Being designed very much with amateur construction in mind, amateur-built Fireball hulls soon emerged from garages and living rooms and remained a feature of the class for many decades. Even today building the own boat will be a great experience...

DIY from scratch (plywood): FRA 14502

See pictures of todays DIY : FRA 15053 (Duvoisin sandwich shell, with plywood deck and cockpit, building time 1000h)

contact: Frédéric Le Bas

Amateur built wooden Fireballs: Wooden Fireballs (pdf)

Plans can be obtained from Fireball International Secretary.

See  International Fireball 1986 study plans (large pdf) | Study plans size A4

To apply for the Amateur's Building License (ABL): Fill the ABL Form to get the permission to build and the World Sailing (exISAF) International Class Fee Plague for 160£. Send 3 copies as described.

Relevant Class Rules:

2 BUILDERS

2.4 Amateur Builders

2.4.1 Building Limitation
An amateur builder shall be authorised to assemble or build not more than one
International Fireball per annum. The boat shall be registered in the name of the
assembler/builder and shall not be transferred to other ownership within six months of
completion, without prior permission from FI.

2.4.2 Materials
An amateur may build a Fireball from any combination of the materials listed in IFCR
9.2 within Category 1 and Category 2.

     9.2 Construction Categories
     9.2.1 Category 1: ‘Wood’
     A Fireball shall be defined as a ‘wood’ Fireball, when the centre bottom panel, bilge
     panels, topsides, aft and bow transoms, fore and aft main bulkheads, centreboard
     case sides, tank sides, thwart and decking are made of solid or laminated timber, or
     marine plywood, the veneers of which have been bonded with water and boil proof
     glue.
     9.2.2 Category 2: ‘FRP’ (Fibre Reinforced Plastic) and Composite
     A Fireball shall be defined as ‘FRP’, when the centre bottom panel, bilge panels,
     topsides, aft and bow transoms, fore and aft main bulkheads, centreboard case sides,
     tank sides and decking are made from any combination of the following:
     - Glass fibre or aramid fibre cloth
     - Polyester or epoxy resin
     - Rigid closed cell foam plastic or balsa wood (as a core material only)
     A Fireball may be defined as ‘composite’, when the centre bottom panel, bilge panels
     and topsides are made from those materials listed in Category 2 above, and the aft
     and bow transom, fore and aft main bulkheads, centreboard case sides, tank sides,
     thwart and deck are made from any combination of the materials listed in Category 1
     and Category 2 above.

2.4.3 Amateur Builders Licence
An amateur builder shall, before the issue of an International Class Fee Plaque,
complete an official Amateur Builder’s Licence Form (ABL) undertaking that he
himself will construct the boat in accordance with the rules of the International Fireball
Class and that he will not employ professional boat building labour for this purpose.
Note: Professional boat building labour is defined as “one who builds hulls or parts of
hulls for financial gain”.
Three copies of the ABL shall be completed and signed by the amateur builder and
countersigned by the Issuing Authority (NCA or FI). One copy shall be retained by the Issuing
Authority, one sent to the amateur builder and the other to FI for registration.

3 INTERNATIONAL CLASS FEE

3.1.1 The International Class Fee

3.3 Amateur Built Boats
The ICF shall be payable by the Builder whether or not the boat is subsequently measured.
Payment by the builder shall be made to his NCA or FI (the Issuing Authority) who will issue
an ICF plaque and two copies of the ICF receipt.

The Sponsor will issue ICF plaques and ICF receipts to FI for distribution to NCAs or directly
supply to individual members of FI. All payments by amateur builders shall be remitted by FI
to the Sponsor.

4 REGISTRATION

FI shall maintain a Sail Number Register and allocate sail numbers to builders or owners on
completion of an ‘International Fireball Registration Form’.

5 RECOGNITION MARKS

5.1 ISAF International Class Fee Plaque

The ISAF International Class Fee plaque shall be affixed in a conspicuous place inside the
cockpit of all boats on which the International Class Fee has been paid after 21st August
1970. It shall not be removed during the life of the boat.