Eight Bells: Victor Raymond Demaison

Victor Raymond Demaison (1952–2025)

A Tribute to Our Beloved Vitão

He was so deeply loved that it would be unfair to announce his presence at the next regatta using only my own words… So instead, I offer here a small collection of the immense feelings shared by our sailors.

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🕊️ Words from Fernando Madureira

I was asked to write a few words about Victor Demaison — our dear Vitão.

It’s no easy task — not only because of the deep sense of loss he already leaves behind, but also because Vitão was the very person we turned to whenever we wanted to know anything about sailing.

We used to joke that he was a walking encyclopedia.

He knew everything: dates, boat series, club histories, technical details…

But what truly moved him was his passion for our sport. And it was impossible not to be swept up in that passion.

Victor began his sailing journey in the 1960s, sailing Penguins — first as crew, then at the helm. Probably inspired by his father, also named Victor Demaison, a renowned sailor in the Star and Olympic Yole classes. When his father passed away, Vitão was only 14. He inherited his father’s Star boat and, with support from important figures like Bruder, participated in several regattas. One of his favorite stories was about the time he broke the mast — and Bruder, generously, sent him a new one as a gift.

But it was in the Snipe class that Victor’s heart found its true home. His classic boat — the famous Sai de Perto — is now with Lemão. It was a wooden Snipe, from the 16,000 series, built by Alberto, with the deck by Torben. In the 1990s, this boat flew across the water and competed head-to-head with the Thors and the best boats in Brazil. Victor also sailed Solings and took part in many offshore regattas — just the other day, he told me he had raced 25 Santos–Rio regattas.

The generation I shared with Victor was formed by families who lived the Snipe class intensely: Mariozinho and Regina, Afonso, Ivan Pimentel, Falcon and Andréa, Débora Wollner with Daniel, Pepe and Lucia, Lemão, Mário Eugênio, Bibi, and so many others — it would be unfair to try to name them all, because the risk of forgetting someone dear is just too great.

That truly was a Snipe family, and from it emerged sailors who were shaped not only on the water, but also in character. And Victor played a major role in that. He helped many of us — to sail better, to understand the sport, and, above all, to become better people.

Beyond being a sailor, Victor was also an active sports leader. He served as Sailing Director at the Iate Clube do Rio de Janeiro in 1989–1990, and in recent years, dedicated himself more and more to being a regatta judge. He became an energetic and tireless collaborator of the ICRJ Sailing Committee — of which, with great pride, I’m currently a part.

I had the privilege of sailing with Victor, sharing the same boat on more than one occasion. We campaigned together for the J/24 World Championship and spent a lot of time together during the event in France in 1994. After that, we continued working side by side in several competitions, like the 2009 Youth Worlds in Búzios — where he was head of safety and I was in charge of medical support. We’d head out together in the dinghy and, as expected, were always the last to return — helping, rescuing, making sure everyone was safe.

Victor was also a devoted family man. Married to Ana, proud father of Bruna, Paula, Aninha, and Vitinho, he raised a beautiful family of sailors. They’ve all been part of ICRJ since birth. Vitinho, in fact, is one of the brightest talents of the new generation — a world and Brazilian junior champion in the Snipe class, among many other titles.

Victor leaves behind an immense legacy: of knowledge, friendship, generosity, and commitment.

He was a great sailor, a great father, a great friend.

We will miss him deeply — in our regattas, in the boats, in our meetings, and in every shoreside conversation.

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✍️ Sunday Poem No. 26

In memoriam to Victor Demaison
by Affonso Abreu — Snipe sailor since 1964, Fleet 159

Venti fausti, amice care!
Fair winds, dear friend!

A seagull lands on the window,
softly, gently, it speaks:
Your friend is gone, he boarded and departed.
He followed the wind’s path,
unfurled his sails, and let himself go.
There went the sailor,
a partner in dreams and adventures,
who loved the sea with passion.
A Nordic figure, a Viking soul,
Brave at heart, with gentle essence.
Innate, inherent, essential.
There went a beloved brother,
loyal, protective, fearless.
A friend to friends,
an unconditional presence.
Master of storms.
Tamer of tempests.
Firm at the helm, full sails.
He glided on the waves,
chasing his dreams,
living his desires.
A thousand stories to tell.
Go in peace, my friend,
sail on forever, never reaching the shore.
Life is eternal,
in the mysteries of the wind
and the secrets of the sea.
Sleep in my heart.
All my affection.
All my longing.
Fair winds, dear friend!

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🌊 From the Heart of His Sailing Family

Ale Ferraz
A tireless friend of sailing. Always focused on the safety of sailors.
He never missed a chance to emphasize: safety comes first. He never said no to anyone in need — whether on the water or on land.
A mentor and a teacher to all who turned to him. A truly remarkable human being.
My big brother. A rock ‘n’ roll lover at heart.

Renata Bellotti
Vitão had an easy smile. Always ready to help with adjustments, to share his experiences, and to brighten the day with his infectious good humor.
He was always around — a bit of a father figure to everyone on the Guanabara Bay racecourse.
His strong, lingering hugs showed just how much he cared, especially for the Snipe sailors visiting from outside Rio.
On land or at sea, Vitão made his mark — and it will last forever.

Rafael Gagliotti
How sad! Vitor was a great companion and sailor, as well as a great enthusiast of the class.
He received me and so many others with open arms.
Your mission here was completed with great honor.
A fraternal hug to your whole family.

Flávio Castro
A great loss for Brazilian sailing, and especially for the Snipe class.
Always full of stories to tell and always eager to help those in need.
People like him will always be missed on this side of life.
Sail on in peace, my friend. May you enjoy new seas as fully as you did here.
Vitão loved being at the Leste in Cabo Frio, even when he was no longer racing.
It was always a chance to sit down with him and hear his stories.
Sadly, this year, we won’t have that opportunity again.

Michelle Chevrand
I only met Vitão at the Leste Brasileiro in 2022.
I was on his motorboat watching the Saturday races, along with Mario Eugênio Tavares and Gabi.
He put on some classic rock, steering the boat with the calm of an old sea wolf — as if his bond with the ocean was something ancestral.
It was such a good vibe to share that moment with him. 🤍

Mario Eugênio Tavares
Our last story — of so many we shared — was just yesterday.
I was telling my new crew about how I came back to sailing, after a chance meeting in a square in Urca.
He hadn’t seen me in almost 20 years, and yet, without hesitation, he lent me a Snipe so I could sail with my son…
I miss his firm handshake, his always kind and thoughtful words.
Now he sails on, carried by the fair winds of eternal peace.

Interview at the VelaShow Podcast