IFDCAUS was incorporated in 1958 by a committee including Jim Van Voast, Walter Zwarg, Harry Sindle, Jack Powell, Jack Duane and other greats of one design sailing of that era. It was chartered to organize fleet racing, arrange championship regattas and select competitors for such events as the Olympics and Pan American Games. Now in it's sixth decade of existence, IFDCAUS continues uninterrupted in its mission of promoting FD racing, and arranging events where FD sailors can meet and race.

In recent years IFDCAUS has undertaken major initiatives such as the founding of this web site, rehabilitating older, out of use FDs, and coordinating transport to regattas around the country and the world. All IFDCAUS officers and staff are volunteers. Work done on the class owned boats, web site, brochures, magazines, and other publications is done by members. Membership dues pays for trophies, materials, postage and other operating costs.

The official mouth piece of IFDCAUS is "Trapeze" magazine. Official reports of the Association officers and race results are published quarterly. IFDCAUS is itself a member organization of IFDCO, the International FD Class Organization based in Holland. IFDCO publishes its own magazine, "the International FD Bulletin", maintains its own web site , arranges continental and World Championship regattas and maintains the World Ranking List .