Originally designed by Peter Milne in 1962, the Fireball is a one-design high-performance sailing dinghy. The Fireball is sailed by a crew of two, and sports a single trapeze, symmetric spinnaker and chined hull. The class is strictly controlled, but has adapted to advances in building techniques. The hulls (plywood, FRP or composite) have a strict minimum weight limit of 175 lb (79 kg) (with correctors).

The Fireball is a highly competitive dinghy, with large fleets worldwide and state, national, continental and world championships held annually. Competitors of all ages help make this class enjoyable for everyone. The performance of the boat is very dependent on tuning as the Fireball's rig can be adjusted in numerous ways.

Fireball Dinghy

An International Fireball dinghy is a two person, three sail monohull sailing dinghy, with a single trapeze built in either wood or fibreglass. Suitable for competitive racing from club to World Championship level, the International Fireball dinghy is 4.94m long and has a 1.37m beam. It is sailed successfully by numerous people of both sexes from teenagers up to pensioners and for competitive sailing there is a wide range of all-up crew weights at the front of the fleet from 20-25 stones (127-153 kgs).

The Fireball is a high performance dinghy that just about anyone can sail in almost any wind strength, on any style of race course, on virtually any stretch of water. Its ideal for mixed crews, inland club waters or the sea. Entry level boats can be purchased from just a few hundred pounds.

Fireballs are a delight to sail in strong winds. The thrills of trapeze and spinnakers are hard to match in any type of sailboat or board. If capsized, the boats are easily righted, and can be sailed without bailing. The weight and strength of the crew is not as important as the tuning of the boat. The trapeze and sail handling requires skill rather than strength.

The Fireball sailing dinghy has a very active class association. It has a sponsored UK race circuit, a classic boat fleet with it's own events, World, European and National Championships. This is perhaps why nearly 15000 Fireballs have been sold world wide.

Fireball  Sailing Dinghy Specifications

Fireball Related Links

• United Kingdom Fireball Association

• Fireball International website