Naval architect Don O’Keeffe has died at the age of 90.
Don was best known for his work with the Burger Boat Company where he designed many of their vessels over the course of three decades.
Born in Ireland in 1935, Don was one of nine children and growing up was known for his creativity.
With his grandfather, Maurice O’Keeffe a boatbuilder, it was no surprise that Don himself became fond of designing and making boats.
In an interview with the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in 2001, Don stated: “I learnt a lot from him. Nowadays, you give a child a bicycle, we had a boat.”
After completing a degree in architecture in Dublin, Don moved to Connecticut in the US in 1965.
While initially working in architecture, his love of boats later led to him changing careers.
In 1978, Don and his wife moved to New Orleans, where he worked for Halter Marine, which later became the parent company of Trinity Yachts.
He later moved to Manitowoc, Wisconsin and joined the Burger Boat Company.
“Don was one of our first employees when we were reviving the business back in the early 1990’s,” said Jim Ruffolo, chairman of Burger Boat Company.
“He brought integrity, discipline, and deep knowledge to everything he touched. He was a true advisor, a trusted source, and above all, a real friend.
“When he said something, you could always rely on it and take it to the bank. Don was a unique talent that had salt water in his veins, an artists’ touch in his hands, and the heart of a traditional sailor.”
As chief designer, Don was responsible for numerous Burger yachts and superyachts.
Among the yachts Don designed was Windrush (now Arawak), a 91-foot (27.7-metre) raised-pilothouse motoryacht in 1994 whose appearance at the Fort Lauderdale boat show that year resulted in Burger landing three contracts.
He brought integrity, discipline, and deep knowledge to everything he touched.
Jim Ruffolo
Another important project was Lad in 1999, a 102-foot (31-metre) yacht featuring a cockpit for fishing.
As with Windrush and many other O’Keefe-designed Burgers she is still in use today, currently known as Fine Print.
“While I may not have worked directly with Don, it’s impossible to walk through our history without seeing his fingerprints everywhere,” explained current president and CEO Nick Siler.
“His professionalism, humility and dedication are among the golden threads woven through our company’s past and they continue to shape our future at Burger.”
Confidence and respect
Ron Cleveringa, senior vice president of product portfolio management, continued: “Don set the standard for what it meant to design responsibly and thoughtfully.
“He cared deeply about the craft, about the boats, and about the people building them. I learned a great deal from Don over the years and Burger is unquestionably better because of his work and his example.”
Beyond his technical achievements, O’Keeffe was known for his generosity in sharing knowledge, mentoring younger engineers while approaching every challenge with calm confidence and respect.
