GU Laws was renowned for his helmsmanship as well as his designs and won the first Olympic Gold Medal in the annals of the Royal Burnham Yacht Club with the 6-Metre Dormy.
In 1912 he was commissioned to design a new one design class – what was to become the East Coast One Design (ECOD).
In 1913 six yachts were built followed by another three in 1914, the last being built in 1937, all at W. King & Sons in Burnham on Crouch.