I met Rob Samways in a bustling marina after the Royal Natal Yacht Club Protea Cup, as sailors all around us were meticulously bedding down their yachts after a long hard slog sailing to Umdhloti and back.
Interview by Sophie Thompson
“Conditions offshore were really trying, the fleet battled lumpy seas and the winds got up to around 30 knots. Durbanites are blessed to sail in more tranquil conditions year-round, but Sticky Fingers came in second so I am chuffed with our result,” said Rob.
Samways, who grew up in Rhodesia, fell in love with sailing as a small lad. ““I was introduced to the sport by my dad. Growing up near Harare, my dad dabbled in the sport and when I was ten, I got my first taste of sailing. The bug bit instantly and shortly after I became a member of Jacana Sailing Club, spending as much time as possible out on the water.”
Having had a few years experience now, the Westville resident has sailed extensively around South Africa, “There are so many good things about sailing, it is all-encompassing, continuously challenging. You are never too old to participate and every day out on the water you learn something new.”
Gearing up for the Hunters Provincials that takes place over the long weekend at Midmar Dam, Samways shares stories of his distinguished career.
“Wow, I have been fortunate enough to compete in various National and Provincial races and in the prestigious Lipton Challenge Cup in 2004. I am proud to say I have sailed in the international Vasco Da Gama race from Maputo to Durban. The Vasco is a highly tactical race, being out on the water for a couple of days, and you are constantly pushing your boat to the limit. The crews are sleep deprived but need the mental discipline to continue racing.”
With three Vascos under his belt, Samways is already in the process of selecting his crew for next year. “The team will be a mixture of very experienced and a few newbie sailors, and we will be sailing on Sticky Fingers, a Whitbread 30ft.”
“I had the awe-inspiring opportunity of representing South Africa in the Flying Dutchmen World Championships in 1994. I travelled with Nigel Trevarthen to New Zealand and the two of us were the first in the sailing community to represent our country after the ban was lifted. That remains a very special moment in my life,” Rob says.
The competitive sailor far prefers the more intense shorter races. “I sailed a boat back from Rio in 2003 and she was a really basic 30ft monohull. We were on the water for 26 days and 6 hours, the crossing was long and we did three hour shifts, which meant around the clock we were on duty for three hours and then had three hours to relax. In the middle of the ocean, you learn a lot about yourself.”
“There is one thing I would still like to tick off my bucket list – I have plans to crew in the 2013 Cape to Rio race.” he said. “Yacht racing is like chess on water, you need a good tactical strategic mind, and an understanding of the winds, waves, currents… all the elements.”
“I don’t really have any other hobbies, all my spare time is spent out on the water or fixing my boats. But I guess it would be building these magnificent crafts so I can then sail them.”
He is also a Provincial, National and International Race Officer so, if not racing, he can be found officiating on the water. Samways has been awarded colours for sailing in three provinces – the Free State, Transvaal (these two are now combined to represent Northvaal region) and KwaZulu-Natal.
He has four boats in his collection, a Hunter 19 that is moored up at Midmar Dam, a Catamaran at home, Cabriole and First Beneteau Class 8 and his beloved Sticky Fingers. “She is a complicated boat. The crew needs to be quite knowledgeable about her rigging, but she carves through the water given the opportunity.”
Smiling, he concludes, “Sailing – you either love it or you don’t.”