Flying Fifteens in 2002

All the latest information and news on hulls, gear, sails and rig for the popular Flying Fifteen

The Flying Fifteen, designed in 1947 by Uffa Fox, has worn remarkably well. Unlike some other small boat designs from the early post-war era the lines still have a timeless quality and the clever keel shape allows easy launching and retrieval without cranes or lifting of keels. Anyone who has read Uffa's tales of touring with a Flying Fifteen on the roof of his car and the keel on the back seat and assembling the boat at each event will realise how pampered we are now with modern trailers.

In recent years, particularly since the asymmetric concept gained ground, the FF had begun to appear outflanked by the newer classes, but remarkably few have really clashed. The FF is essentially a modern dayboat, in the tradition of the Victory and X classes but with the a much more modern feel, that dinghy sailors can immediately feel at home in. The size also allows a good weight carrying ability without effecting performance but is still easy to maneuver in and out of the water.

The FF seems safe in its niche as the trend of the moment is to provide small asymmetric keel boats to cater for those owners now finding the larger sportsboats difficult to man every week. The FF, with a well established international fleet structure, spanning both inland and sea venues, and with the opportunity for owners to have some choice in fitting and layout via the different builders, seems to be holding the high ground.

Hulls

Over the years FF have been built in many materials and construction methods, Those sailed now make use of modern material developments and recently there have been two main builders in the UK - Ovington and Brett Dingwall.

Dave Ovington took the Mk IX mould of former doyen of FF builders, Roy Windebank and produced the first foam sandwich hulls - Epoxy e-glass, foam sandwich with gel coat vacuum bagged - later Ovington modified the mould to produce what became known as the Ovington Smoothy.



Speaking with Dave Hall he revealed that they are reworking the Ovington deck mould to improve the ergonomics and fittings location. "It's really a general upgrade to bring the boat into the 21st century. Just small improvements to the already very successful hull in the light of recent experience."

Brett Dingwall is the second major builder of FF in the UK. Originally he finished supplied hulls and eventually modified a Mk V hull for himself. This was sold and was very successful on the open meeting circuit, winning the Nationals twice (91 and 92) so he developed a mould. The recent success of the Dingwall boats - third, fourth and sixth at the 2001 Nationals and first and sixth at the 2001 Worlds - has opened another choice for the FF owner.




The Dingwall hull rocker is as flat as possible and the bow is finer than the Ovington, the deck layout is also different to the standard Ovi layout, having full tanks to reduce any possible water intake. Another difference is the mast step arrangement which places the mast on the false floor, so that any water coming into the cockpit is straight out the bailers rather than hanging around the mast step area. The deck mould does not include a chute cutout, but Brett adds the chute after if requested and is working on a new version for next season.

A new development on the builder front is news that David Naylor is to return to building Flying Fifteens. David stopped building the FF after the introduction of the Mk IX version around 1987 and since then has concentrated on larger craft, constructing several John Corby designs and manufacturing parts for light aircraft.

Over the last two years he has been looking at re entering the FF market and eventually prepared a plug after careful investigation of measurement certificates based from the popular IX mould. The new mould he has produced has been aimed at getting the boats symmetrical and reducing variations that have been as much as 6mm from port to starboard. He has also produced a new keel foundry pattern.

Two boats have been taken off the mould and the deck mould in progress will allow either an Ovington style layout or full tanks as the Dingwall style or a combination. The hulls are to be produced in foam sandwich with a Kevlar/glass layup with unidirectional carbon used in shroud, keel and the bow slamming area as well as between forestay to mast and in the rudder head load areas. Boats will be available for next season and David is talking of a hull and deck for £4270.

Continued with Sails developments page 2....
Mast and Rigs on page 3.....
Changes and Gear Guide tables on page 4....