Firefly (boat class)
| Notation | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Boat dimensions | |
| Length above : | 3.66 m |
| Width above sea level : | 1.42 m |
| Mast height : | 6.47 m |
| Weight (ready to sail): | 100 kg |
| Sail area | |
| Sail area close to the wind : | 8.36 m² |
| Others | |
| Rigging type: | Sloop |
| Class : | Olympic 1948, one-size-fits-all |
The Firefly is a wooden two-man dinghy without spinnaker and without trapeze with a length of 12 feet . It was designed by Uffa Fox in 1946 .
Although she was originally designed as a two-man dinghy, she was chosen as a one-man boat class for the 1948 Olympic sailing competitions off Torquay (England). The exceptional Danish sailor Paul Elvstrøm won the gold medal . After these Olympic Games, the Firefly was replaced by the Finn dinghy as a one-man boat class on the occasion of the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki .
In the following years, the Firefly became very popular as a two-man dinghy class, as it was once planned by its designer. It has been very widespread in the Scandinavian region up to the present day. In Great Britain it was preferably the leading boat class for team racing, a regatta form in which two, three or four boats compete as a (club) team against other teams and are jointly scored on points. It makes them so interesting for this regatta form because of their high maneuverability, easy handling and low acquisition costs.
The Firefly was therefore designed as a unit class from the start to limit costs . Another advantage is the optional use of smaller mainsails if the increasing wind would make it necessary to stop the races for safety reasons.
The Firefly can be used by sailors of all ages and is sailed by both men and women.
Web links
- Firefly Class Association UK (Engl.)
- Firefly class rules PDF file
Individual evidence
- ^ The Story of the Finn Dinghy: by Rickard Sarby ( August 30, 2007 memento in the Internet Archive ). Retrieved March 8, 2009