Please select your home edition
Edition
Maritimo 2023 S-Series LEADERBOARD

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

by Magnus Smith 15 Dec 2024 04:00 PST
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

Is it the science of silence?
A sensibility and inner peace that only real Zen can deliver. Yes. This is Silent Yachts. Distinctly more than just moments in love? You'd have to think so. A serene theme for life. A futuristic take on it all. New Romantic collides with Renaissance. Abstract meets impressionism. A sensibility and inner peace that only real Zen can deliver. Posted on 17 Mar
Two boats. Same Direction.
You know the deal… It means there's a race on. You know the deal… It means there's a race on. So, the second South Pacific Superyacht Rendezvous is set for August 26 to 29, 2025. If it is even half as much fun and interesting as the first one, then it will bolster its burgeoning reputation. Posted on 9 Mar
Point of difference - Pacifica 44
Take me away. Far, far away. OK. Here's the Pacifica 44, which is perfect for the job. 3000nm. Boom. There's your unique selling proposition, right there. Real range. Reliable passage making times/distances at 10 knots as your base marker and unbelievable autonomy means the Pacifica 44 harnesses the absolute best a sailing vessel can offer. Posted on 27 Feb
PBMY - 30 years to become an overnight success
Palm Beach Motor Yachts turns 30 in 2025 Palm Beach Motor Yachts turns 30 in 2025. Commencing operations in Palm Beach, Australia with the Palm Beach 38, it wasn't long before more space was required. They then moved to Mona Vale, just a bit further down Sydney's Northern Beaches peninsula... Posted on 28 Jan
Earliest videos of the New York Boat Show
A look back into our video archive, to see how far we can go With the 2025 edition of the Show about to start in a few days, lets see how far back in time our video archive can go, with footage from early shows. The best we can do is 1937. Posted on 19 Jan
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 2024
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 2024
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 2024
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 2024
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 2024
Maritimo 2023 M600 FOOTERPalm Beach Motor Yachts