Please select your home edition
Edition
495 McKinley Drive Lboard Dec 2024

Video footage of Firefly dinghies in the 1980s and 90s - plus team racing

by Magnus Smith 15 Dec 12:00 UTC
Wilson Trophy at West Kirby in the late 1970s © Martyn Bromley

It's time to dig into the video archives again, almost exactly one year after our first ever video feature, which happened to be on 1950s Firefly sailing. But all we can add now is footage from the 1980s and 90s - nothing from the 1960s and 70s - what is going on?! We will have to throw a few team racing videos into the mix....

See part 1 for the Fifties videos.

The Eighties

Firefly Nationals 1984 - this was at Mount's Bay, and there's a whole hour to watch.

The Nineties

National Championships 1992 - three whole hours of material was recorded at Tenby!

Some team racing for you now, but in the Firefly, of course: London Duck 1993

The Team Racing World Championship at West Kirby was apparently the first ever. Can you name the year?

You can also watch the final with GBR vs IRL from the above event.

This record of Spinnaker Club's team racing history from 1996 has lots of Firefly footage here and there.

Once the year 2000 hit, videos started to become digital, and the nostalgia isn't present. Thus we end our story here... unless you can help?

What of the other decades?

Do you know the location of any Firefly videos from the 1960s or 70s? We would love to share these with other sailors. You can submit video links to us for immediate review.

Keep watching with:

Related Articles

Big Cats IV
You have made this series oh-so-popular, and oft requested more instalments Thank you. You have made this series oh-so-popular. Additionally, you have oft requested more instalments, which is also greatly appreciated. So, we started all this back in September of 2021 with Big Cats I. Posted on 2 Dec
Making time to take time
Selene might not be top of mind, but you'll be happy you took time to find out Funny thing is that this title applied to both parties. Me, because we had to make time to find out more about Selene, as they are not what you might refer to as 'top of mind'. It's OK. They admit to that. Posted on 6 Nov
Savvy Navvy - making boating more accessible
I spoke to founder Jelte Liebrand about his background, philosophy, the app itself The rise of Savvy Navvy in the world of boating navigation has been spectacular, with over 2 million downloads of the app. Posted on 21 Oct
Who makes a better BBQ?
Hold that thought. We'll revert, as this story about Sabre is right in the middle of our wheelhouse Hold that thought. We'll come back to it, because this story is right, bang, smack in the middle of our wheelhouse. Sabre is part of a small group of boatbuilders who started out making yachts (sailboats) before venturing into motor yachts. Posted on 24 Sep
For when looks not only matter, they count!
It's in the way the canopy integrates, and her amazing folding bulwark It's the look of her, for sure. She's just got something about her. It's in the way the canopy integrates, and her amazing folding bulwark. It is like the boat is sort of on steroids, but remains elegant, and everyone's interested to see her. Posted on 10 Sep
Do it on an empty stomach
Now I bet you thought that means this editorial is going to be about seasickness. Uh-uh Now I bet you thought that means this editorial is going to be about seasickness. Uh-uh. Actually, it is about hospitality. More specifically, Turkish hospitality, which is incredibly generous, and always involves heaps of food. Posted on 28 Aug
Magnificent journey and an awesome passage
43 years and 7000 nautical miles. The former is the journey, and the latter is the passage 43 years and 7000 nautical miles. Both are very weighty numbers in their own right. Both have tremendous significance. Both apply to the same greater subject here. Now the former is the journey, and the latter is the passage. Posted on 14 Aug
Talk about a bad rap
For whenever you think you have it bad, ponder these guys For whenever you think you have it bad, ponder these guys. Now rather than just the whole of them, it really comes down to the Big Four, albeit the stature of one of them is nowhere near as big as its reputation. Posted on 31 Jul
Good times
I had a distinctly Bernard Edwards and Nile Rogers flashback with the Tesoro T40 Yes. I had a distinctly Bernard Edwards and Nile Rogers flashback. Actually. Stop the press! It was a halleluiah moment. The reason? Got to catch up in person with the Tesoro T40... Posted on 30 Jul
From the Olympics to ocean passages
1.5 million users and counting: from Olympians, to ocean racers, cruisers and powerboaters Yes. The best there are on the water use PredictWind. However, it is not just limited to the Olympic Classes. Ocean racers and cruisers, as well as powerboat passage makers comprise the 1.5m users of the renowned system, and there is good reason why. Posted on 29 Jul
Savvy Navvy 2024Maritimo 2023 S-Series FOOTER