Eight Bells- Dave Kirby- J/122 TKO

The J Community is sorry to hear about the recent passing of Dave Kirby, owner of J/122 TKO in California. Dave, who won his class in the St. Francis Big Boat series two years in a row with his J-122 TKO (see here at right), died on Saturday after a long battle with prostate cancer. He had just turned 56. Dave was president of The Kirby Organization (TKO), one of the most successful band booking agencies in the world, with offices in Los Angeles and New York. Born in Ottawa, Ontario, he grew up racing International 14s and then Lasers at the Britannia Yacht Club. When he moved to the U.S. and worked in New York he raced on Long Island Sound and cruised in his 35-foot Nightwind. The music agency business took him to Los Angeles where he immediately became a force to contend with in Southern California racing. He leaves two teen-aged sons, his wife Christine, his mother Betty and three sisters. His father, also David Kirby, one of North America's finest International 14 sailors of the 50s and 60s, died in 1970 at the age of 42 of melanoma. Dave was the nephew of Laser designer Bruce Kirby.