Flying Again - Uffa Fox Flying 25 sails again

by Sail-world.com/uk on 14 Jan 2008
The Flying 25 was the largest of Uffa's Flying series of open keelboats. She is reputed to have been so fast she frightened some of the crew! Uffa designed a range of small keelboats based around the popular Flying 15. They ranged from the Flying 10 (14ft) to this the biggest - the Flying 25 (33ft).

The new build by Paul Woodman in Australia uses modern materials and an asymmetric spinnaker so who knows how fast she will be! With the proposed asymmetric rig she should scream on a reach.

The hull is constructed using Vinylester.csm, byaxial and quadaxial glass fibre over a core of 19mm divinycell foam planking with csm, quadaxial glass fibre an Vinylester resin on the inside hull.

It is anticipated the hull and deck will weigh around 1000 lbs. Paul has remained faithful to Uffa's hull sectional shapes and locations during set-up.

Bilge pumps are fitted under each side deck, like the Etchells, so we can pump-out whilst sitting on the weather deck.

Sheet winches are mounted on the side decks just forward of amidships. The mast was extended by two feet above the original design, this has allowed them to increase the luff heights of both the Jib and the Main and shorten the Genoa overlap, maintaining much the same total sail area as per the plan - about 400sq ft

The forestay has been move aft by 12' to accommodate the Profurl jib reefing system. The mast location from the bow remains as per the original position The boom is the same length.

The Big Sister of the Flying 15 can be seen at the Royal Brighton YC Australia.

You could get a look if you visit Melbourne for the 2009 Flying 15 Worlds.

Flying 25 specification

Length Overall 33'-0'
Length WL 25'-0'
Beam Max 7'-3.5'
Draught 3'-9'
Sail Area (sq feet) 390

Uffa Fox website - http://www.uffafox.com