Visitors to the South African Naval Museum will soon be able to explore the history of the Voortrekker, the iconic racing yacht that trained sailors from disadvantaged backgrounds and competed in numerous Cape to Rio races.
Almost two years after the relocation of the Daphne-class submarine SAS Assegaai, the museum has added another iconic vessel to its collection — the legendary racing yacht Voortrekker.
Chief of the Navy Vice-Admiral Monde Lobese approved the transfer earlier this year, and on Friday 17 July the yacht was moved from the Sailing Centre in West Yard to the Naval Museum annex near Cole Point.
Moving the vessel
The operation, led by Rear-Admiral Hanno Teuteberg (Ret) and Commander John Martin (Ret), involved lifting the yacht by crane onto a special cradle and low bed trailer, then transporting it via the Simon’s Town Main Road, through East Yard, to its final destination. The move, supported by the Fleet Maintenance Unit, Armscor Dockyard, Sailing Centre, Naval Museum, and False Bay Yacht Club personnel, took most of the day but was safely executed.
The Royal Cape Yacht Club and SA Ocean Racing Trust refurbished the cradle crucial to the move.
History
The Voortrekker was built in 1967 by Thesens of Knysna to compete in the 1968 Observer Single-Handed Transatlantic Yacht Race.
Designed by Ricus van de Stadt and originally rigged as a ketch, the yacht was later re-rigged as a racing sloop by Brian Lello.
When no financial backers emerged, Dr Anton Rupert guaranteed the R35 000 construction cost.
Bruce Dalling skippered the Voortrekker to first place on handicap in the 1968 transatlantic race, sparking a surge of interest in sailing across South Africa.
In 1982-’83, at 14 years old and considered obsolete, it placed second in the BOC Challenge.
In 1969 the yacht was handed to the South African Navy Sailing Association for sail training and ocean racing.
The Voortrekker later trained sailors from disadvantaged backgrounds through the Izivunguvungu Sailing School and competed in numerous Cape to Rio races, returning to competition in the 2009 Cape to Bahia race after a 14-year absence.
Legacy
Commander Leon Steyn, historian and officer-in-charge at the South African Naval Museum, said the relocation is the first step in a broader project to transform the Voortrekker into a world-class exhibition.
It has been berthed on its hard out-of-water location at the Sailing Centre in the West Yard of the Naval Base Simon’s Town for the last four years, he said.
“Following the Chief of the Navy’s approval, it had to be relocated to the Naval Museum’s annex, where the Submarine Museum SAS Assegaai is also located. The move involved the lifting of the yacht by crane, on to a special cradle and then on to a low-bed trailer. This involved the use of a heavy lift crane and a Navy rigging team.”
Once restored to a static display condition, the public will be able to view the yacht at close quarters, with technical and historic information incorporated into the display.
Visitors will learn about the workings of a sailing yacht, from the purpose of the massive keel to how sailors navigated the oceans in the pre-GPS era.
An important theme will be the history and legacy of sailing in the Navy, including its potential for youth development and training.
With the 60th anniversary of Voortrekker’s historic 1968 victory approaching in 2027-’28, the refurbishment and historic research for a supplemental display are well underway, ensuring the yacht’s remarkable story is preserved for generations to come.
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