Fireballs Revive Classic Boats

14th March 2012

Afloat.ie Team

#FIREBALL – The boat (below) on the left sailed by Ian Pinnell and Daniel Cripps won the 1994 Worlds in Durban South Africa. The boat on the right was sailed by Tom Gillard & Sam Brearey to the World title in 2012, in Mandurah, Western Australia.

So, they are both World Championship-winning boats to the same design, but separated by 18 years....which makes GBR 14415 a Classic Fireball.

This year the Irish Fireball Association intends to promote the Classic Fireballs in our midst by starting the regatta season with a dedicated regatta for them at Killaloe on the weekend of May 19th & 20th, coincident with the Munsters. Additionally, the best placed "Classic" will pick up a "Classic" award at the Nationals to be held in Howth at the end of June.

For the purposes of this regatta, the class is defining the Classic Fireballs as those boats with a sail number earlier than 14600.

fireballs

The hope is that by having a dedicated Classic Regatta for the older Fireballs we might give encouragement to the owners of these beautiful wooden boats to come and join the regatta circuit on a season long basis.

The Association wants to promote and encourage the Classic fleet using with two approaches;

• Encourage owners of "Classic " boats to attend regattas and participate locally and regionally

• Encourage crews with newer boats to beg or borrow a "Classic" with the view to tuning it up to current standards, thereby demonstrating to its owners that their boat is competitive

The focus on "Classic" is also intended to encourage lower budget completion and make the class more affordable for potential competitors.

Get those wooden beauties going...

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Fireball: 60 years of history

Designed in 1962 by British naval architect Peter Milne, the Fireball is a two-person dinghy with spinnaker and trapeze, combining simplicity of construction, high performance and accessibility. Over the years, it has been a training ground for generations of sailors, developing skills in tactics and technique, and producing champions who later moved on to Olympic and offshore challenges. More than half a century later, it remains one of the most vibrant and passionate classes, also thanks to initiatives such as the Under 25 category, designed to engage new generations and keep the tradition alive.

At A Glance – Fireball Dinghy Specs

Crew 2 (single trapeze)
LOA 16 ft 2 in (4.93 m)
Beam 4 ft 6 in (1.37 m)
Hull weight 175 lb (79 kg)
Mast height 22.3 ft (6.8 m)
Mainsail area 108 sq ft (10.0 m2).
Jib / Genoa area 35 sq ft (3.3 m2).
Spinnaker area 140 sq ft (13 m2).