National 12

General Boards => General National 12 chat => Topic started by: Overomtimistix on 08 Nov 2010, 01:08

Title: Firefly
Post by: Overomtimistix on 08 Nov 2010, 01:08
I was talking to a chap at the sailing club yesterday and he said that the Firefly dinghy was originally a N12 design.
I read that it was designed by Uffa King along the lines of the 12 but was it ever a legal N12 design?
thanks
dan
Title: Re: Firefly
Post by: johnk on 08 Nov 2010, 03:20
I don't think that the Firefly ever met the Nat 12 rules until after the four plank limit went. Whether a Firefly fits our current Nat 12 rules I do not know.
Title: Re: Firefly
Post by: andymck on 08 Nov 2010, 06:51
The Firefly was originally the Cambridge One Design. This was supposed to meet the then N12 hull rules, and was originally built in clinker. It had a different rig as the Cambridge one design, but could have been easily converted to be raced in N12 class racing. Uffa Fox was not one to waste a good set of lines when he had one, and it was then relaunched as the Firefly, Seafly and Albacore in various guises post war, when Fairey Marine needed a new project. Obviously the Firefly did not measure as it was smooth skinned, there were some joint events and examples of which are in the handbook.

Andy