KEY POINTS:
The man considered the father of New Zealand yachting, Don St Clair Brown, has died, aged 94.
Brown passed away peacefully at home with his family in Auckland on Saturday.
Sail-World.com New Zealand editor Richard Gladwell said Brown would be remembered as one of the great benefactors of
New Zealand yachting.
Along with his late wife, Mary, he helped competitors from P-class through to the Olympics and offshore keelboats.
Former Olympic sailor and New Zealand Olympic team official Ralph Roberts said Brown would be sadly missed by all involved in the sport in New Zealand.
"He was just someone so special," he said.
"He would be the father of New Zealand yachting, and it's hard pick him out singularly, because we always said it was he and his wife, Mary, who set the stage."
Roberts said Brown's biggest achievements were his mentoring and the financial help that competitors received through the New Zealand International Yachting Trust, which he set up with Sir Tom Clark.
"He was passionate for New Zealand success on the international stage, but his role was more than that," he said.
"He took personal interest in all our top sailors. If you showed you had the determination and the ability, he was there to support. That was really was his hallmark."
Roberts, who competed in the Finn class at the 1960 Rome Olympics, remembered how Brown and his wife drove him and Flying Dutchman crew Ronald Watson and Murray Rae to build-up events around Europe so they would be race hardened.
The following Olympics, 1964 in Tokyo, was to provide Brown with one of his biggest highlights.
Brown was the New Zealand yachting team manager as the Flying Dutchman crew of Helmer Pedersen and Earle Wells overcame a slow start to claim gold.
"They hadn't had the best results in their first two races," Roberts, who was the reserve crew, said.
"Don, in his inimitable way, said, `You can do better, now is the time to prove it.' He just set the stage, Earle and Hemler responded, and the rest is history."
Brown was himself a competitive sailor and took part in the Dragon class at the 1968 Olympic trials, where he finished fourth.
But he was noted most for his ocean racing, sailing his 15m Lexcen-designed Anticipation in many major events, including the Sydney-to-Hobart race.
- NZPA