Topper Topaz Uno Dinghy
The Topaz range of boats consists of a number of different models with the Uno being the basic model. The Topaz Uno dinghy is ideally suited to beginners with a ultra-spacious, uncluttered and comfortable cockpit and high boom immediately inspiring confidence. The non-threatening 5.6 square metre sail area provides the perfect introduction to sailing.
Rigging is simplicity itself such as the simple two-part plug in mast and mastgate system, proven features from the Topper dinghy, they take all the drama out of erecting a mast singlehanded. The sail can be easily reefed around the mast when the wind increases - or to reduce the sail area for teaching very young children to sail with confidence. The centre mainsheet and high boom make for trouble free tacking and gybing. The high tech rudder lifting system which allows the blade to be set and locked in any position at the flick of a wrist and the profiled daggerboard are also established features of the Topper.
The hull is made from tough TRILAM polythene and its lightweight means the Uno is easily car toppable.
Sailing Dinghy Specifications
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Related LinksToper Sail BoatsInternational 420 Association Comet Dinghies |
Dinghy comments and advice
Great fun at great price and so easy to transport on car roof. Laser sailers should learn to sail before criticising it.
Fabulous fun. Safe for learners with the regular sail but a racer with the race sail. Add the assymetric with the race x pack and it's a real thriller.
The beauty of this boat is that it can be all things to all people and it's extremely competitively priced. The size and weight is low enough to enable me to transport it on the car roof and to cap it all it is made out of material which won't chip and craze.
The beauty of this boat is that it can be all things to all people and it's extremely competitively priced. The size and weight is low enough to enable me to transport it on the car roof and to cap it all it is made out of material which won't chip and craze.
The Topaz RaceX rig is a lovely sail, very forgiving and yet capable of fast reaching. It planes easily and with weight well back responds evenly to tiller movement. The light weight of this hull makes launching and retrieval easy and all fittings are of good quality. Sailed singlehanded or with a light crew this boat is loads of fun.
Just sailed my first Topaz today after many years of Laser sailing. Although the wind was gusty, I found the boat very unstable and liable to capsize without warning. With the wind up, the boat immediately pitches one way, and when it dies, any weight on the opposite side wants to sink the other. Thank goodness for the flat rear enabling easy reboarding! Think I'll stick to Lasers
Topaz unstable compared to a Laser!! I never felt comfortable with the top heavy mast of a Laser causing the boat to fall on you when the wind dropped and you were hiked out. I find the Topaz to be a good compromise, fun and family dinghy, perhaps not at it's best heading to windward, but fun, stable and fast when reaching and downwind. I've been out in 25-30 knots wind and felt far more compfortable than on other dinghies. For a more balanced double hander rig for the Topaz, it might be worth upgrading to the the Tres/Duo rig which steps the mast further back and has a trapese. That said the Topaz Race or Race X do offer a flexible, value for money fun sporting package, and a simple easy to live with rig that's handy to store at home in the garage.
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