FIREBUG YACHTS

PERFECT FAMILY FUN

The Firebug is a 2.4 metre (8 foot), high performance sailboat you can build with your family and sail yourself. 

It's a trainer yacht for learning, club sailing or racing, or simply a family fun boat for holidays at the beach or lake. 

MAKE IT YOUR OWN

Unlike other small yachts which are often mass-produced in white, Firebug builders are free to customise their boats and sails. Firebug fleets are the most colourful in the world. 

Join our Firebug Community Facebook page for amazing photos and videos.

THE ANTIDOTE TO SCREEN TIME

In this day and age of spending hours on screens, parents and grandparents will love getting the kids involved in a true old-school crafting project.

a Real Boat

Designed by the late renowned New Zealand yacht designer John Spencer and boatbuilder friend Peter Tait, this is no 'knock-it-up-in-a-weekend' throwaway boat. It’s light, fast and responsive to sail or race, and just right for learning in. Once they've built it, the kids (and adults!) get their own fully-fledged, high-performance sailboat to use for life, painted and named exactly how they want.

Build it Yourself

Construction is mainly from timber and plywood. You'll make up the pieces then assemble them on a building frame. Full sized patterns and illustrated building instructions make the build simple. There's no difficult bending or complicated shapes.

LEARN New Skills

The Firebug is cleverly designed for the novice builder as well as the experienced. The build is optimised to be as foolproof as possible, with a step-by-step construction process that helps you self-check progress as you go. 

GLOBAL COMMUNITY

With more than 1400 boats registered worldwide the Firebug has attracted a friendly, passionate and engaged community. Current leaders are passing the baton to a new generation of builders to allow the class to endure into the future.

GREAT for Adults or Children

Firebugs can be sailed by children or adults. For teaching, there's room for two on board, so no need for shouting from the beach. It's very responsive and manoeuvrable, and easy to sail. The rig is simple and easy to control, even for small sailors.

HOW MUCH DOES A FIREBUG COST?

Cost to build is typically around one third of a similar sized ready-to-sail boat, depending what you choose to make yourself and what you buy pre-fabricated. Our community leaders will help you figure out what works for you based on your budget, experience and local supply availability. 

FOR THE LOVE OF SAILING

The intention of the designers was to make the simple pleasure of sailing more accessible to everyone, so Firebug Yachts is a strictly not-for-profit, peer-to-peer community.