News Rules Modifications

The focus in the factory for the last few months has been to make the design changes to satisfy the new rules introduced by the IDA at the AGM last year in Oslo. These were largely amendments to the existing rules asking the builders to make necessary changes to increase the floatation and safety of the Dragon after capsize or swamping.

The safety side of these new rules introduce an increase in the buoyancy to a minimum of 2500 litres (up from 1700 litres in the old rules) and a capsize test to be carried out to test the new design for all new boats measured after March 1st 2008.

We had initially hoped to be allowed to introduce a bulkhead arrangement at station 8 to achieve the additional buoyancy required. However, the IDA technical committee would not sanction the inclusion of this area. After much thought, design work and discussion we have however achieved the required 2,500L (even exceeding this by over 200 litres) We have moved the aft bulkhead forward, raised our cockpit floor by 6cm, extended this forward to the mast step and sealing it to create a water tight double bottom.

Control lines run aft from the mast step in a channel making the front area, aft of the mast step very clean. Drainage is focused on water being channelled and restricted to a central sump, where we have a new high capacity electric pump and the manual pump. All tanks now drain into the sump area through one way valves, and we have a "mini "bulkhead and wash board at station 8.
Other changes in the new model include:

- A solid tube for the spinnaker shute in the forward tank.

- One way valves draining all buoyancy tanks .

- Anchor stowage in the cockpit under the main cockpit floorboards

- A new battery box with carrying handle