David Kellett AM has dedicated a lifetime to sailing, and on Friday night the CYCA Life Member was inducted into Australian Sailing’s Hall of Fame.
Kellett’s sailing journey began on Sydney Harbour, where he raced small boats and Olympic classes before turning to ocean racing and the America’s Cup. It has since taken him around the world. With an incredible 48 Sydney Hobart Yacht Race campaigns under his belt, including 21 as skipper and many with the Radio Relay Vessel, David has sailed on some of Australia’s most iconic maxi yachts. He has skippered Gretel, Vengeance, Sovereign, Condor, Ragamuffin, Matador and Sydney, and claimed line honours on several occasions.
His standout achievement came in 1987. After helping with the design and build of Sovereign, he guided the maxi to become the first Australian yacht to win both line honours and the overall handicap title in the Sydney Hobart. Sovereign went on to win the World Maxi Championship, and Kellett has described the campaign as the highlight of his sailing career. He was also involved in three Australian America’s Cup challenges.
His passion for sailing has extended far beyond racing. Kellett began serving his local yacht club in the late 1970s, a path that led him to become Commodore of the CYCA and eventually to the top levels of world sailing. He joined the council of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF, now World Sailing) in 1992. He served on its Events Committee, where he played a key role in bringing the 49er skiff into the Olympic Games. He was then elected Vice-President in 1998, becoming the first Australian elected to the ISAF Executive Board, a role he held for a decade. In that time he was pivotal in creating the ISAF Sailing World Championships, and he went on to serve as Treasurer from 2008 to 2012, steering the federation through the global financial crisis. His Olympic roles included President’s liaison at the Sydney 2000 Games, membership of the Athens, Beijing and London management teams, and Technical Delegate for the sailing competitions at Beijing 2008 and London 2012.
A proud advocate for sailing safety and community, Kellett retired from offshore racing in 2000 on medical grounds. He has since led the Rolex Sydney Hobart Radio Relay Vessel team, managing communications with the fleet at sea. He became a Trustee of the CYCA’s Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Trusts in 2014 and Chairman in 2016. The Trusts have raised over two million dollars for rescue organisations and families in need.
His service has been recognised at every level. He was awarded the Order of Australia (AM) in 2002 and CYCA Life Membership in 2011. In 2013 he received Yachting Australia’s President’s Trophy. In 2014 he became the first recipient from outside Europe or the Americas of World Sailing’s prestigious Beppe Croce Trophy, joining an honour roll that includes Paul Elvström and Olin Stephens. He received Australian Sailing’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016–17. In 2020 he became just the twelfth person in Australian Sailing’s 70-year history to be made a Life Member. At the time, former Australian Sailing President Matt Allen AM said Kellett had “the most significant record of service to sailing in the history of Australia.”
A competitor, leader and passionate supporter of sailing, David Kellett’s contribution continues to inspire generations on and off the water.
For more information, visit cyca.com.au
