Firefly 12' (1946) - The FIREFLY first saw light of day around 1937 when the Cambridge University Cruising Club asked Uffa for a club team racing boat. The class was born post war in 1947 when the YRA prompted Fairey Marine to use up all the wartime birch - warplanes into boats. The class received a big boost when it was chosen as the single hander for the Torbay Olympics
Swordfish - The National Swordfish Class was inaugurated by the YRA in 1946 with the idea of introducing a a racing dinghy in the thoroughbred tradition of the Fourteens. which at the same time would be more stable and thus appeal more to families. The 75 pound gal vanised cast iron centreplate was the main stabilising influence as well as a source of some apprehension for a timid crew! Swordfish 1 - owned by Cambridge University Cruising Club - was registered in 1947 and was named 'Swordfish'.The first hulls were built from birch plywood and were painted battleship grey (presumably war surplus). Later hulls were built using Aaba veneer and the paint persisted. It was these early owners who scraped off the paint and applied their own varnish. Fairey Marine quickly followed suit and the early beautiful Swordfish emerged.Regrettably the Swordfish did not sell in the numbers expected by Faireys and the boat was redesigned to become the Albacore. In 1964 the decision to cease production
Jolly Boat 18.5' (1959) - An incredibly fast planing dinghy, mass produced by Fairey Marine in the 1950/60s. Uffa claims that he designed the boat when he realised he was getting 'a bit thick aft' so wanted a boat with a bit of room in he could race but could also carry four or five people for a picnic. The Jolly Boat has a good following in Australia and the class was well represented at the Uffa Fox Centenary Regatta in 1998 at Cowes.
