I met Jack in 1994. I had bought a house in Moultonborough in 1993 and the following year decided a house on the water deserved a boat; the first I had ever owned. I went to Irwin's Marine because I had read up on SeaRay (and a lot of other brands) and that's what I wanted. I quickly came to a deal but insisted that when I picked up the boat at the marina I would need someone from Irwin to give me a training/shakedown/delivery first cruise.
Jack Irwin was the guy who did it. He taught me how the boat worked, how to drive it, how to dock, the path across the lake from from Irwin's Marine to Moultonborough. He told me I "could" go through the Graveyard but it was easier to go around Melvin Island. He showed me how to tie up the boat without using a knot, and I still do it that way. He was friendly and calming for my first cruise as a new captain, a real nice guy.
The funny thing is, at the time I knew he was an Irwin but had no idea that he was the senior owner and he gave me no clue.
RIP Jack.
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