Bertie Reed
 Bust of Bertie Reed at the V&A Waterfront | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) |
Bertie Biltong Bertie |
| Nationality | South African |
| Born |
19 January 1943 Port Elizabeth |
| Died |
18 December 2006 (aged 63) Gordon's Bay |
Stanley John Reed, more commonly known as Bertie Reed was a South African yachtsman. He was the first South African to complete three singlehanded circumnavigations.[1]
Life
Reed was born in Port Elizabeth in 1943.[2]
He joined the South African Navy in 1961 and served for 21 years. He started sailing whilst in the Navy.[3]
In the 1982/83 BOC Challenge race he placed second in the Knysna built yacht, Voortrekker.[2] At the time Voortrekker was 14years old and considered obsolete.[1]
He was awarded South Africa's highest civilian award for bravery, the Wolraad Woltemade Decoration for his rescue of sailor John Martin whose yacht sank after hitting a submerged iceberg in the Southern Ocean during the 1990–91 BOC Challenge.[3]
In 2006 he was inducted into the Single-Handed Sailors' Hall of Fame.[4][5][6]
He received Springbok colours 5 times for sailing.[2]
Death
He died at his home in Gordon's Bay[2] from cancer.[7]
In 2009 a bronze bust of Bertie Reed,by local Cape Town sculptor Charl Frank, was unveiled at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront by Sir Robin Knox-Johnson.[3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Remembering Bertie Reed". Retrieved 1 April 2014.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Williams, Roger (19 December 2006). "SA skipper Bertie Reed dies at 63". IOL. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
- ↑ "Bertie Reed – Hall of Fame". Retrieved 2 April 2014.
- ↑ Chisholm, Fiona (8 June 2006). "US award for solo SA sailing hero". IOL. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
- ↑ Santos, Sally Ann. "2006 Inductees SingleHanded Sailors Hall of Fame". Retrieved 1 April 2014.
- ↑ Boyd, James (22 December 2006). "South African solo round the world sailor Bertie Reed loses his fight with cancer". Retrieved 1 April 2014.