About the Dragons
The Dragon Class is actively represented in over 26 countries in 5 Continents with over 1400 boats registered. The number of boats built averages 45 per year. There are many more which are used for day sailing or cruising. The World Championships are held in every odd year and the European Championships are held annually. The Gold Cup, which can only be held in certain specified European countries, is unique in that all six races count without discard. It is held annually and often attracts over 100 entries, usually starting in one fleet.
History
A more detailed history of the International Dragon Class can be found on the IDA Website. Details of trophy winners (Olympics, Worlds etc.) can be found on Wikipedia.
The Dragon was designed by Johan Anker in 1929. The original design had two berths and was ideally suited for cruising in his home waters of Norway.
In 1948 the Dragon became an Olympic Class, a status it retained until the Munich/Kiel Olympics in 1972. It remains the only Olympic yacht ever to have a genuinely popular following outside the Games. Since the Olympics the Dragons have gone from strength to strength. The major reason for this has been the ongoing controlled development of the boat. The Dragon's long keel and elegant metre-boat lines remain unchanged, but today Dragons are constructed using the latest technology to make the boat durable and easy to maintain. GRP (introduced in 1973) is the most popular material, but both new and old wooden boats regularly win major competitions while looking as beautiful as any craft afloat.
www.nadragons.org