F27 Ismene is notable as double Olympic Gold Medalist Rodney Pattisson claimed his first major sailing victory in 1960 sailing for Pangbourne Nautical College at the Public Schools Championships hosted by Itchenor SC, See F2630, a feat he repeated in 1961.
Ismene is mentioned in Pattisson’s cracking and pungent autobiography “Superdocious”, published September 2019. He reports that after his “apprenticeship” in Cadets, he purchased this Firefly from Bradfield College for £25, still fitted with the original alloy decks and buoyancy tanks.
Pattisson upgraded Ismene to Mk2 layout with a kit from Fairey Marine and noted that the transom supplied in the kit had a different profile to the original. He retained the original fearing that changing it would change the shape of the hull and affect the acknowledged performance of the boat.
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Caption: c1960: Rodney Pattisson sailing his Firefly class dinghy ISMENE, No 27 during a race off Swanage. Rodney won the Public Schools Firefly championships in 1960 and 1961 (c) PPL Media Ltd.