Firefly (dinghy)

The Firefly is a British sailboat that was designed by Uffa Fox as a one design racer and first built in 1946. The boat was originally named the Sea Swallow. It was an Olympic class and raced at the 1948 Olympics.[1][2][3][4]

Firefly

F
Development
DesignerUffa Fox
LocationUnited Kingdom
Year1946
Builder(s)Fairey Marine
Rondar Raceboats
Whitecap Composites
RoleOne design racer
NameFirefly
Boat
Crewtwo
Displacement260 lb (118 kg)
Draft4.25 ft (1.30 m) with centreboard down
Hull
Typemonohull
Constructionglassfibre
LOA12.00 ft (3.66 m)
LWL11.75 ft (3.58 m)
Beam4.67 ft (1.42 m)
Hull appendages
Keel/board typecentreboard
Rudder(s)transom-mounted rudder
Rig
Rig typeBermuda rig
Sails
Sailplanfractional rigged sloop
Total sail area68.00 sq ft (6.317 m2)
Racing
D-PN99.6
RYA PN1168

Production

The design was initially built by Fairey Marine in the United Kingdom, starting in 1946. Today it is built by Rondar Raceboats in the UK and Whitecap Composites in the United States and remains in production.[1][2][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]

Design

The Firefly is a recreational sailing dinghy, initially built predominantly of hot-moulded plywood, glassfibre construction was authorized by the class starting in 1965. A rotating mast was introduced in 1970.[1][2][13]

The design has a fractional sloop rig, a plumb stem and transom, a transom-hung rudder controlled by a tiller and a retractable centreboard. It displaces 260 lb (118 kg).[1][2]

The boat has a draft of 4.25 ft (1.30 m) with the centreboard extended and 10 in (25 cm) with it retracted, allowing operation in shallow water, beaching or ground transportation on a trailer.[1][2]

The design is raced without a spinnaker.[14]

The Firefly has a Portsmouth Yardstick handicap of 1168[15] (in the RYA scheme) and a D-PN of 99.6 in the US Sailing system.[16]

Operational history
Firefly number one in the National Maritime Museum Cornwall (right)

The boat is supported by an active class club that organizes racing events, the National Firefly Association.[17][18][19]

The first four production boats built by Fairey were purchased by the commodore of the Itchenor Sailing Club, Sir Geoffrey Loules and named Fe, Fi, Fo and Fum.[13]

Even though it was designed for a crew of two sailors, the boat was selected for the 1948 Olympics as a single-handed boat. The Olympic sailing events that year were held at Torbay and the gold medal was won by Danish sailor, Paul Elvstrøm. It was replaced as an Olympic class in 1952 by the Finn.[1][2][13]

The National Maritime Museum Cornwall notes, "the Firefly was one of the first production dinghies ever built in large numbers, long before the days of glass reinforced plastic boats, and there is no doubt that it put dinghy sailing within financial reach of many people – the initial cost of a boat was £65."[13]

Boats on display

See also

References
  1. McArthur, Bruce (2022). "Firefly sailboat". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  2. Sea Time Tech, LLC (2022). "Firefly". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  3. McArthur, Bruce (2022). "Uffa Fox". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  4. Sea Time Tech, LLC (2022). "Uffa Fox". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  5. McArthur, Bruce (2022). "Fairey Marine Ltd". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  6. Sea Time Tech, LLC (2022). "Fairey Marine Ltd". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  7. McArthur, Bruce (2022). "Rondar Raceboats". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 10 September 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  8. Sea Time Tech, LLC (2022). "Rondar Raceboats". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  9. McArthur, Bruce (2022). "Whitecap Composites". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 7 July 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  10. Sea Time Tech, LLC (2022). "Whitecap Composites". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  11. Rondar Raceboats (2022). "Rondar Firefly". rondarboats.com. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  12. Whitecap Composites. "Turbo Firefly". whitecapcomposites.com. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  13. National Maritime Museum Cornwall (27 April 2016). "National Firefly #1 "Fe" – BC33". nmmc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022.
  14. Hudson, Stuart (8 February 2015). "About The Firefly". National Firefly Association. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  15. "Portsmouth Number List 2012". Royal Yachting Association. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
  16. "Centerboard Classes-Inactive". US Sailing. Archived from the original on 16 August 2012. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
  17. McArthur, Bruce (2022). "National Firefly Association". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  18. Sea Time Tech, LLC (2022). "Firefly Dinghy". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  19. National Firefly Association (5 July 2022). "National Firefly Association". Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
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