Engineering:Topper (dinghy)
 Class symbol | |
 Toppers at Stewartby Open 2005 | |
| Development | |
|---|---|
| Designer | Ian Proctor |
| Year | 1977 |
| Design | One-Design |
| Boat | |
| Crew | 1 |
| Hull | |
| Type | Monohull |
| Construction | Polypropylene/Polyethylene |
| Hull weight | 94 lb (43 kg) |
| LOA | 11 ft 1 in (3.38 m) |
| Beam | 3 ft 11 in (1.19 m) |
| Hull appendages | |
| Keel/board type | Daggerboard |
| Rig | |
| Rig type | Cat rig |
| Sails | |
| Mainsail area | 6.4 m2 (69 sq ft)
5.3 m2 (57 sq ft) 4.2 m2 (45 sq ft) |
| Racing | |
| D-PN | 110.4[1] |
| RYA PN | 1301[2] |
The Topper is an 11 foot 43 kg (95 lb) sailing dinghy designed by Ian Proctor. The Topper was a one-design boat until 2023 when a new version was produced, and is sailed mostly around the British Isles. It was recognised as a World Sailing Class. The boat previously constructed from polypropylene, and now roto moulded, is popular as a racing boat or for sail training. The class association (ITCA) organise racing events, which range from small travellers to major championships. The RYA run squads alongside the events; in these squads young sailors who are given specialist race coaching.
Class history and design
The Topper was designed by Ian Proctor in 1977 as a One-Design racing boat.[3] The Topper has been in continuous production for over four decades and over 50,000 examples have now been sold.[4][5] The Topper dinghy is built in the UK by Topper International Ltd. owned by Martin Fry who purchased the company from Guinness Leisure in 1983. In 1977 the boat won the Design Council Award and the Horner Award for achievements in plastics.
The Topper dinghy is widely used for racing, but it has also gained popularity as a boat in which to learn how to sail.[4] The Topper was originally designed with a glass reinforced plastic (GRP) hull making it a relatively light but durable boat, however, it was later decided that the Topper should be constructed with injection moulding, using polypropylene,[5] which is less expensive but heavier and less rigid.[5][6][7]
In 2021, the injection mould was damaged beyond repair and would have required replacement. As this was not financially viable, the boat was redesigned to be roto moulded in polyethylene and this new version of the boat was introduced in 2023.[8]
Although the Topper was originally rigged with an aft mainsheet, since 2004 the option to use a centre main has been allowed. The motivation for such a change being that most other dinghies, including the ones Topper sailors are likely to advance to, are rigged with centre mainsheets.[5]
In 2005 a smaller 4.2 m² sail was approved,[9] which can optionally be used in favour of the standard 5.3 m² sail.[10] The smaller sail is more efficient than a larger sail that is reefed. The first 4.2m² national championships were held in 2010.[7]
In 2020, after two years of development, a new 6.4m² rig for the Topper was introduced.[11]
At 11' the Topper is named for the ability to transport it on the roof of a car, and the mast splits into two sections, allowing the spars to be stored and transported.[7]
Despite the age of the design, the Topper Class remains one of the fastest growing classes in the UK, with a very active national association. The Topper class is a recognised World Sailing International Class since 2005. The GBR Nationals and the World Championships often have over 200 boats.
The largest fleet is in Great Britain where the class is part of the RYA "pathway" class program with turnouts at the RYA regional Championships and the highest percentage of RYA Transitional Youth Squad members. Most 'GB Young Sailor of the Year' nominations in recent years have come from within the Topper Class.
Event
World Championships
See also
References
- ↑ "Centerboard Classes-Inactive". US Sailing. http://offshore.ussailing.org/Portsmouth_Yardstick/Current_Tables/Centerboard_Classes-Inactive.htm.
- ↑ "Portsmouth Number List 2012". Royal Yachting Association. http://www.rya.org.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/technical/Web%20Documents/py-general/2012%20listv3.xls.
- ↑ "2005 INTERNATIONAL TOPPER (5.3m2) and Topper 4.2 m2 CLASS RULES". ISAF. http://www.itcaworld.org/topper/assets/documents/top2005_cr_290405.pdf.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Topper Dinghy". www.go-sail.co.uk. http://www.go-sail.co.uk/topper.asp.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "The Topper". www.itcaworld.org. http://www.itcaworld.org/thetopper.asp.
- ↑ "The Topper". www.toppersailboats.com/. http://www.toppersailboats.com/topper_why.aspx.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "Topper". minisail.prv.pl. http://minisail.prv.pl/topper/en/.
- ↑ "Article by Roger Proctor on the new rota moulding process to produce the Polyethlene Topper hull. This was a controversial development as the new design removed the traditional coloured deck. It also dose not have the large dagger-bord plate and instead replaced it with a much smaller one only at the aft of the bord, has three watertight compartments (two at the front of the cockpit, one on port and the other on starboard, and another smaller one at the aft of the cockpit), a central self bailor, adjustable side toe-strap, a tighter mast gate, the removal of the lip on the stern and also is approximately 4kg lighter than the previse design. This caused debate among the fleet about whether the new boats would be faster than the old ones. Leo Yates (Topper National Champion 2022) said that the new boats were much stiffer. They appear to be balanced on upwind boat speed but the new boats are faster on downwind boast-speed in waves.". https://www.itcaworld.org/news/introducing-the-new-rota-moulded-polyethylene-international-topper/.
- ↑ "Topper 4.2: SAIL NUMBERS & NATIONAL LETTERING". www.itcaworld.org. http://www.itcaworld.org/topper/assets/documents/new%20sail%20-%20topper%204.2%20sailnumbers.pdf.
- ↑ "Online shop / Topper / Sails". www.toppersailboats.com. http://www.toppersailboats.com/shop/online_shop_products.aspx?category_id=30.
- ↑ Heyes, John (11 March 2020). "The NEW Topper 6.4". https://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/227416/The-NEW-Topper-64.
External links
- International Topper Class Association
- World Sailing Topper Microsite
- Irish Topper Class Association
- Great Britain Topper Class Association
- Topper Sailboats Canada
- Story of development of the polypropylene version of the Topper[1]
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