The Mayfly Sailing Dinghy
The fore-runner of the Seafly, the Mayfly was originally built by South Devon Boat Builders in Dawlish, Devon, UK. Other builders included Elders of Troon and Moores of Wroxham.
The Mayfly was a 12’9″ (3.89m) one design hard-chine dinghy designed in 1956 by J.V.Kelley. It had a 90 sq.ft (8.36m2) rig with an optional spinnaker of the same area. Two deck layouts were offered. Standard was a “rolled” deck” …a very modern innovation. The more conventional “Clubman” version featured side seats and a small gunwhale deck. The designer, John Kelley, had successfully designed (and helmed) dinghies in the very competitive National 12 and National 14 “development” classes.
[Next: The Mayfly – 1950’s] or back to [Seafly Design pages]