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This article is interesting in that it was written by Ernest Argyle in Sea Breezes 1969.
Of course the "Fireball" is still going strong and a very popular dinghy. Read on...............

The third South Pacific Games are this year (1969) being held in Port Moresby, in the Territory of Papua and New Guinea and one of the three stamps marking the occasion shows a Fireball class yacht, the first occasion on which this class has been seen on stamps. This now gives us a total of 19 different classes of racing yachts philatelically depicted, though a number of yachts have yet to be identified, which might add to the total of different classes. Fireballs cost between £330 and £350 and are made by various builders, the hulls being made of wood or glass reinforced plastics. They are centre board sloops with an overall length of 16 ft. 2 ins., the sail area being 123 sq. ft. They are sailed by a crew of two, and have no auxiliary power. Their weight ex-sail is 200 lb. so they can easily be transported by trailer. Their popularity is growing, the red ball on the sail being their identification mark.There are over 200 stamps depicting sailing, covering everything from class dinghies to ocean races involving very large vessels normally used for commercial or naval training purposes.

Sea Breezes Oct 1969
Papua New Guinea SG156

The FIREBALL is a high performance two person sailing dinghy; the yacht was designed by Peter Milne (1934-2008) in 1961.

Dimensions 4.94 x 1.37m.
Hull weight 79 kg.
Sail area: main 8.17 m², jib 3.25 m², spinnacker 13.00 m².

Barbados used a set of stamps to commemorate the Fireball International World Championship 2010 in Barbados from 24 April till 7 May 2010.
The following is given by the Barbados Post::

Throughout the history of Barbados, sail-powered vessels have always been integral to regional trade and local livelihoods. With the advent of engine powered boats for trade, the sailing boats evolved from workboats to play boats, and boat designs changed where speed was a key factor. For over 30 years now, Barbados has been a global haven for great coastal and offshore racing, mostly due to consistent trade winds, crystal clear warm waters, and the welcoming smiles from local enthusiasts.
Barbados has been hosts to many types of sailing regattas, for boats of all sizes, ranging from the ‘model boats’ about one metre in length, to the ‘big boats’ up to 25 metres long. The local Barbados Mount Gay Regatta, held every year, is the longest running. We are also now hosting J24 Invitational Regional Regattas annually, and have been proud hosts to the International One Metres (IOM) Worlds 2009.
This year, the friendly shores of Carlisle Bay will be the venue for the Fireball International World Championships starting April 24th through to May 7th 2010, under the auspices of the Barbados Sailing Association, the governing body for sailing in Barbados. This Fireball Worlds 2010 Regatta is a good way to promote Barbados as the great sailing and racing venue we know it to be, a place where sailors can enjoy our islands’ natural resources of sun, sea and wind. The main sponsor for this event is the Barbados Tourism Authority.
The Fireball, one of the most competitive racing dinghies in the world is a high performance, two-person sailing dinghy offering exciting sailing, intense competition and a great social life off the water. Hull and sail plans are of strictly one design, yet class rules allow for the adaption of the position of the gear to suit your weight and sailing style. The key distinguishing aspect of the Fireball is its ability to sail in a wide spectrum of wind conditions. The thrill of trapeze and spinnakers are hard to match in any type of sailboat or board. If capsized, the boats are easily righted, and can be sailed without bailing. The performance of the boat is very dependent on tuning as the Fireball's rig can be adjusted in numerous ways. The weight and strength of the crew is not as important as the tuning of the boat, winning races comes down to mastering the art of tuning, and sailing better than your competition, as the trapeze and sail handling requires skill rather than strength; some countries’ leading Fireball sailors are women.
This competition which is held annually in different countries will be featuring seventy-six Fireball dinghies with one hundred and sixty sailors from Australia, Barbados, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Namibia, Shetland Islands, Slovenia, South Africa, St. Lucia, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States. A large number of family and friends will also journey to Barbados for this prestigious event.

Barbados 2010 50c/$2.00 sg? Scott?
Source: Barbados Post info.