The trophy commemorates speed boat racer Clem Lewis who was killed at age 46 during a race in 1948.
His grandson, also called Clem, said he was a well-known member of the boat racing fraternity and following his untimely death, several clubs, including Silverwater, contributed to the creation of the trophy which has gold plating.
“The Clem Lewis Memorial Trophy was raced on an annual basis until it went missing,” Clem said.
“Grandfather was the catalyst, along with sons Richie and Frank, in the formation of the Lewis Brothers speedboat building business and Lewis clinker boats were in high demand in the 1950s-70s.
“Fittingly, the first memorial race in 1949, was won by Richie and Frank in their father’s boat, ‘Miss Pat’.”
Clem said he spent years searching for the trophy but didn’t have any leads since the Silverwater club was no longer in existence, with the Silverwater Bridge now over the top of the former clubhouse.
“I finally tracked down the owners of ‘Riot’ to Queensland but they said it had been kept at the club,” he said.
The trail then went cold until Clem got a call recently from the Australian Power Boat Association who said someone had discovered the trophy in storage at their home and was happy to return it.
“I’d given up hope of ever seeing it, so for it to suddenly reappear was a joy,” Clem said.
The Clem Lewis Memorial Trophy will now be held permanently on display at the St George Motor Boat Club and his memory will be kept alive through the revival of a series of vintage boat races this year.
