Hydrodynamic research was augmented by construction of the world's first experimental low speed wind tunnel for racing yacht design at the Hayes factory.
As the war drew to a close Fairey and Chichester-Smith both decided that they should produce sailing dinghies utilising techniques that had been employed in the construction of aircraft.
In 1969, commanding the Huntsman 707 Fordsport, he took part in the Round Britain Powerboat Race, and included among his crew members, Rally champion Roger Clark.
Later on in the 1950s they produced the larger sailing cruisers, the Atalanta (named after Sir Richard's wife), Titania, Fulmar and the 27-foot (8.2 m) Fisherman motor sailer (based on the Fairey Lifeboat hull) along with the 15' Cinderella (outboard runabout)/ Carefree (inboard runabout), and the 16'6" Faun (outboard powered family cruiser).
Craft were sold to both wealthy and famous individuals, including Deborah Kerr, Prince Albert of Belgium and Billy Butlin.
In March 2000, FBM Marine was acquired by Babcock International Group PLC, a major UK based support services, facilities management and engineering company specialising in the support of defence forces worldwide, and renamed FBM Babcock Marine Ltd.
The hot moulding process was an adaptation to post war boat building of the method originally developed by de Havillands in the 1930s for "stressed skin" wooden aircraft production, using layers of thin birch plywood sandwiched together with glue over a male mould and "cooked" in a large oven called an "autoclave" By using true mass-production techniques, Fairey Marine were able to turn out vast numbers of identical boats at an unprecedented quality and price.
Working from the sheerline, the planks were built up in a series of steps, arriving quickly at a close representation of the designed shape.
Early boats used 1/8″ spruce ply, surplus to the War Department's de Havilland Mosquito aircraft programme.
The 23 ft (7m) design may have suited Hunt's local waters but being fully open boats and incorporating leaky retractable centre-boards, they were not well received.
In addition to producing its own craft, Fairey also supplied bare hulls suitable for fitting out, and Campbell, still looking to fulfil his own ideas for a luxury powerboat, acquired Huntress hulls, with the blessing of Fairey, fitting them out to his own specifications and calling them, once again, Christinas; the later models were laid up in GRP by Halmatic.
Uffa Fox dusted off his pre war Sea Swallow design renaming it Firefly to name it after Fairey aircraft.
The first four were bought by Sir Geoffrey Lowles, commodore of Itchenor Sailing Club, which he named Fe,[9] Fi, Fo and Fum.
The boat was also considered to be sufficiently competitive enough to be selected for the single handed class in the 1948 Olympics, although it was replaced in 1952 by the Finn.
Early boats were built from laminates of birch ply, left over from the stocks used to build Horsa gliders.
A number of modifications have been made to the class over the years including construction in GRP from 1968, and the introduction of a one piece rotating mast by Proctors in 1970.
Production Sailing Dinghies Production Yachts Later on in the 1950s they produced the larger sailing cruisers, the Atalanta (named after Sir Richard's wife),[11] Fulmar and the 27' Fisherman motor sailer (based on the Fairey Lifeboat hull) along with the 15 Cinderella (outboard runabout) and the 16'6" Faun (outboard powered family cruiser).
It was envisaged as a trailable shallow draft performance cruiser with the sea keeping capabilities and safety of a fin keel yacht.
Over the succeeding decades the distinctive centre cockpit design with its rolled decks and generous accommodation has more than fulfilled expectations, offering a respectable turn of speed in light airs while her retractable cast iron keels give outstanding heavy weather performance in a seaway.
Robust enough to carry its full sail in winds up to force five, the Atalanta retains many of the handling characteristics of a classic dinghy.
Fairey Marine went on to produce three variants of the Atalanta, another 26 ft (8.1m) hull with a slightly shorter cockpit and more headroom called the Titania (named after another Fairey flying boat), a larger version the Atalanta 31 (9.45m) and the Fulmar a 20 ft(6.1m) version with a single lifting keel.
During the 1950s Fairey Marine decided to build a production folding boat, a cross between a canoe, a dinghy and a punt.
Of plywood and waterproofed canvas construction, the boat was robust, with individual sections being bolted together and stiffened with removable bulkheads.
In 1974, Fairey Marine was awarded the contract to build a new floating bridge between East and West Cowes, on the Isle of Wight.
Combat Support Boat One of the last designs to come from Fairey Marine before being absorbed into FBM Babcock Marine Limited was a craft based on a requirement issued by the UK Military Vehicles and Engineering Establishment at Christchurch, the Fairey company started development of the 8m Combat Support Boat (CSB) in the Autumn of 1975, with the first prototype being delivered to the British Army for trials early in 1977.
The Firefly first prize was replaced in 1972 by today's engraved plate "The Sir Richard Fairey Challenge Trophy".
Their basic idea, which still remains the principal objective of the club, is to preserve the marque of Fairey boats especially powerboats.