Topper Sailing Dingy

Georgio

Georgio

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As I can't find a Topper owners forum I'm hoping somone here can help???

I'm looking to buy a second hand topper (or similar dingy) to play with (mostly for the kids). Is there anything I need to be aware of?? I seem to recall that some have problems with the mast step??

Any help would be great.

Cheers, G
 
Hi Georgio

I am suprised you could not find info on this!
I have not sailed one myself but I did hear that bouyancy may be low if you want to sail with the kids you may need to move up to a Laser instead.
Try this site there is even a forum on here so I am sure you will find all the answers you require

Good luck

http://www.go-sail.co.uk/topper.asp
 
Thanks for the info. I'm after somthing that's relativly cheap, requires no maintaince and is good fun. From what I remeber (it's been a few years) the humble topper seems to fit the bill but I'm open to other suggestions.

I think a laser may be a bit of a handfull for youngish children??

Cheers, G
 
I have owned a Laser and sailed Toppers several times. For fun I would choose a Topper, especially as they are much lighter and easier to car-top. Having said that, I used to car-top my Laser, but it was an effort. The Laser is much faster, and a better sailer. They will both take a couple of kids, but the Laser will probably handle them better. The Laser used to have mast step problems, but I have no idea whether the Topper did or not. If you want to race, then the Laser probably becomes the better bet.
 
Topper's big advantage is that they are indestructible!

Sail 'em up the beach... no problems...

As a budget boat, probably a pretty good choice... we used to sail one 3 up (at the age of 10yrs old) and pretty much abuse them in every way possible.... including full on pitchpoles by sending one person right to the bow when reaching in a F5..... as you say... darned good fun for kids....

Would agree, a Laser is a bit of a handful for a small child.... but would be a good choice as they get a bit older.....

If you buy a topper, watch out for damage to the deck/hull joint... otherwise, I think they're pretty tough!
 
A common mistake is for kids to start on toppers then move too quickly to a laser which is too big for them even with a small rig, hull is just too heavy -it was designed for a 12 stone person! Lots of new designs such as Pico but not cheap yet.
Topper is a great cheap boat and can be hugely abused... but yes, the mast foot cap in the hull does wear and its important to look at that when buying -if it has worn out the mast may have damaged the moulding underneath.
And you try car topping a laser!
 
I used to cartop my laser - single handed, as well. It used to sit on the car "right way up", and was remarkably stable. Not sure I'd recommend it, though.
 
We have a Topper and the kids love it as they can capsize and right it quickly which they like to do when the weather is hot.
It is very low freeboard so a heavy person will get a wet bum and if the mainsheet is not dumped in gusts the boom can dig in and over you go. Also, on a dead run in a strongish breeze it is all too easy to have a large belly of sail ahead of the mast which can drive the foredeck under, as far aft as the mast, then a broach and over you go again. These are not common scenarios and the boat is great fun.
It is quite common to see three or four 11-12 year olds all on one boat sailing about dressed in swimsuits ready for the much hoped for capsize

If buying secondhand you should be able to get something decent for £600-£700 including a launching trolley and flat cover. There's not much to go wrong but have a look at the underside which will almost certainly be scored through being dragged over stones etc. Just make sure the hull hasn't been perforated and seek assurance that the hull is watertight.

If the deck is badly faded this can be rejuvenated by very careful use of a hot air gun which brings the colour back- make sure you don't melt the plastic though!!

Spars, foils and sail are comparitively expensiv so make sure these items are sound. Try looking on e-bay as sometimes you can find bits of boats for sale where thieves have stolen the hull and the owner still has all the other bits in the garage

Hopes this helps
 
Topper is a great boat but not that versatile. My children learnt to sail in an Otter (low maintence tough GRP boat that sails well, can be rowed, outboarded etc, it's better than a Mirror, I paid £250 for one). If the children are capable of sailing without an adult then you could pick up an old Cadet for £300, iti' a great boat, you even get a spinnaker and the old ones stay competitive for ever if you fancy moving on to some racing. The class is also very friendly and the kids have a great social too.
 
Another Otter! That's what we learned with xxx years ago. We had number 62, Gunter rigged with wooden spars. Sadly the class seems to have disappeared without trace although occasionally you see the boats (normally in bermudan version with alloy mast)

Trivia - did you know that the class was originally called "Glass Bubbles"? Hence the sail emblem.
 
The Topper remains a very popular class with a large choice of second hand ones.(Some as part-exchange from dealers) Check them for weight - a sure guide to whether they have taken on water. Very tough and the kids can have a lot of fun, relatively safely and go on to race if they wish. Clubs all over the country sail them. Don't put kids into a laser until they are big enough.
Ken
 
I saw sail no. 2 out and about between Itchenor and DQ on 31st May weekend and it did look like an original!! (I think the sail was blue and white broad stripes?)
 
Seem to have a real distant memory, way back when I were just a nipper, that the early early days Toppers were GRP moulded and had wooden foils. Anyone else remember those?
 
Thanks to all for your comments. I think the agreement is that topper is a good idea, and if it doesn't work out I'm not going to lose much if anything when I come to sell. Hopfully it will just sit on deck in-front of the mast for weekends away.

Cheers again to all /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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