Eight Bells: David Howard

Canadian Hall of Famer David E. Howard passed away at 104 years of age on January 21, 2023.

At the Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games in Australia, David with Howard C. Howard and Donald Tytler, took the eighth spot in the Dragon Class.

He was the second oldest living Olympian in the world, following another sailor from Uruguay, Félix Sienra, who was born on January 21, 1916.

He was also the winner of the 1954 Canada’s Cup in the 8-Metre Venture II, skipper and syndicate member of True North at the 1969 Canada’s Cup trials and of Marauder at the 1975 Canada’s Cup Challenger, as well as sailing master on off-shore racers Inishfree and Bonaventure.

Past Commodore at the Royal Canadian Yacht Club, where he was an honorary life member, he was also one of the original four founders of the Nonsuch class (RCYC). He was inducted into the Canadian Sailing Hall of Fame in August 2018.

David was also Past President the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Lieutenant (N) Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve. He lived life to the fullest and he loved life. His inquisitive mind and relentless energy allowed him to be many things and although he had no formal qualification for many of them, he didn’t let that stop him.

He was: a businessman; lawyer; teacher; poet; sailor; carpenter; seaman; musician; leader; philanthropist; banker; golfer; investor; developer; negotiator; navigator; captain; sportsman; Olympian; architect; designer; coach; storyteller; arbitrator; inventor; craftsman; tinkerer; builder.

Recently, he was looking forward to starring in one of his favorite poems: ‘Sometime at eve when the tide is low, I shall slip my moorings and sail away. Through purple shadows that darkly trail O’er the ebbing tide of the unknown sea, And a ripple of waters to tell the tale Of a lonely voyager, sailing away To mystic isles, where at anchor lay The craft of those who had sailed before O’er the unknown sea to the unknown shore.’

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