US Sailing mourns the loss of Dave Irish who passed away on November 30 at the age of 83. He was with his family at home in Harbor Springs, Michigan.
Irish served the sport’s national governing body, US Sailing, for 25 years, including a run as president from 1995 to 1997. He then spent 16 years on the Offshore Racing Council. Over his career, he served as Vice President of the International Sailing Federation (now World Sailing) and Director of the Michigan Boating Industries Association.
At a young age, he taught sailing and worked on boats as part of the family business. He later attended Michigan Technological University and Michigan State University, where he raced on the sailing team.
He founded the Irish Boat Shop in 1961 and expanded this successful business to three locations in the Northern Michigan area.
Dave is survived by his wife Ann; sister Ann Wilderom; daughters Tracy (John) Texter, Susan (Gary) Stewart, Perry (Rich) Hodgson, and son Colin (Carrie Maxson) Irish; 11 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Those who wish to honor Dave Irish’s memory may do so by donating to the Little Traverse Conservancy, the Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation, Little Traverse Sailors, Sail Charlevoix (Lake Charlevoix Mariners), or the charity of their choice.
In July of 1996, Irish authored the article linked below for US Sailing’s American Sailor. Due to it’s continued relevance, in July of 2020 US Sailing re-published the article in the One Design Line e-Newsletter – “Fun is the Key”.