Boat Register

Additional Build Notes

Current Owner
Present owner not known

Known Owners

1st owner – (Sir) John Oakeley, 8th Baronet, (1932 – December 2016), Hamble River SC, Firefly collected from Fairey Marine workshops, March 1949. Period of Oakeley’s ownership and the Firefly’s original name, not certain.

1969 – Dr Moodie, Worksop College, Notts County SC

*** John Oakeley (deceased December 2016) –

Winner Firefly Week 1952 sailing “Lucciolle”, F873 at Plymouth, fleet based at RAF Mount Batton, some 85 entries, during a busy Olympic year, crewed by Miss Pat Wells, the Firefly’s owner, 7th in the Sir Ralph Gore trophy.

Later, national champion in Merlin Rockets, three consecutive years 1956, at Whitstable, 1957 with Tony Fox (the boat’s owner) at Torquay, 65 entries, and 1958 with Tony Fox again, at Plymouth, c50 entries; and in a National 12, Burton Week 1957 with Maureen Cox (later Mrs Maureen Oakeley, at Falmouth, 120 entries.

World Champion in the Flying Dutchman class, 1967, with David Hunt, sailing “Shadow” also European champion, and also World Champion in the Soling keelboat class.

GB Olympic competitor at Mexico, 1968 and Kiel,1972, racing in the Soling keelboat class.

Mid 1980’s, skipper and helm of “Lionheart”, America Cup challenge in the 12 Metre keelboat class.

Sailmaker, yacht sales agent and charter.

Author of dinghy and keelboat sailing books, “Winning” 1970 and “This is Downwind Sailing” , 1982, together with regular magazine articles. A couple of excellent images of Oakeley sailing this Firefly, single-handed, appear in Ian Proctor’s book “Sailing – wind and current” published by Adlard Coles 1953 and reprinted 1964, if you are lucky enough to own or find a copy of this cracking and priceless book. ***

History

NFA review 12/2016