02/18/2024
Tom Pace 🗣 The original race boat for the Gulf Yachting Association was designed by Rathbone DeBuys in 1919, and was raced in the inaugural GYA Lipton Cup in 1920. Clubs of the GYA all built their own boats, and many sailors cut their teeth on these until the FISH was replaced by the Flying Scot in 1963.
Today, only 9 of these race boats exist in the world, and the class has begun to once again build new boats as a strict one design. The goal remains to protect the competitiveness of our oldest surviving boats that were built in 1948. Through proper design and balasting, we are keeping all the new builds in strict compliance with the original intent to place emphasis on tactics, skippering, and crew work. One new owner recently built his own FISH from the original plans, and new interest is allowing us to expand the class !
As of this week, legendary Boatwrights Donnie and Andrew Brennan have begun to build our newest boats from molds created from one of the historic wooden FISH. Along with legendary Gulf racers Neil McMillan and Denny Blume, I am excited to be a part of this initiative to add to this historic class and the exceptional FISH sailors here on the Gulf.