The South African Ocean Racing Trust  which became known as S A O R T.

For several of the following Cape to Rio Races, the newly formed SAORT, provided seeding finance to enable the subsequent Cape to Rio races to take place.

The Trustees, realising that they were not an elective body, called upon the then Cruising Association of South Africa (CASA) to manage the races on their behalf and viewed that the ownership and intellectual property of the South Atlantic Ocean Race belonged to SAORT. They also stated that the sole mission of SAORT was not to interfere with the running of the sport, but to use their funds to further the future interests of South African Ocean Yachting in memory of those sailors and RCYC members who made such an effort to put international deep-sea racing on the map in this country.