Ferrari Mailing List: Re: Speaking of not watching TV

[Scott Saidel (Ferrarisimo]

Michael:

I met Irvine on the telephone a decade or so ago when I worked at FoCF.

He was considering a 550 for his home in Florida.  Had one in England and hated 
it on the narrow roadways.  We talked cars on and off for months and struck up 
a friendship.

He was and is an amazing man, has an extensive collection of interesting cars, 
spares no expense in keeping them perfect and drives the crap out of them.  
Many of the race cars he had over the years could have easily been in museums, 
instead, he entered them into competitions - where he often drove fiercely 
enough to win.

His interests also span yachts - the "big boat" has been called the Lady 
Christine for the last several instances - and is currently a 68M Feadship.  
Races sailboats and currently campaigns a 25M Wally (Highland Fling XI) and a 
IRC52 (Highland Fling XII).  Collects watches - including his daily wear, one 
of the first Pateks.  He flys his own planes and helicopters.  Has dove some of 
the best sites in the world.  Circumnavigated the globe three times in 10 
years.  In all, a many who shares many of my passions but with a far broader 
budget.  

He as easily shares his mistakes - like when he walled his Maser at Monaco 
(from the lead with less than a half dozen laps to go) and when he dumped his 
chopper into a river in Maine when flying of the back of the boat.  Always 
quick to report that he is less than perfect.  Even when they "took back" his 
Lordship because he refused to return to England to and pay their astronomical 
taxes!

I encourage him to share his adventures with me - and often tell him that I 
live vicariously through them.

He is a really nice guy.

Scottie



On Sep 9, 2013, at 2:38 PM, Michael James <cavallino_rapante [at] yahoo.com> 
wrote: