Boats / Fairey Marine Firefly

Fairey Marine Firefly

Fractional Sloop · Centerboard Dinghy · 1946–present

Specifications

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

1946–present

Designer

Uffa Fox

Builder

Fairey Marine, Fairey Marine Ltd.

Design & history

Originally called the SEA SWALLOW, the FIREFLY was the first sailboat built by Fairey Marine. Though intended as a two-man dinghy, it was used as the single-handed class for the 1948 Olympics, where Paul Elvstrom won gold.

Class · Selected as the single-handed class for the 1948 Olympic Games (Torbay, UK; gold medal won by Paul Elvstrom).

Notable features

Intended and normally raced as a two-man dinghyFiberglass construction permitted beginning in 1965

Variants

SEA SWALLOW

Design

Originally called the SEA SWALLOW; first sailboat built by Fairey Marine.

Production

First sailboat built by Fairey Marine. Fiberglass construction permitted beginning in 1965.

Curated reference notes

Featured in 1 video

Sailed by

John Lee Cotton: 91 years old and 75 years at seaSEILmagasinet