Fly 2 singlehander

[Nigel]

I really like the look of this. Shame I am about 10 stone over the weight for it.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :IT&ih=012

Anyone know anything about it?

Nigel

[davidh]

Nigel,

Less than 10' long, the class was originally designed by R. Fillery, then was 'improved' by one K .Ford. Intended for home building, the Fly was supposed to be a 'purpose built' youth trainer.

Looking at the bow sections suggests to me a boat that was only really intended for lake or river sailing - doubt that it would be much fun heading downwind in wind and wave!

Be a nice addition to the Lost Classes though......

D

[Rupert]

Designed as a British Moth trainer, I believe, in the same way that the OK was designed as a Finn trainer!

[Mark]

Ken Ford used the Fly as a British Moth trainer at the Lea Avon SC (an Essex version of Salterns SC) which was at Hyams Park Lake on the edge of Epping Forest. It was one of the clubs in the area that folded when the King George reservior opened for sailing in 1971. At the last count Ken's family had a couple of Moths at Benfleet SC.
Mark

[MarkHitchin]

Less than 10' long, the class was originally designed by R. Fillery, then was 'improved' by one K .Ford. Intended for home building, the Fly was supposed to be a 'purpose built' youth trainer.

Many thanks, I've been looking for this information for yonks.

I hope nobody objects but I've cribbed the excellent information and put it here:
http://fattie.freehostia.com/fly/
(If anyone does object I'll remove it - for instance I don't have the copyright to the first photo.)

Never heard of R. Fillery, did he design anything better known?

Afraid I have nothing to add except one photo and the fact that at Evesham Sailing Club (where my Fly came from) the PY of the Fly was 154 (not sure what that is in new money), and it was a total dog of a boat.

[Nigel]

Hi Mark,

I have a little data on it that I can send you. Send me a Private Message with your email address if you want it.

To put 154 in context, a Mirror was 122.

Nigel

[Rupert]

And an Oppi 144

[MarkHitchin]

Ken Ford used the Fly as a British Moth trainer at the Lea Avon SC (an Essex version of Salterns SC) which was at Hyams Park Lake on the edge of Epping Forest. It was one of the clubs in the area that folded when the King George reservior opened for sailing in 1971. At the last count Ken's family had a couple of Moths at Benfleet SC.
Mark

I heard today that Ken Ford passed away this Monday. (4th April 2011).

[billytwiglet]

I learned to sail at Lee Avon sc which was run by Ken Ford. He was an amazing man who ran the club for youngsters from 8-16yrs or so. We started by crewing british moths helmed by older members and moved on to a fly when ready. During the winter we would build boats at a workshop just off Lea Bridge Road Leyton, and sail through the summer. In my last year there we built from scratch 4 british moths and 10-12 flys, all hand finished to an amazingly high standards. They also had a merlin, 291 'tarka', Holt 'riant' design which had been restored a couple of times; once after a lorry drove into it and also after a fire. You could still see the black carbon in the grain of the spruce mast! Later they acquired a couple of others, probably proctors.The terylene sails were made by the girls; on one occasion they went to the boat show to demo this.

I sailed Fly 2 during a couple of races at the Fly class nationals; I got a second. She was the earliest one, which was wood frame and doped canvas, good in light airs.

During the past few years I have been trying to research all this, so if anyone has further information, please contact me.

Very sad to hear about Ken, but I guess he must have been in his mid to late seventies. I'll never forget what he did for us all and how he started my love for boats and sailing.

[JimC]

the PY of the Fly was 154 (not sure what that is in new money)

1744 (!)

[MarkHitchin]

During the past few years I have been trying to research all this, so if anyone has further information, please contact me.

Thanks for all that interesting info. Maybe mine was one built during one of the winter building sessions. A nice thought. I'm vaguely in touch with Ken Ford's Granddaughter who could perhaps put you in touch with his son who might be able to answer a few questions for you. Send me a PM if you want to do so.

So were there a lot of Fly dinghies? You mention Nationals, were there a good number from from outside Lea Avon SC, or was the fly almost exclusive to Lea Avon SC?

[billytwiglet]

The majority were at LASC, maybe 25 or so. The 'nationals' were more 'locals' so to speak. I'm not sure where the rest were, maybe some at Broxbourne.