Bruce Kirby (yachts)


Bruce Robert William Kirby, is a Canadian-born sailboat designer, dinghy and offshore racer and journalist. His designs span in size from the single-handed Laser dinghy to the 12-meter class Louis Vuitton Cup yacht, Canada One. He continues his design work in his American company, Bruce Kirby Marine.

Biography

Kirby was born in Ottawa. A Canadian newspaperman and former editor of Yacht Racing, he designed the Laser in 1969. Kirby started as a reporter in Montreal before editing Yacht Racing and, in his spare time, taking up yacht design and drawing the Laser.In 1970 Kirby became editor of Yacht Racing, where he stayed until 1975.
Kirby's career began with the International 14 class, a developmental skiff with relatively few rules. Kirby designed several International 14s, winning the world championships in 1958 and 1961. Kirby also represented Canada at the Olympic regattas in 1956 and 1964, sailing Finns, and in a Star in 1968.
Since the 1970s Kirby has designed two America's Cup 12-Meters, Canada One and Canada II, the Apollo, Sonar, San Juan 24, Kirby 23, Kirby 25, and Kirby 30, Ideal 18, and the Pixel, a doublehanded trainer that has replaced the Blue Jay on Long Island Sound. Designed to the IOR rating, it was the basis for many of Kirby's later offshore designs. Kirby also served as both designer and skipper on Runaway, one of three yachts in Canada's 1981 Admiral's Cup campaign.
Kirby also designed Norwalk Islands Sharpies, a line of high powered, shallow draft sailboats from 18 ft. to 41 ft. The designs use modern plywood, fiberglass and epoxy construction. The Sonar is the largest of three classes used in Paralympic sailing. Kirby was also part of the international committee elected to create the IACC boats used in the America's Cup between 1992 in San Diego and 2007 in Valencia, Spain.

Awards and personal life

On December 6, 2017 Kirby was invested into the Order of Canada for his contributions to the sport of sailing. In addition to representing Canada three times at the Olympics, Kirby's biggest contribution to the sport of sailing is the design of the popular Laser dinghy. The award was presented personally to Kirby by Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada, in September 2018 at a ceremony at Rideau Hall. He was in the first induction of the Lisgar Collegiate Institute Athletic Wall of Fame, as part of the 160th Anniversary celebrations. He is a member of the Noroton Yacht Club. Kirby was inducted into the National Sailing Hall of Fame in 2012.