Reminiscing about GP14 racing in Libya, 1956 to 1964
by Robin Page 29 Jan 2017 14:33 GMT
GP14 racing in Libya, circa 1960 © Robin Page
In 1956 my family moved to Benghazi, Libya, from Chelmsford, Essex - what a shock arriving in Benghazi, but we soon got used to the idea. My dad got a job with the Libyan government as an electrical distribution engineer.
After a few years he joined the Benghazi Sailing Club, which had two restaurants and a bar. The club was founded in 1958, and well run by a strong committee headed by the Commodore, Judge Bingham, who frightened me to death. After a couple of years my dad took up the post of the sailing secretary. At the club they raced GP14s.
All my school holidays and all my spare time was spent at the club sailing, water skiing, fishing, snorkelling and chasing girls (well, being an Essex boy I did not want to forget my roots). At 10 years old I started sailing at the club in my dad's GP14 number 514 which he purchased in the UK and had sent over. You can imagine the comments I got from older helmsmen when I started winning races.
Most of the races took place in the harbour but I do remember that one of the buoys was called Whisky, with was placed outside the harbour in the Mediterranean and on windy day it was scary sailing, being out at sea and not being protected by the harbour walls.
The harbour was about a mile square, so plenty room for close racing, which was mainly local competition, though on some occasions we did sail against the Tripoli and Tobruk Sailing Clubs and we would take the long journey to sail in their regattas.
After sailing in the salty waters of the Mediterranean we had to wash down the dinghies and sails thoroughly, especially my Dad's pride and joy Ratsey sails! Newcomers to the club did get sunburnt due to being on the water in the heat (30-40 degC) and not noticing because of the breeze in their faces.
The club house had many parties and dinners, I remember when HMS Surprise visited Benghazi she and her crew were honoured with a dinner and we sailed all the GP14s out to sea where she was anchored.
We returned to the UK late 1964, where I had a brief time at school, then joined the Merchant Navy at 16. After two and a half years at sea I returned home and lived with my parents. I started sailing again at the London Electricity Board / Erith Yacht Club on the Thames. It was not quite the Mediterranean, but I still had the magic touch and sailed with them for three years, thereafter I went back to sea as a ships photographer on cruise liners.
I have sailed various dinghies around the world, but I never have lost my first love for the GP14.