Hi from England

[TimThornton]

Hi,
I've been sailing for donkeys' years, almost always racing in the past, but now slowing down to cruising.
Also slowly doing up a 50 year old wooden Firefly.
Based near Winchester, England.
Tim

[skipmac]

Hi Tim,

Welcome to cruisers forum. Nice to have more folks from the go fast crowd on board to help us slow, cruising types to figure out how to get the boat moving a little better.

For myself, I thought racing was what I would try when I got too old to cruise. Seems pretty easy since all the pictures I see of racers everyone is just sitting on the rail dangling their feet.

[Eleven]

Hi Tim, I'm Southampton based, moored at Quayside Marina,off Quayside Rd, by the Northam bridge.
If you want to get out there now and then I'd be glad of some sail trimming instruction, if the wind ever blows! She need f4 to 6 for a good day! All this 'variable' stuff is driving me nuts.
I'm a bit of a novice, 100 hrs to date skippering my own boat, not much else. Just clocked another 50 as delivery crew from Ipswich to Poole but again that was mostly motoring with a sail up. Interesting, but when it got exciting we had to drop the sails, old boat, iffy rigging, leaky. (Catalac 9m).
Good luck with your project, is she on the hard locally?

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!
Good to have you here.
kind regards,

[anglooff]

Welcome aboard,
One idyllic summer holiday on the Kyles of Bute (Scotland) when I was a young teenager my brother in law (who had taught me to sail in a mirror), joined us and through his friend we were able to borrow/use one (firefly) during our stay. Wonderful dinghy. wonderful memories. However you mentioned cruising, will you use it as a tender or is it to allow you to continue racing?

Best Regards

Alan

[swagman]

G'Day and welcome,
A 40 year old Firefly - must be one of the younger ones!
I think the first ones were built in the mid 40's and I still think they are lovely.
Enjoy
JOHN