Fittings & Layout

Up until late 1959, early 1960 the deck was always canvas covered pine; subsequently all decks were teak laid. The shape of the mahogany coaming and cuddy were splendidly worked together to form the most wonderful angles, slopes and corners. In fact, the shape of the cuddy at its front and sides is perhaps the most distinctive feature of a Pedersen & Thuesen Dragon. The boat was usually finished off with the German varnish Höveling which bought out the beauty of the wood. 

The distinctive cuddy. The small side windows are not original, the yard never incorporated them; it is belived that they were a trend, perhaps in one fleet, since a number of Dragons also have these windows retrofitted

Crew seats of a most ingenious design were fitted; a longitudinal steel pole allowing the wooden seat-pad fore and aft movement, as well as being able to lift up and to fold back out of the way under the side deck.

Crew seat in the down and up positions

The helms seat was run on one of two parallel wooden rails, which in addition to the usual fore and aft movement allowed two different height settings.

Twin rails for the helm's seat

The mainsheet was taken down to a track, about half the width of the cockpit, laid on top of a Y shaped plank attached low down in the bilge and through the floorboards. It was fitted with a small winch and two cleats.

Original mainsheet beam

Each boat was also fitted with two helmsman’s drawers situated under the rear deck; they had no handles but were secured by lock and key, thus ensuring the owner had both safe and dry stowage for his tobacco, hip flask and wallet with no danger of the crew being able to get at them!

Helmsmans draws

The foredeck on later, teak decked boats had a four part hand rail fitted fore and aft in front of the mast gate, allowing the foredeck crew some security when going forward to hank on the spinnaker.

Foredeck hand rail

Stainless deck fittings included a full length stern guard, an elegant three pronged bow fitting as well as bow and stern pop-up mooring posts.

Stern fitting

Bow fitting