Farewell to Lou Abrahams
Yachting fraternity pays tribute to one of the greatestWednesday, March 5 saw the funeral and memorial service for Lou Abrahams, one of the most revered members of Australia’s yachting elite.
Lou’s friends and family gathered at Springvale Botanical Cemetery and later at a memorial at the Sandringham Yacht Club where Lou was a past Commodore and life member.
Sandringham’s Port Phillip Room was packed as friends and crew came from all over Australia to remember this veteran of 44 Sydney to Hobart races.
SYC Commodore Chris Carlisle spoke at the memorial of Lou’s dedication to the sport of yachting and his constant support of junior sailing and competition.
“The juniors at SYC had a true champion and a great supporter in Lou Abrahams,” said Mr Carlisle. “One of his happiest moments was at the opening and appropriate naming of the Lou Abrahams Off The Beach Sailing Centre. Lou often attended the Off the Beach annual presentation night and the juniors were thrilled to receive their trophys from Lou.”
Also speaking at the memorial was past Commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia and President of Yachting Australia, Matt Allen who related that as a 19-year-old he sailed with and was mentored by Lou. “In losing Lou, we have lost the greatest ocean racer that Australia has ever seen,” said Mr Allen.
Mr Allen said that it was an indication of the depth of Lou’s sailing that when he and the late Gary Schipper organised a reunion of Lou’s crews from his racing yachts, more than 150 people were on the invitation list.
On an international level, Lou Abrahams represented Australia in the Admiral’s Cup (1984 and 1987), the Kenwood Cup, winning in 1986, and he also competed in seven Fastnet races.
Lou’s yacht ocean racing career started in 1963 when Sir Arthur Warner took the then 36-year-old on the famed yacht Winston Churchill on his first Sydney to Hobart yacht race as a bowman.
Lou Abrahams will be remembered not only for his sailing prowess and dedication but for the help and advice that he freely gave to others.
Mr Carlisle said that tributes had flowed into the offices of the Sandringham Yacht Club from all over the country and indeed all over the world give an indication of the impact that Lou Abrahams had on the sailing fraternity.
He will remembered for a long time.
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