Vale written by Di Pearson
Maurice ‘Maurie’ Anthony Cameron, a respected member of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, died unexpectedly but peacefully in his sleep on 6 February. He was 82.
‘The Bear’, as we knew him, joined the CYCA in 1980 and became an institution at the Club as a Board member and offshore racer with 32 Sydney Hobarts to his name.
In 1985, five friends, Charles Troup, Geoff ‘Hagar’ Barter, Ian ‘Big Foot’ Manley, John ‘Doddsy’ Dodds and Maurie ‘The Bear’ Cameron formed ‘The Rum Consortium’ and bought Witchdoctor. Hagar and The Bear sailed together for over 30 years, doing their first Hobart together on the famous maxi Helsal in 1974, and remained friends to the end.
The Davidson 42, a former IOR class One Tonner, had been launched as Sweet Caroline and Charles Troup bought her exclusively in 1981, after she had already done two Hobarts.
Once in the hands of The Rum Consortium, the boat continued to race as Witchdoctor and for a short time as Hogsbreath Witchdoctor.
She did her last four Hobarts as Phillip’s Foote Witchdoctor, under sponsorship from good friend and fellow CYCA member, Howard Dredge. Up until recently, The Bear and many mates caught up at Phillip’s Foote when they could on a Friday, the friendships from the boat and sailing held strong.
They were great sailing characters on that boat, one and all. The well-named Rum Consortium made ‘Mutton Birds’ famous. A Bundaberg rum and bitter lemon drink (“bugger the ice” The Bear would say if drinking them on Witchdoctor), they were used as Muttonbird repellent.
Witchdoctor’s crew claimed they were constantly under threat from those pesky birds when racing – especially when they headed north – past Muttonbird Island. Apparently, according to The Bear and Doddsy, the birds also followed them south to Hobart. The only thing that kept them from attacking was drinking a Mutton Bird.
It was a close-knit crew. Where you saw one, you saw the rest, no matter the destination of the yacht race. They had a lot of fun together – and a lot at each other’s expense – and the stories abound. They were also very good yachtsmen.
When Phillip’s Foote Witchdoctor crossed the Sydney Hobart finish line on 30 December 2006, she set a new record of the most Hobarts by any yacht – 26 of them. In typical fashion, The Bear said at the time: “It’s just a record and records are there to be broken.”
The following year, she broke her own record with 27 races. It was The Bear’s 32nd and final Hobart race.
He was right though, records are meant to be broken, but it took Bacardi until 2014 to break it when she sailed her 28th Hobart.
Ironically, Witchdoctor’s best results were in those last two races. By this stage the old IOR boat had switched to PHS racing and finished third in 2006 and sixth in 2007.
On the serious front, Maurie joined the Board of the CYCA in 1987, and in 1988, became Chairman of the Youth Sailing Committee. He was a Rear Commodore in 1989 and 1990 and Vice Commodore in 1992.
Maurie’s passion was introducing youths to sailing and to offshore racing and he headed up the first Youth Committee in the late 80s. He pushed John Brooks, Commodore of the CYCA at the time, and those commodores who followed on, to introduce youths to sailing. Maurie was the inspiration for the Club’s Youth Sailing Academy, a lasting legacy of his.
Our condolences go to Maurie’s wife Dawn, their two children and their families.
Maurie’s family and friends are invited to attend his funeral service to be held 1300hrs Monday 21 February in the South Chapel, Woronora Memorial Park, Linden Street, Sutherland. There will be a gathering afterwards at the Woronora Tea Rooms located in the Memorial Park.
December 1939 – February 2022
Tributes from sailing friends:
I’ll so miss his company and our monthly beers at the Foote (Phillip’s Foote). Maurie’s passing is beyond grief.
Robin Copeland
Maurie was a big man with a big heart. He will be missed.
Maurie Drent
Very sorry to hear. A big man with a big brain, and a big heart. RIP.
David Colfelt
I had the pleasure of serving on several committees with him and always found him great company and a thoroughly decent fellow. He worked very hard for the CYCA and will be greatly missed by us all.
Peter Shipway
An ocean racing and CYCA legend. All who graduated from the CYCA’s Youth Sailing Academy owe him big time.
John Brooks
Sorry to hear this news.
Ace Mowtell
Maurie was a top bloke, a real character and great sailor. He’ll be missed.
Peter Webb
