Daniel Joseph O’Keeffe, better known as Don O’Keeffe, who personally designed more than 100 boats and yachts, has died. A naval architect for Burger Boat Company for about three decades, he was 90 years old.
A native of Schull in West Cork, Ireland and born on June 15, 1935, O’Keeffe was one of nine children. He went by the name Donal as a child, shortened in college to Don. Family members describe him as being mischievous and gentle, plus having a great sense of humor. Simultaneously, O’Keeffe was creative, always making things with his hands. He was particularly fond of designing and making boats. It isn’t too surprising, considering his grandfather, Maurice O’Keeffe, was a boatbuilder. “I learned a lot from him,” he shared in a 2001 interview with the Wisconsin Maritime Museum. Additionally, he and his siblings all grew up with boats. “Nowadays, you give a child a bicycle,” he reflected in that same interview. “We had a boat.”
After pursuing his degree in architecture in Dublin, O’Keeffe moved to the United States, to Connecticut, in 1965. Although he initially did work in architecture, his love of boats convinced him to change careers. The decision defined the trajectory of the rest of his life. In 1978, for instance, he and his wife moved to New Orleans, where he worked for Halter Marine, a prominent shipbuilder. (Halter Marine later became the parent company of Trinity Yachts.) A decade later, they moved to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and he joined the staff at Burger Boat Company.
As chief designer, O’Keeffe was responsible for numerous Burger yachts and superyachts. His contributions were so key that when the yard reopened in 1993 under new ownership after a 26-month closure, he was one of the first re-hired, according to Jim Ruffolo, chairman of Burger Boat Company, who was part of that ownership team. Among the highest-profile yachts resulting was Windrush (now Arawak). This 91-foot (27.7-meter) raised-pilothouse motoryacht, from 1994, was the first delivery under the new management. Furthermore, her appearance at the Fort Lauderdale boat show that same year resulted in Burger landing three contracts. Yet another important project was Lad, from 1999. The 102-footer (31-meter) features a cockpit for fishing. Like Windrush—and many other O’Keefe-designed Burgers—she’s still around, currently known as Fine Print.
Many more yachts and satisfied owners, including the owner of the 140-foot (42.67-meter) Lady Gayle Marie, who commissioned four superyachts during O’Keeffe’s time, followed. Overall, among all that sprang from O’Keeffe’s creativity, the most important is Fiona. A replica of a famous lobster boat from 1893 from West Cork and constructed in wood with a craftsman in Wiscoonsin, Fiona bears his granddaughter’s name. “I think the name of a boat is important,” he told the maritime museum. “It reflects what one’s thoughts are and where his heart is and where his love is.”
Ruffolo fondly recalls O’Keeffee as “a real friend,” He continues, “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 artist’s touch in his hands, and the heart of a traditional sailor.” Ron Cleveringa, senior vice president of product portfolio management, also worked closely with O’Keeffee. “Don set the standard for what it meant to design responsibly and thoughtfully,” he says. “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.” Nick Siler, Burger’s president and CEO, adds, “While I may not have worked directly with Don, it’s impossible to walk through our history without seeing his fingerprints everywhere.”
O’Keeffe passed away at his home in Manitowoc. He leaves behind his wife Marianne, whom he met in 1963 in Dublin and married in 1967 in Connecticut. He further leaves behind his son and daughter-in-law, James and Deanna; his granddaughter Fiona and grandson Elias; and two brothers, Jim and Frank.
Burger Boat Company burgerboat.com
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