The vang The vang the boat currently has is inadequate with insufficient purchase. Initially I propose to use my 16:1 holt allen laser vang, with a spectra strop if necessary. Will transfer this back and forwards between laser and fireball. We will see how this goes. If it courses problems we will switch to the class recommended cascade system here. ...

The mainsheet is on a bridle. This is two light lines located aft of the cockpit, spliced to the sheet. The system is a pit like a laser except that it is fixed rather than having a sliding block, and is not tensioned down onto the tiller. It seems that most boats do not use a purchase between boom and the ratchet block on the centrecase and this is the case here. If they do then a horse to reduce sheet lengths is common. I am not sure how this will work in practice for us. There is a risk th...

The jib has a wire luff that joins a wire halyard, connected to the muscle box. The purchase in the box comes out on the low side and cleats off on the centre case. Muscle boxes were common a few decades ago. A more modern system would have two blocks of three sheaves beside the centre case with a single cascade by the mast to give 12:1. I am sticking with the box. The side stays have adjusters at the base, and the spreader position is also adjustable. These alter mast rake and bend. Spreader ...

I brought this on trademe recently. I am in the process of preparing it for racing. The purpose of the dinghy is to race in open fleet racing at the Point Chevalier sailing club. This is Sunday sailing and we will not see another Fireball in the fleet. The boat will race against well sailed lasers that will do much better than their Portsmouth numbers suggest and variety of other less well sailed craft such as RS feva dinghies and the occasional twentyniner. The fireball crew are quite elde...