Designed in 1962 by Peter Milne as a performance boat for the masses, the Fireball is still going strong today. New boats are all kevlar/glass foam sandwich construction which makes them light, stiff and low maintenance. Older wooden or fibreglass boats are very cheap, with decent examples available for under £500. It is an ideal boat for those seeking an inexpensive route into performance dinghy sailing, or for those who don't want the limitations of an asymetric. The class is very active and organise national championships, open meetings and club opens across most of the UK. Internationally the class is also strong with European and World Championships held annually.