Bruce Kirby

Canadian sailor Bruce Kirby began competing in races at the age of 15 and soon began to focus on making the boats faster. With no training Kirby began to sketch ideas, as well as read books on yacht designs. By 1970 he and Ian Bruce had invented the Laser sailing dinghy, which became one of the world’s most popular sailboats as it was simple and low-cost, but had high-performance qualities. Kirby also designed several other sailboats including the Sonar, Kirby 25, Ideal 18, and the America’s Cup Twelve Meters.

In addition to designing boats, Kirby continued to compete in sailing competitions including the Finn class at the 1956 Melbourne and 1964 Tokyo Olympics. For the 1968 Mexico City Olympics he competed in the Star class with compatriot Oswald Blouin. In the mid-1960s he became an editor at Yacht Racing magazine, staying with the company until 1975. Kirby was bestowed with multiple honours for his contributions to sailing including the Order of Canada in 2017, along with being inducted into the Halls of Fame of Canadian Sailing, US Sailing, and International Yacht Racing.