Aileen Bryan

Aileen Shields Bryan (April 4, 1925 – November 29, 2005) was an American sailor who won the 1948 United States' women's national sailing championship.

Aileen Bryan
Personal information
BornApril 4, 1925
New Rochelle, New York, U.S.
DiedNovember 29, 2005(2005-11-29) (aged 80)

Sailing history

Bryan was born in New Rochelle, New York. Her mother was Josephine Shields and her father was Cornelius Shields, the sailor after whom the Shields sailboat was named. She went to Rye Country Day School, St. Margaret's School, and finally the Berkeley-Llewelyn Business School.[1]

The New York Times covered a successful day of sailing when she was six years old and won three races of the day with her father crewing for her, thereby winning as many races as when she crewed for him.[2] Her father eventually named his boat Aileen after her.[3] In 1938, Bryan sailed with Allegra Mertz during her win for the Syce Cup trophy, the women's Long Island Sound championship; she was 13 at the time and the youngest competitor of the event.[4]

Bryan won the Mrs. Charles Francis Adams Trophy, the United States' Women's National Sailing Championship, in 1948.[5][6] After this win, Margo Gotte and Bryan published an article in Yacht Racing magazine that was called “How to Win a Sailboat Race”.[7] She also won class championships in other sailboats include the Atlantic[8][9][10] and 210[11] classes.

Picture of a Sunfish (small boat) with two people sailing it.
Bryan was instrumental in the development of the Sunfish

Bryan played a key role in the design of the Sunfish. Her husband, Alexander Bryan,[12] and Cortlandt Heyniger designed its predecessor, the Sailfish. She encouraged them to build a boat that had a cockpit where she could place her feet and allowed her to sit sideways while steering.[13][14] This led to the development of the Sunfish, which was inducted into the American Sailboat Hall of Fame in 1995.[15]

Awards and honors

Bryan is a nominee to the United States' National Sailing Hall of Fame.[16]

References
  1. "Aileen Shields Bryan, 80, Was Skilled Yachtsman". The Vineyard Gazette - Martha's Vineyard News. December 8, 2005. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
  2. Times, James Robbins special To the New York (1932-02-23). "AILEEN SHIELDS, 6, A FROSTBITE STAR; With Father Acting as Crew, She Guides Skippy to Three Victories in Dinghy Races. NINE EVENTS ARE STAGED Cornelius Shields Takes Trio in the 11-Foot Class -- Buchanan Scores With 14-Footers". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
  3. "CAPRICE and GHOST". WoodenBoat Magazine. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
  4. Robbins, James (1938-07-28). "Larchmont Skipper Wins Cup". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
  5. "MotorBoating" (January ed.). 1949. p. 114.
  6. Robbins, James (1948-08-31). "Aileen Shields Takes Lead in U.S. Women's Sailing Championship; L.I. SOUND SKIPPER FIRST ON 15 1/4 POINTS". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
  7. Gotte, Margo; Bryan, Aileen Shields (1950). "here". Yacht Racing. pp. 125–127.
  8. Times, James Robbins Special To the New York (1945-09-09). "RECORD 133 CRAFT SAIL AT MANHASSET; Corny and Aileen Shields Win International and Atlantic Class Races in Regatta". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
  9. Times, James Robbinsspecial To the New York (1944-07-16). "SHIELDS TRIUMPHS IN SOUND YACHTING; Manhasset Bay Club Sailing Victory Also Registered by Daughter Aileen SHIELDS TRIUMPHS IN SOUND YACHTING". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
  10. Times, James Robbinsspecial To the New York (1947-05-25). "Knapp Winner With Bumble Bee As 77 Yachts Compete on Sound; Record Turnout Noted for First, Regatta of Summer Season -- McCullough, Aileen Shields, Etchells Among Victors". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
  11. "Motorboating - ND" (December ed.). 1949. p. 60.
  12. "AILEEN SHIELDS A BRIDE; Yachtswoman Wed in Larchmont Church to Alexander Bryan". The New York Times. 1950-07-09. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
  13. "AL, CORT & SAILFISH" (PDF). National Sailing Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  14. S.I. Staff (September 20, 1983). "HERE SHE IS, THE TRUE LOVE BOAT". Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
  15. "Sunfish". American Sailboat Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on January 26, 2007. Retrieved February 19, 2010.
  16. "Bryan, Aileen Shields". National Sailing Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
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