[2] In their first meeting at Gloucester, Massachusetts in October 1930, Gertrude L. Thebaud bested Bluenose 2-0 to win the Sir Thomas Lipton International Fishing Challenge Cup.

In 1930 Louis A. Thebaud, a New York insurance man and summer resident of Gloucester, Massachusetts, became interested in bringing back the international schooner races, last held in 1923.

It turned out his offer was not enough to cover the costs, but Gloucester's Ben Pine put together a consortium, and the Gertrude L. Thebaud was born.

[6] Gertude L. Thebaud was to be captained by Ben Pine, the former master of Columbia, the fishing schooner that had tied Bluenose in the last International Fisherman's Trophy race.

However, controversy over Bluenose's ballast and waterline length led the Canadians to perform modifications to their ship before the next race could be sailed.

During the fourth race off Boston, Bluenose suffered a 12-meter (39 ft) tear in its sail and the vessel's fore topmast snapped, slowing the ship considerably.

[13] During World War II, the schooner was commissioned into the United States Coast Guard on 24 December 1942 with the hull identification number WPYc 386.

[14] Gertude L. Thebaud saw continued service as a fishing vessel until 6 February 1948, when the schooner sank off the coast of La Guaira, Venezuela.