Peter and Nathan Dean take a moment out of Sydney to Hobart Race to honour father lost at sea

Peter and Nathan Dean’s father was one of six sailors lost in the fatal Sydney to Hobart in 1998. How the brothers paid tribute during the same race 25-years on.

Dean brothers, Peter and Nathan, crewmates aboard the Sydney-Hobart runner-up Comanche. Picture James Bresnehan

Just for a moment, Peter and Nathan Dean forgot about the Sydney to Hobart yacht race and leading the 628nm classic on Comanche to focus on something more personal.

As their 100-foot supermaxi powered across Bass Strait on Wednesday, the brothers paid special tribute to their father John, one of the six sailors lost in the fatal Sydney to Hobart in 1998.

John was never found, so the only “grave” the family has is a set of co-ordinates on the ocean where his yacht, the Winston Churchill, was last sighted.

John Deane (47)(dean) died at sea during dec 1998 sydney to hobart yacht race - a member of the crew of the Winston Churchill he was swept from a life raft after the boat sank. accidents sailing yachting fatality sport

The Dean boys drank a rum toast to their dad and could only imagine how frightening John’s final moments must have been.

“There was never a body found so that’s his grave out there, so we had a drink and threw a wreath,” Nathan said.

The Deans are a family of sailors and John would be proud of his sailing sons, who were on Comanche when it took line honours last year and was runner-up to LawConnect by mere a boat length in Hobart on Thursday.

“We grew up watching the Sydney-Hobart every year with dad,” Peter said.

Nathan said: “It’s part of our family, it’s what we do. A lot of people watch the Boxing Day Test, we watch the Sydney-Hobart – we always have and we always will.”

The Deans are close friends with the Winning family, and John Winning Jr chartered Comanche and has skippered the bluewater beast for the past two years.

“My brother and I did the tribute with ‘Herman’ [John Winning] and his sister Jamie because our father was very close with their family,” Nathan said.

Andoo Comanche leads over eventual race winner LawConnect near South Arm during the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart yacht race. Picture: Chris Kidd

“After everyone on board had a swig of rum, the rest of it went into the ocean for dad.

“Jamie did the honours of pouring out the rum into the sea.

“It was a great moment and if we ever do the race again, we will do it every time because it’s a nice thing for us to be able to do.”