|
 It
may be two and a half years old, but the three-in-one, Ian Howlett/Rob
White-designed Topaz dinghy has lost none of its appeal. Over 1,000
boats have already been sold, making it one of Topper International's
most successful designs. To find out for herself whether it lived
up to its favourable reputation, Sue Pelling put the Topaz through
the sailpower.com boat test...
Topper International have come up with a dinghy that has that extra
something which sets it apart from other boats aiming at beginner/fun
market. Unlike other new designs which try to fill that elusive
'gap in the market', Topper insist that they have not tried to fill
any gap, but have aimed the boat at a specific mass market and create
a modern version of beginner/budget boat such as the Mirror. While
the Topaz looks as unlike the Mirror looks as you could possibly
imagine, its niche market is effectively the same. The thing you
can't do with a Topaz is build it yourself!
The Topaz's 3.86m (12ft 8in) one-design hull has the option of
three different rigs: the Uno (single-hander), the Duo (main and
jib), and the Tres (all-singing, all-dancing with asymmetric spinnaker
and trapeze). So you can buy the basic hull and choose the sort
of sailing you want to do without the expense of buying three different
boats.
But what about versatility v durability? How will it stand up
to hard use? If you look at any successful dinghy, it is construction
and durability which lead to eventual success. No matter how good
the design, if it's a poorly built boat which ages quickly, it will
have a very short-lived span of success. The Topper dinghy, now
24 years old, is an excellent example of good design and construction.
Built of polypropylene - a robust, virtually indestructible material
- the Topper is as popular today as it ever was.
With this major success in mind, it was decided to build the Topaz
with similar strength qualities but this time by the Rotational
Moulded method (moulded in one unit), using Trilam 3-ply sandwich
polyethylene. As with all Howlett designs, the Topaz has been well
thought out with particular attention paid to the market. But while
the boat has some excellent features to suit the complete beginner
- such as slightly more freeboard and a high boom - the designer's
been very careful not to sacrifice the aesthetics of the boat.
Her fine lines and open transom are pleasing, and I particularly
like the clutter-free cockpit, and the spacious, non-snag curved
decks which makes sitting as bearable as it can be!
Because the hull has lots of curves, no seams and no gunwale overhang,
there is very little to grab hold of when manoeuvring the boat on
shore. However, it didn't take long to work out what the transom-hung
handles and the bow handles were for! Also to keep in line with
all the other boats in the range, Topper have opted for Ronstan
fittings throughout. The mast is supplied by Superspars and, Burnham-on-Crouch-based
Lonton and Gray, supply the Dacron sails.
The Uno rig
Rigging the Uno is child's play and, even if you're new to the game,
there is not much to go wrong - particularly if you use the manufacturer's
rigging handbook (something we weren't supplied with during our
test day). The two-part alloy mast slots together and the 5.2m sleeved
sail threads on to it. Like the Topper, the Topaz has a simple yet
effective roller-reefing system: the sail is rolled round the mast.
Once the mast is stepped, simply attach the the clew to the end
of the boom, shackle on the kicking strap and cunningham. Like most
boats in the Topper range, the Topaz has a simple rudder system
which works extremely well to ensure the rudder is fixed securely.
Rigging the Tres
Unlike the Uno, the Tres has a one-part alloy mast with halyards
and an additional mast beam support and spinnaker system. However,
with the help of the handbook, first-timers should soon find out
what goes where because the system is very straightforward.
Once the mast-support beam has been slotted into the specially
designed cutout section on the deck, and the metal  spinnaker
bow fitting secured, it really is a matter of stepping the mast,
securing the hinged mast gate, attaching the shrouds, jib blocks
and hoisting the jib and fully-battened mainsail.
Because the boat is of moulded construction, all fittings, such
as jib blocks and shroud plates, are attached to specially moulded-in
brass fittings.
The Tres in action
With total all-up weight of 19/20 stone between me and my crew,
Jess Bennett, I was expecting the Tres to be somewhat cramped, particularly
in the light airs which kept trapezing to a minimum during the first
part of our test. However, once on the move, I was pleasantly surprised
to find the cockpit deceptively spacious, also relatively comfortable.
 A
good indication of the suitability of a boat for beginners is how
well it performs through the water and how forgiving it is through
manoeuvres. The Topaz scored top marks. She was smooth, responsive
and exceptionally well balanced.
However, we did have a few jib sheeting problems upwind in the
light airs when Jess was sitting inboard. The jib blocks seemed
to be positioned at the wrong angle and it was almost impossible
to set the jib correctly. As soon as the wind increased, though,
and Jess went out on the trapeze, it was clear that the higher sheeting
angle made all the difference.
We bore off downwind in a freshening breeze and the bow stayed
well above the water. Jess found that the one-pull spinnaker system
hoist are 'what dreams are made of.' However, on the spinnaker drop,
it is important to remember that the spinnaker system is a combination
of a chute and a bag, with the last bit of spinnaker having to be
pulled in by hand. Forget this and you'll find the spinnaker under
the boat!
The Uno Race in action
The Uno performed well on all points of sailing. The centre mainsheet
block was positioned in exactly the right place,
but for single-handed sailing I found the kicking strap adjustment
(positioned just above the mast gate), in rather an awkward place.
Also the outhaul adjustment on the boom was difficult to adjust
and inefficient.
Capsizing
Righting the Topaz after a capsize is not a problem. She comes up
easily and she comes up dry, due to her open transom. For those
who find clambering back on board a bit daunting, the handy carrying
handles on the transom are in a very helpful position. Back on shore,
after three capsizes, the tanks were bone dry.
Hits
As a robust fun trainer we think the Topaz is definitely one to
consider. She's simple, well balanced and forgiving, yet performs
well enough for those seeking a bit of extra excitement. While we
were unable to see how she performed in stronger winds on our test
day, I have seen the boat in action in extreme conditions at last
year's National School Sailing Association's Mount Haes Trophy event
at Down SC and was very impressed. Youngsters of all ages took the
boats out in 20-30knots of winds and all the boats stood up to one
helluva bashing.
Misses
I was particularly surprised to find the kicking strap and outhaul
on the Race Version difficult to adjust. In fact, I can never understand
why manufacturers don't supply easy to adjust systems as standard.
Whether you're racing or learning, the controls should always be
easy to adjust and should ideally lead aft. In my opinion, if you're
going to market a race mode you need racy systems.
|
