[2] He joined the South African Navy in 1961 and served for 21 years.
[3] In the 1982–1983, BOC Challenge race he placed second in the Knysna built yacht, Voortrekker.
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 1990–1991 BOC Challenge.
[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.
This biographical article related to sailing in South Africa is a stub.