OLYMPIC SAILOR AND LASER DESIGNER DIES<\/p>\n
HOMENEWSINDUSTRY NEWSOLYMPIC SAILOR AND LASER DESIGNER DIES<\/p>\n
21 Jul 2021<\/p>\n
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Bruce Kirby who died at the age of 92 on 18 July, photographed at Kiel Week in 1972 Photo: Dick Enersen<\/p>\n
Bruce Kirby, three-time Olympian, sailing journalist and inventor of the Laser dinghy has died at the age of 92.<\/p>\n
Born in Ottawa in Canada, Bruce began his working life as a newspaper journalist before specialising in sailing journalism, becoming editor of One-Design and Offshore Yachtsman, now Sailing World.<\/p>\n
He was a keen yachtsman from the beginning, competing in International 14 dinghies from age 15. Design was always a passion and after being beaten in a regatta at Cowes in heavy wind, he drew the Kirby Mark I on a piece of shelf paper. \u201cI had a copy of Skene\u2019s Elements of Yacht Design,\u201d he once said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you can understand 50 per cent of what\u2019s in that book, you can design a boat. Design isn\u2019t brain surgery.\u201d<\/p>\n
Designing the Laser<\/p>\n
It was whilst working at Sailing World in 1969 that the Laser was designed, beginning its life as a doodle whilst Bruce was talking on the phone. Now renamed the ILCA following a legal dispute, the 50-year-old singlehander now numbers more than 220,000.<\/p>\n
Although best known for the Laser, his design career featured many more classes including the Sonar, Kirby 25, Ideal 18 and the America\u2019s Cup Twelve Metres as well as production cruisers such as the San Juan 24 and 30 and offshore racing boats like the Admiral\u2019s Cup 40\u2019 runaway.<\/p>\n
Bruce was also a f\u00eated sportsman, representing Canada at three Olympic regattas as well as the America\u2019s Cup and Admiral\u2019s Cup and International 14ft Class at team racing. He was inducted into the Canadian and US Sailing Hall of Fames and Order of Canada, the International Yacht Racing Hall of Fame and the International Laser Class Association Hall of Fame amongst other recognitions.<\/p>\n
via Boating Business | Olympic sailor and Laser designer dies<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" OLYMPIC SAILOR AND LASER DESIGNER DIES HOMENEWSINDUSTRY NEWSOLYMPIC SAILOR AND LASER DESIGNER DIES 21 Jul 2021 Email Share Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Print Bruce Kirby who died at the age of 92 on 18 July, photographed at Kiel Week in 1972 … Continue reading