From Tom Casey To all of Ted’s family and friends,

I had the honor to be called a friend of Ted Irwin for many years when he began his adventure in designing and starting to build boats… which became world class yachts. On the business level, Ted and I had many disagreements on how to market himself and his designs, but we would end up agreeing in the end, and that end resulted for the most part in a friendly pub, or if at a boat show, in particular, the famous ANNAPOLIS boat show where we both lost track of our lodgings a number of times.

Like a good wine, or a rare wine, describes Ted Irwin. He was at his best at times in the company of hundreds or even one on one, using that curious smile, which, if you noted as I have, was a smoke screen. He was really off somewhere in a different world, a world where geniuses play, a world he shared with few, maybe only one in his case. I was lucky to know another genius, because I worked for him. His name was Bernard Goldhirsh. Bernie, as we called him, was a janitor in a brownstone building in Boston. He took a manual old printing press and began a magazine in his basement which eventually became SAIL Magazine. One of Bernie’s favorite “friends” (he had few in the industry) was Ted Irwin. When Bernie was dying with a brain tumor, Ted and I celebrated his last birthday with him, his son and three friends. Ted and I were two of those friends. Ted and Bernie fully understood each other and respected each other’s power to see and dream of things most of us can’t or maybe never will.

I am so saddened I can’t be with all of you today, who have your own personal memories you will share with Ted's family and friends. I know Ted would not be disappointed, as he knew I was one to never be on time, be it for a marketing meeting or greeting him at a dock in St. Thomas for a publicity shoot on the new 65. In the past we both talked about our battle with cancer, but he had a calmness and positive spirit than I could never muster.

I know, and all of you know, there will never be another Ted Irwin, or a Bernie Goldhirsh, but just look what these two gave to us and be grateful for: our knowing them.

Rest in peace my friend, you earned it. I will miss you.

Love,
Your Friend Tom Casey