A few days ago at Burnham on Crouch another restored Dragon was launched back into the water to begin the next chapter in her racing career.

GBR 422 'Heuschrecke' had undergone a long and exhaustive rebuild at the hands of the skilled craftsmen of the Petticrows boat yard. She is to be raced on the international circuit by her owner, so all the rigging and controls reflect modern ideas, thus making her as efficent and competitive as any new Dragon.

GBR 422 was originaly called 'Fanfare'. She was built by P&T in 1966 for Brigadier Henson of the Solent Fleet. After nine years use he sold her and she had a handful of owners in the Torbay Fleet, winning the Edinbugh Cup in 1978, the Classic Championship in 2004 and the Torbay Royal Regatta in 2005. She was renamed in 1982, her new name meaning grasshopper.