Firebug.co.nz
Title
Firebug - Build a boat and learn to sail
Description
Two friends, well known New Zealand designer John Spencer (the one with the red whiskers) and Peter Tait are responsible for the Firebug. The idea was to come up with a small boat which could be home built at low cost, ie to make the wonderful pastime of sailing more accessible and also to foster amateur boatbuilding skills - the grassroots of sailing.
Promotion has been mostly through magazine writings in the following publications: Boating New Zealand, Practical Boat Owner (UK), Windling World (NZ), Messing Around in Boats (US) and The Australian Amateur Boatbuilder. The idea has been an instant success. Planpacks are already in 22 countries around the world. Hundreds of Firebugs have already been built!
John, well respected around the world for his innovations with planing dinghies and lightweight keelers, was best known amongst dinghy sailors for his Cherubs, Javelins, Flying Ants, 18 and 12ft skiffs, but also designed a large range of keel yachts. A champion of the amateur builder he disliked off-the-shelf performance boats where the high price limited access to the pleasures of sailing.
