1969-1970 Idea through construction...
Idea: The Natal Ocean Racing Foundation (NORF) was founded in 1967 by a group of yachties from both Point Yacht Club and Royal Natal Yacht Club. The NORF soon resolved to raise funds for the production of a new International Offshore Rule (IOR) compliant yacht that could compete well in the first IOR Cape to Rio race.
Ricus Van der Stadt had become the preferred designer of racing yachts in the 1960’s with South African legends like Voortrekker and Stormvogel taking many honours with his designs. With the first 3000km Cape to Rio race on the horizon; van der Stadt demonstrated his interest in the South African sailing community and went on to create a stock design (No. 222) specifically for a superfast transatlantic, light displacement and downwind vessel that would meet the IOR ratings and handicap criteria. However these Rules would impose undesirable performance results; upwind these yachts would perform well, but the pinched bow and stern with wide amidships, high speed downwind reaches could cause death rolling and be difficult to handle. Yachting great David Abromowitz critically quoted “… you will simply roll your way to Rio in an IOR boat”.
No. 222 was amongst the five designs presented to the South African Ocean Racing Trust (SOART) for possible sponsorship for production. The design was an attempt to create a yacht which could stand up well in hard weather and which could drive along without having to heave to, but would also give a fair speed in very little wind.
Ricus Van der Stadt had become the preferred designer of racing yachts in the 1960’s with South African legends like Voortrekker and Stormvogel taking many honours with his designs. With the first 3000km Cape to Rio race on the horizon; van der Stadt demonstrated his interest in the South African sailing community and went on to create a stock design (No. 222) specifically for a superfast transatlantic, light displacement and downwind vessel that would meet the IOR ratings and handicap criteria. However these Rules would impose undesirable performance results; upwind these yachts would perform well, but the pinched bow and stern with wide amidships, high speed downwind reaches could cause death rolling and be difficult to handle. Yachting great David Abromowitz critically quoted “… you will simply roll your way to Rio in an IOR boat”.
No. 222 was amongst the five designs presented to the South African Ocean Racing Trust (SOART) for possible sponsorship for production. The design was an attempt to create a yacht which could stand up well in hard weather and which could drive along without having to heave to, but would also give a fair speed in very little wind.
Construction: De Dood & Sons of Bremen Germany was professionally appointed to build the NORF a transatlantic yacht to the van der Stadt 222 design. The 3 year promotional drive leading up to Rio ‘71 ensued with this and many other classic boat building projects that year being profiled in newspapers locally and around the world. The NORF soon realized they would not be able to meet fund raising requirements to build the boat. The Natal Mercury newspaper then stepped in and put up the money to complete the project. The new NORF transatlantic race yacht was birthed `Mercury’ and provided branding for the Mercury newspaper in both the Cape to Rio and Agulhas races of 1971. Constructed with 12mm thin cold-moulded mahogany timber with fibreglass covered hull and deck, Mercury was lightweight. Mercury followed the most modern trends (at the time) in her rigging, which is usually of stranded stainless steel of galvanised iron wire. She had solid rods of especially hardened stainless steel as her fore and back stays, giving virtually no stretch under load.
Sister ship: During this time, the Thesen family were building the pride of Knysna Albatros II executed against the same van der Stadt 222 design at their wooden boat building yard on Thesens Island in Knysna, as sister ship to Mercury. In accordance with ancient maritime practice for good luck, a R1 gold coin supplied by the SA Mint of Pretoria and placed at the base of her mast. Albatros II was poised for her challenging Rio ’71 start (where damage to her mast would take five hours to repair), a remarkable ocean crossing (where her story would live on for decades) and to a momentous finish where she would cross the line 8th and take 1st position on handicap.
Albatross II had pleasing lines from stern to stern, and there were generally a gang of men around her; her rigging cost a fortune and she always looks best in a new coat of paint. On entering port, she went straight for the buoys, and to attract her attention, a whistle was the appropriate signal. Of course, it is not the initial cost that breaks you, but the upkeep. She had all the tricks and teases of a woman, and took a pretty capable man to handle her properly. Since the beginning of time, men have projected the anima (female principle) onto things as well as women, and among these things are ships. For what other reason would one use the expression `sister ships’.
Albatross II had pleasing lines from stern to stern, and there were generally a gang of men around her; her rigging cost a fortune and she always looks best in a new coat of paint. On entering port, she went straight for the buoys, and to attract her attention, a whistle was the appropriate signal. Of course, it is not the initial cost that breaks you, but the upkeep. She had all the tricks and teases of a woman, and took a pretty capable man to handle her properly. Since the beginning of time, men have projected the anima (female principle) onto things as well as women, and among these things are ships. For what other reason would one use the expression `sister ships’.