Bertie Reed

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]

Stanley John Reed
Bust of Bertie Reed at the V&A Waterfront
Personal information
Nickname(s)Bertie
Biltong Bertie
NationalitySouth African
Born(1943-01-19)19 January 1943
Port Elizabeth
Died18 December 2006(2006-12-18) (aged 63)
Gordon's Bay

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 14 years old and considered obsolete.[1]

In the 1986–87 race he was placed 7th, sailing Stabilo Boss,[4] a yacht subsequently raced as Maiden.

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.[5][6][7]

He received Springbok colours 5 times for sailing.[2]

Death

He died at his home in Gordon's Bay[2] from cancer.[8]

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. "Remembering Bertie Reed". Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  2. Williams, Roger (19 December 2006). "SA skipper Bertie Reed dies at 63". IOL. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  3. Stone, Keith (12 August 2009). "Bertie Reed – The Legend Lives On". SA Navy. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  4. "The BOC Challenge 1986–1987 Results". Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  5. "Bertie Reed – Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on 29 November 2013. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  6. Chisholm, Fiona (8 June 2006). "US award for solo SA sailing hero". IOL. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  7. Santos, Sally Ann. "2006 Inductees SingleHanded Sailors Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on 1 April 2014. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  8. Boyd, James (22 December 2006). "South African solo round the world sailor Bertie Reed loses his fight with cancer". Archived from the original on 14 January 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2014.


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