Seafly sailing - then and now

As a school boy in the 1960's, living in Llanfairfechan, I helped my father build Seafly 59 ("The Dong") from a kit purchased from South Devon Boatbuilders in Dawlish. With my father as crew we raced in regattas along the North Wales coast. I also raced in schools competitions with Bob MacFarlane (left in bottom right photo) as crew. Being good at physics I once even pursuaded the physics master to let us practise sailing rather than attend a physics practical lesson. Bob and I sailed out the 4 miles or so to Puffin Island (visible in the top left photo, click to enlarge) but as we planed back I got caught by a wave and fell overboard. I kept hold of the mainsheet and, as the boat sailed away from me, the mainsail sheeted in and the Seafly dutifully turned up into the wind. Only then did Bob realise that I had become probably the only person to fall overboard during a school physics practical lesson... wouldn't happen nowadays! But we were lucky to be raised on the "Better drowned than duffers if not duffers wont drown" approach (Swallows and Amazons, Arthur Ransome). Eventually, I went off to Imperial College in London, my parents moved to Eastbourne, and the Seafly became impractical and sadly was sold; I think it ended it's days as a day fishing boat off the Sussex coast!

Fast forward to modern times... three to four years ago I received an email on the "social" email list at work advertising a Seafly dinghy for sale. "Sonic the Sea Slug" (sail no. 650) had apparently been a Seafly class champion and was set up as a modern racing dinghy with more ropes to adjust the rig while sailing than I could ever imagine from my own racing days. I gave it the care and attention it was needing and reduced the controls to the number I could understand! Sailing solo from my house on the River Itchen in Southampton, I've installed a "masthead float" and some extra buoyancy. If the boat capsized and the mast got stuck in the mud it would be some what embarrassing!

I think it's great that Tony Longworth and Pete Lawson are reviving the Seafly. It is such a good sea boat, quick to plane, very stable, and very well mannered. The helm is beautifully balanced, you need no force to steer. Once, in rough weather, I broke the rudder attempting a too extreme turn to surf on a wave. We sailed back to shore by using the trim of the sails (plus the centre board) to steer the boat.