Gordon K. Douglass

Gordon K. "Sandy" Douglass (October 22, 1904 – February 12, 1992) was an American racer, designer, and builder of sailing dinghies. Two of his designs, the Thistle and the Flying Scot, are among the most popular one design racing classes in the United States. The Flying Scot was inducted into the American Sailboat Hall of Fame. As a small boat racer, Douglass was five times the North American champion in the 10 Square Meter International Sailing Canoe, five times the United States national champion in the Thistle, and seven times the Flying Scot North American champion.

Personal life Douglass was born in 1904, in Newark, New Jersey. His father, George P. Douglass, was a real estate manager who became manager of The Dakota, an apartment building in New York City, moving the family there in 1920. His father was a champion sailing canoe racer, and Douglass' sailing experience started in his youth. His family vacationed in the Thousand Islands region of the Saint Lawrence River, eventually buying a small island there. It was light, fast, and held to strict one design standards by the Thistle Class Association, founded by Douglass. He published plans in 1950, launched the first hull in 1951 and exhibited at the New York Boat Show in 1952. He raced his designs, both to promote them and the sport of dinghy sailing.

His dinghy designs incorporated then-novel features that later became standard for other types of high-performance racing dinghies, including hiking straps and dual-lead lines to both sides of the boat.

Retirement Douglass moved his business to Oakland, Maryland, in 1958. Douglas died in 1992.