Vale Ted Silbereisen

Yesterday (August 15) the ashes of Ted Silbereisen were scattered on the waters of Port Phillip.

Ted was a sailor and sailmaker who many Melbourne boaties knew well. Ted was a member at Sandringham Yacht Club as well as his beloved Black Rock Yacht Club and had an impressive sailing record stretching back over half a century.

However, apart from making and repairing sails for many yachts at his Sandringham loft, Ted also had a hand in making Australian sporting history.

Ted was a sailmaker for the Australia II team when we beat the Americans to take the 'Auld Mug' in 1983.

What is less well known is that Ted was instrumental in the creation of the iconic ‘Boxing Kangaroo’ flag which has become almost a default flag, not only for boating, but for many other Australian sports.

It was Ted and fellow Australia II sailmaker Ken O’Brien, who designed and created the first Boxing Kangaroo as the Aussie team’s battle flag for the ’83 challenge.

The flag has now gone on to adorn many a boat throughout the nation. However, it’s unfortunate that the flag has now changed. The original flag (without the Southern Cross) was trade-marked to one of Aland Bond’s companies however, as the story goes, Bond didn’t renew the trade mark and it fell into the hands of the Australian Olympic Commission (AOC). Consequently, if someone wants to use the original, a fee has to be paid to the AOC.

Ted was very proud of his involvement in the Australia II Campaign and his loft had a few historic photos of the win.

A large flotilla of yachts accompanied the SYC Committee boat Endeavour III at the scattering of the ashes and skippers were asked to fly the Boxing Kangaroo flag in honour of Ted and his achievements.

Ted was 65 at the time of his death but his memory, and the flag he helped create, will live on -- as will the distinctive ‘T’ logo on many sails around Melbourne.