Des Geraghty writes:
I am busy trying to trace the remaining Flying Dutchman (FD’s) in South Africa, to update the records.
The information at hand shows that at various times in the last 15 years some FD’s may have relocated to your club.
Please could you advise if you know the whereabouts of any of these boats or equipment, regardless of condition.
Regards,
Des Geraghty
Contact Des directly: desg[at]aeplastics.co.za
The Flying Dutchman (FD) is a 20-foot one-design high-performance two-person monohull racing dinghy. Developed in the early 1950s, its large sail area per unit weight allow it to plane easily when sailing upwind. The boat utilizes a trapeze harness for the crew and hiking straps for the skipper to counterbalance the wind force on its sails. It made its Olympic debut at the 1960 Olympics Games.
The FD is still one of the fastest racing dinghies in the world.[3] She carries a mainsail, a very large foresail genoa, and a large spinnaker for running and reaching.
The FD has been the basis for many important innovations in sailing over the past half century:
- First one-design dinghy to make use of a trapeze gear, a feature commonly found today on high performance dinghies and catamarans
- Roller furling genoa
- Windward sheeting traveler
- Spinnaker chute
- Spinnaker pole launchers
- Composite construction
These innovations were possible because the FD was left as an “open” one-design class, where innovation and development in the boat is allowed and encouraged. Parameters that influence the speed of the boat directly, including hull shape, weight, and sail area are strictly controlled, but other areas can be adapted to suite.
The FD was sailed in Olympic competitions from 1960 Olympic Games through the 1992 Olympic Games. Since 2008 the FD is one of the Vintage Yachting Classes at the Vintage Yachting Games.
See some images of Flying Dutchmen including a magnificent wooden specimen here: http://www.flyingdutchmandinghy.com/gallery.htm
