DRAGON CLASS: A PRELUDE

The International Dragon class is most likely the largest class of one design, fixed keel boat in the World today. Its origins were from the hand of Norwegian John Anker who submitted this winning entry, his design, in a competition organised by the Royal Yacht Club of Gothenburg.

Although many of the original rules of the Class have been changed over the years, the hull form has remained unchanged since that date. Historically the Dragon Class has been astutely managed to reconcile the desire of most boat owners to protect the traditional characteristics of the Class but also to incorporate modern sailing gear to maintain its appeal to top sailing competitors worldwide.

The first Australian boat to be built to the plans of a Dragon was in Albany and named Galatea. She did not measure within the rules of the class but raced with fleets at Royal Perth and South of Perth Yacht Clubs for many years. Notably she competed in the 1948, inaugural Bunbury Race reportedly with Ian Bessel-Brown as skipper and Athol Hobbs and John Fitzhardinge as crew.

It was in Sydney where the Dragon first sailed as a fleet in 1951. Much of the impetus was provided by newly arrived immigrant Eric Strain who settled in Sydney after leaving Northern Ireland. Eric had been Great Britain’s Olympic helmsman at the 1948 Torbay Olympic Games where he finished fourth. Eric became a helmsman of the 12 metre Vim which was the ‘trial horse’ for Gretel, Australia’s first ever entry in the America’s Cup in 1961.

A fleet of Dragons also formed in Melbourne where the boat builder J.J. Savage and Sons was kept busy with orders for the boats and in Tasmania where the class flourished.

The first Australian Olympic representative in the Dragon Class was Jock Sturrock in 1952 selected after trials were held on Port Philip Bay. In 1961 Jock was selected as skipper of Gretel for the America’s Cup Challenge. Many of the crew for that challenge were drawn from the Sydney Dragon fleet and Gordon Ingate, who at 94 years of age is still sailing a Dragon, was appointed by Sir Frank Packer to manage the trial boat Vim. Significantly many helmsmen sailing for the USA in the various 12 metre Class America’s Cup events have been Dragon Class helmsmen.

In 1954, coinciding with the visit to Australia by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the trophy was presented to the Dragon Class of Australia, ‘The Prince Philip Cup’ for national championship competition.

The first Dragon arrived in WA in 1951. Leander D KA 2 then owned by Ernie Tomlinson was built by Savage of Melbourne and raced in Division fleets at RFBYC and RPYC until a sufficient number of boats arrived to begin class racing in 1955.

The following article (overleaf) is a reflection of the Western Australian experience in the Dragon Class from its beginnings in WA until 1972 as related to me by Life Member and Dragon great, Tony Manford (deceased).