Explore the Dragon Class Builders.
Over 300 boatbuilders have tried their hand at the Dragon, principally in its earlier, wooden, days. Some only built one Dragon but several built 100s and many built dozens. The class owes a particular debt to Borge Børresen, who managed the construction transition from wood to GRP immaculately so that both constructions competed, and still do, on equal terms. Other builders who were particularly successful internationally with wooden boats include Anker & Jensen, Pedersen & Thuesen, Abeking & Rasmussen, Bjarne Aas and Savell. Since the introduction of GRP construction Petticrows have taken the lead from Borresen as the major builder in the class, followed by others such as Doomernik and Vejle Yacht Services. During the 1980s Peter Wilson also built a number of GRP boats in the UK. The competition among builders, sailmakers and sailors has meant that equipment has been continuously improved so that a modern Dragon is now one of the most sophisticated racing boats to be found.
Things to Explore
Dragon Builder | Location | Years Active | Number of Dragons Built |
---|---|---|---|
Abeking & Rasmussen | Lemwerder Bremen, Germany | 1934-1971 | 148 |
Anker & Jensen | Vollen Asker, Norway | 1930-1953 | 69 |
Bjarne Aas | Fredrikstad, Østfold, Norway | 1939-1968 | 62 |
Børresen | Vejle, Denmark | 1935-present | 760 |
Brites | Lisbon (Santos), Portugal | 1949-1963 | 19 |
Chang | Hong Kong | 1985-1995 | 31 |
Godsil | Seattle WA, USA | 1974-1978 | 12 |
Godsil/Miller | Seattle WA, USA | 1980-1981 | 4 |
Pedersen & Thuesen | Bramdrupdam, Denmark | 1952-1970 | 62 |
Petticrows UK | Burnham-on-Crouch, UK | 1988-2021 | 800+ |
Petticrows POR | Cascais, Portugal | 2021-present | |
Roland | Kristiansand, Norway | 1937-1951 | 47 |
Kelvin Savell | San Diego CA, USA | 1963-1968 | 13 |
Spocé Enterprises | Rochester NY, USA | 1978-1981 | 9 |