Sir Edmund Hillary's ashes may be scattered on Auckland's Hauraki Gulf from the sail training ship the Spirit of New Zealand.
After Sir Edmund's state funeral in Auckland yesterday, the Spirit of Adventure Trust said his family favoured the idea.
"They thought it was a lovely idea," saidchief executive John Lister.
"If we are asked to, it would be our honour to do so."
The ashes may be scattered about the middle of next month when the ship returns to Auckland with a full load of young people under sail training.
Mr Lister said the young girls and boys on the ship would be part of any ceremony.
"It would be just the way he would have wanted."
In his book View From the Summit, published nearly 10 years ago, Sir Edmund said he had never had any desire to end his days at the bottom of a crevasse on a mountain.
"I've been down too many of them for that to have much appeal."
He said he wanted to die peacefully, and would "like my ashes spread on the beautiful waters of Auckland's Hauraki Gulf to be washed gently ashore, maybe on the many pleasant beaches near the place where I was born.
"Then the full circle of my life will be complete."
Sir Edmund's body was cremated after yesterday's funeral.
