Wynand N
12-18-2006, 12:49 PM
Bertie "Biltong" Reed quietly passed away at his home in Cape Town this morning. He was 63 years young.
Bertie was probably South Africa's greatest ambassador and who will ever forget his adventures during the 70's aboard the yacht "Voortrekker" which he sailed for many years, and "Voortrekker 2" later on. He was the master of the BOC, Vendee/globe, other around the world alone or trans Atlantic races. The Cape to Rio races come to mind.
He had a professional sailing career spanning over 40 years.
Bertie showed his steel without even worrying about his own safety when he heroically saved his fellow countryman, John Martin when his yacht "Allied Bank" sunk after hitting a submerged object in bad gale conditions at Cape Horn during the 80's in a BOC solo around the world race. This deed possibly cost him the race.
A lesser known fact of Bertie was that he could not swim at all....
May he have calm seas and following winds wherever his soul may be.
Bertie was probably South Africa's greatest ambassador and who will ever forget his adventures during the 70's aboard the yacht "Voortrekker" which he sailed for many years, and "Voortrekker 2" later on. He was the master of the BOC, Vendee/globe, other around the world alone or trans Atlantic races. The Cape to Rio races come to mind.
He had a professional sailing career spanning over 40 years.
Bertie showed his steel without even worrying about his own safety when he heroically saved his fellow countryman, John Martin when his yacht "Allied Bank" sunk after hitting a submerged object in bad gale conditions at Cape Horn during the 80's in a BOC solo around the world race. This deed possibly cost him the race.
A lesser known fact of Bertie was that he could not swim at all....
May he have calm seas and following winds wherever his soul may be.