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Performance Sailcraft, part of Performance Marine Group (PMG), has unveiled the
Kirby Laser 30© – a highly exclusive limited-edition ILCA dinghy celebrating 30
years of Laser sailing in the Olympics. A donation from the sale of each dinghy will
be made to the Lupus Foundation, a charity chosen by Margo Kirby, wife of the late
Bruce Kirby, the original designer of the Laser, in memory of their daughter, Kelly.
Timed to mark the anniversary of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, the launch
celebrates three decades of Olympic competition in one of the most influential and
widely sailed classes in the history of the sport, with the Laser having featured in
eight consecutive Olympic Games.
The Kirby Laser 30© stands as both a celebration of design heritage and a tribute to
performance excellence, created in recognition of the late Bruce Kirby, whose
original Laser design transformed global dinghy sailing by establishing one of the
most successful one-design classes ever built.
Over the past 30 years, the Laser, more recently renamed the ILCA has become synonymous with Olympic sailing success, serving as the pathway for generations of athletes competing at the very highest level of the sport. From emerging youth sailors through to Olympic medallists, the class remains one of the most important and accessible development platforms in world sailing. Performance Sailcraft also draws on its historic Olympic heritage, including its role in producing boats from the same design lineage used in multiple gold-medal campaigns, and its sponsorship of over 35 aspiring Olympic sailors in Europe and Oceania.
Each Kirby Laser 30© is individually produced using authentic Performance Sailcraft tooling and is fully certified as a genuine Bruce Kirby design, carrying a World Sailing plaque for full competition compliance under ILCA class rules.
In a unique tribute to the class’s origins, each boat features Bruce Kirby’s signature, supplied by his wife Margo, alongside insignia representing the Olympic colours and the names of all the medalists, highlighting the authenticity and commemorative significance of the edition.
The Kirby Laser 30© is not a display piece - it is a fully race-ready ILCA dinghy
available across ILCA 4, ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 configurations, supporting sailors from
youth development through to elite competition.
The Kirby Laser 30© is available to order now at www.laserdinghy.com and will be
on display at the following sailing clubs:
Charitable proceeds from the Kirby Laser 30© will be donated to the Lupus
Foundation, the charity chosen by Margo Kirby, Bruce Kirby’s wife – reinforcing the
wider purpose of the initiative that celebrates a unique sailing heritage while directly
supporting medical research.
Commemorative Kirby Laser 30© decal packs are also available to upgrade all
existing dinghies via www.laserdinghy.com. A portion of proceeds from every decal
pack sold will also go toward Lupus Foundation, to support those affected by the
autoimmune disease.
The Kirby Laser 30© is also available through Magic, which substantially reduces
the upfront costs of ownership of all the dinghies manufactured by Performance
Sailcraft.