BoatsFairey Marine Firefly

Fairey Marine Firefly

Fractional Sloop · Centerboard Dinghy · First built 1946

The 1948 Olympic single-handed class, this Uffa Fox design was the first sailboat ever produced by Fairey Marine

Designed by Uffa Fox.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Hull type
Centerboard Dinghy

See her sail

The Fairey Marine Firefly, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from SEILmagasinet

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

TrailerableBeam 1.42 m — inside the 2.55 m no-permit tow width across most of Europe, and the 2.59 m US and Canadian limit. About 118 kg of hull, so roughly 700 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.Ramp-launchableAbout 118 kg of hull, with a keel that raises or a draft shallow enough to float off a trailer — she can go back on the trailer at the ramp, not only into the water.Shoal draftDraws 0.25 m, board up where she has one — creeks, sandbars and thin anchorages most keels have to stay out of.
LivelySea-kindly

Her light displacement on a beamy beam gives 4 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 4
CoastalBluewater

At 2.93 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.

Capsize screening 2.93
LightHeavy

72 — light for her waterline, so she is easily driven and quick to accelerate.

Displacement / length 72
EasygoingPowered-up

26.7 — a lot of sail for her weight; powered-up and eager, a real performer.

Sail area / displacement 26.7

Light and lively — happiest day-sailing and coastal-hopping in settled weather.

  • Heavier than ~77% of boats her size on file
  • Draws more than ~96% of boats her size on file

Compared with 300 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen once across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Rig & sail area
Rig
Fractional Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
26.7
Displacement / length
71.5
Comfort ratio
4.4
Capsize screening
2.93
Hull speed
4.6 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
196
Hull
Hull type
Centerboard Dinghy
Construction
Wood (hot molded)/FG
Production
Years built
First built 1946
Designer
Uffa Fox
Builder
Fairey Marine

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Spindrift 134.06 mSame hull family0.4 m longerA Hubert Vandestadt-designed centerboard dinghy with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for lively, responsive sailing
Our Boat Got Stolen 😡… So We Built a New One (in just ONE Week)from WhiteSpotPirates
Several Under License 29er4.40 mSame hull family0.7 m longerA high-performance skiff designed by Julian Bethwaite, featuring a powerful fractional rig for competitive racing
Marie Rønningen, Olympic gold contender7:24from SEILmagasinet
Topper International Topper3.40 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterAn Ian Proctor-designed polypropylene dinghy featuring an unstayed cat rig and three versatile sail-area configurations
Isle of Dogs Sea Cadets race at London Regatta May 25 in blustery conditions,from City Sailing
Ilca 7 (Laser-International)4.23 mSame hull family0.6 m longerA Bruce Kirby-designed Olympic class dinghy featuring a simple unstayed cat rig and a lightweight, high-performance hull
Theodor Middelthon: An "ILCA Viking" on a steady course for the world summit18:40from SEILmagasinet
Alcort Sunfish4.24 mSame hull family0.6 m longerWith a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 47.02, this nimble 4.24-meter dinghy remains a benchmark for simple
Lewis Boat Works TETRIS 30 Apr 230:02from kentblairl

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

Fairey Marine SwordfishA hot-molded centerboard dinghy built using WWII-era aircraft techniques until fiberglass production costs took overFairey Marine FalconA 1957 fractional sloop centerboard dinghy managed by Olympic medalist Charles Currey for Fairey MarineSouth Devon Boatbuilders SeaflyA high-performance fractional centerboard dinghy designed by John Vincent Kelley as the successor to the Mayfly

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