CVRDA

Not exactly a CVRDA subject or request, I know, so apologies in advance but I'm casting a wide net! Now that FB6 has had a blast around the mid-stretch of Chichester harbour courtesy of Bosham SC's Classic Boat Revival, my attention has turned to the newest boat in my personal fleet - FB14463 'Crack...

"Lifting your rudder to sail over shallows is definately against the rules. If you find yourself in a "pocket," you must either turn back or if you can sail over it by lying the boat over on its side, that is allowed. (but you may then find yourself blown onto a lee shore, so it is a ...

OK; not a problem. Upwind simply tack if the board touches (since the bottom is mud you'll feel it rather than hear it). Downwind keep an eye out for the posts marking the start of the mud flats and don't stray too far inside the line between them. Even if you should touch bottom with the rudder bla...

I'm pretty sure we'll only encounter boats on swinging moorings and I presume most of the racing will be in the main part of the harbour anyway so no need to worry. Incidentally, further up the harbour it's common practice to lift rudder blades to sail into the shallows when there's very little wind...

Hi, I've attached a link to part of the Technical Section of UK Fireball Association website. It shows how Fireballs tend to set up spinnaker bags these days. As indicated by others, cut-outs in the deck either side of the mast may not be appropriate for you but the general set-up may provide inspir...

Hi, I'm planning to bring Fireball 6 along to Bosham but need a crew. Does anyone know someone who may be interested? This particular Fireball is rigged to 1962 spec so no spinnaker or trapeze to complicate matters; old-fashioned leaning-out is very much the order of the day. Despite lack of go-fast...

Hi Pat, Peter Milne designed the Fireball as a double-hander. He tested the prototype with and without trapeze but initially opted to launch the class without. It was always his intention to add a trapeze at a later date and this happened in 1965 no doubt taking interest in the class to an even high...

The Fireball sailed by Bill Kempner in the trials was 902 "Skizo" which he advertised for sale in July 1966 along with the single-handed conversion gear. I'm afraid I don't know if it has survived. An example of the Dart (I can't remember the sail number (7?) but the one discussed on this ...

Incidentally, has anyone ever seen a 420 with wooden breakwaters on the foredeck? I owned/raced number K4313 many, many years ago that had this feature......never seen one that old, or any where near that number.....anyone else?? I've seen a 420 numbered fifty-something at Dell Quay on a few occasi...

I have Fireball 6 insured with Craftinsure on a normal racing risks policy. However, the premium is lower than for a standard Fireball since, whilst the insured value is quite high (reflecting restoration costs, replacement cost of sails etc), Craftinsure accepted that '6' is sailed and raced infreq...

I had a chat with the owner prior to the Turks auction and he told me that a trapeze was fitted from the off. The boat's highly unusual because of the snubbing winch. The only other one I've seen on a Fireball is on the pre-production prototype FB '0' which is now in the National Maritime Museum Fal...

With unbelievable timing that Fireball from Turks has turned up in Maidstone:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fireball-sailing- ... 3f06a5528d

Presumably the damage has been repaired.

Hi Graham, Fascinating to hear that a suit of Ted Heath's FB sails survive. I had been wondering if I'd be able to establish the sail numbers of his boats (I think there may have been two but I'm really not sure). So.......do you think you'd be able to ask your father what sail number is on the main...

Hi Michael, I read your messages about the auction at the time and had a chat with the yard owner about that FB. Like you I was particularly taken by the winch etc! The boat had been built by one of the chaps at the yard for the owner who had sailed it on the Thames around 1965 with a trapeze fitted...

Hi Sami, Many thanks indeed! My e-mail address is cdwt9538@btinternet.com I love the originality of your boat: mainsheet horse still in situ and some wooden hatch covers, too! It is difficult to tell who the builder may have been. I can see similarities with '66' which is a Chippendale hull decked b...