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Chang & Sin Yacht Launches Dragon Class Revival in Dongguan

Bluebottle, helmed by Graham Bailey at Régates Royales de Cannes (August 2025) © Robert Deaves / www.robertdeaves.uk

Asia-Pacific Dragon fleets are rallying behind an exciting new boatbuilding venture: Chang & Sin Yacht in Dongguan, China.

Located around an hour from the border, between Shenzhen and Guangzhou on the eastern side of the Pearl River, the business sits in a region renowned for design, manufacturing and fabrication. The team brings together Lowell Chang (celebrated Hong Kong builder of Chang Dragons from the late 1980s to the early 2000s), Hong Kong Dragon owner Nicholas Sin, and renowned Dutch builder Joop Doomernik. With a factory skilled in fabrication and Joop’s expertise as a registered Dragon builder, the venture is strongly placed to deliver.

Momentum is already building, with six or seven boats on order and five or six targeted for completion ahead of the Hong Kong Dragon World Championships in November 2026. First out of the mould was Nick’s yellow-hulled Dragon. After the regatta, it will be showcased alongside the famous Bluebottle at the Maritime Museum’s outdoor venue in Central, supported by videos and information boards.

Innovation remains central to the build programme. New layouts are being tested, while a second mould, researched and refined by a Dutch university, is planned to enter production later in the year.

A standout line-up will lead the first boats onto the racecourse in November: Shanghai’s Lijia Xu, the 2012 Olympic Laser gold medallist; Lowell Chang, representing China following the creation of the China Dragon Association earlier this year; and Nicholas Sin, representing Hong Kong.

Building in China offers a powerful answer to several challenges. Lower manufacturing costs should make Dragons more affordable, especially for the younger sailors the class is keen to attract, while local production creates the capacity to rebuild and replenish fleets beyond Europe. It also fills the gap left by Chang Dragons in the 2000s and the recent slowdown in Ridgeway production in Australia. Quality, affordability and innovation now form a clear roadmap to carry the class through its centenary and reignite it in countries where it once thrived.