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Stewart Elder, Otago yachting stalwart and Yachting New Zealand Honour Award recipient in 2007, has passed away three weeks short of his 90th birthday. His funeral was held today and Yachting New Zealand sends condolences to Stewart’s family.
Fellow Otago yachtie, and YNZ Regional Support Officer Graeme Wall sums up: “Above all, Stewart was a great, loyal member of our Club for a life time. A person who appeared to be able to see good in all, and always had a positive word to say to everyone. The Port Chalmers Yacht Club proudly gave Stewart a fitting guard of honour for his final journey. The sport has lost one of its great stalwarts who quietly got on with it.”
Stewart started his sailing interest at Mussel Bay Boating Club at Port Chalmers sailing model yachts, progressing on to join the Port Chalmers Yacht Club in 1935 (for 2/6d) and maintaining continuous membership of the Club from that date on, clocking up a very proud 77 years.
Stewart’s early days at the Club were under the watchful eye of Mr G A Wiseman – a founding member of the Port Club in 1892 and the first winning helmsman of the provincial Sanders Cup.
Stewart sailed Takapunas and moved on to sailing on the X Class 14 footers – the race ships of their day. He was part of the triumphant Otago team to win both the Kingham Trophy and Sanders Cup in 1954 in the X class “If”; a feat never repeated by an Otago boat. After the X classes Stewart sailed R classes and later when Trailer Yachts came on the scene he raced a Noelex 22.
Stewart was very involved in the Club, being Vice Commodore, Rear Commodore and he remained as Trustee to the Club up until his death. He was involved in many of the early working bees to establish a successful club facility at Port Chalmers and also served on the 75th Anniversary and the Centennial Committees for the Club.
Recognized for his dedication Stewart was made a life member of the Port Chalmers Yacht Club in 1984 and revered again in 2011 when the Port Chalmers Yacht Club named its new rescue boat in his honour. He was awarded a Yachting New Zealand Honour Award in 2007.
Stewart continued his active involvement in the sport sailing in the Old Salts race on the Farr 6000 ‘Hot-C-Air’ with a very impressive list of wins only missing the last couple of races due to health concerns.
A very important and integral part of the race committee team on the vessel Kate on the Otago Harbour, Stewart usually took on the responsibility of looking after the flags for race signals and he was still doing this up until the conclusion this past summer season. In this capacity he assisted with the Dunedin Festival Regatta, South Island Secondary Sunburst Champs, New Zealand Masters Games as well as various National and South Island events over the years.
