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Race X Hybrid owner in Wellington:
I'm really pleased with the boat. Very easy to manage, a lot of fun pushing into the chop (and soaking the crew!). Easy to find good positions for both helm and crew. Then took Rita (my wife) out. Managed to capsize (my mistake) - but got back up and going in a matter of seconds - so much easier than the Sunburst - no need to bail at all! Also took the kids for a spin - again very easy and they felt very safe. Lots of fun - some great reaches - surfing along while hanging off the side as far back as I could go. Got wet a few times, but getting back in is an absolute breeze! So, all in all, very pleased with the boat - exactly what I hoped I was getting, and with the promise of the extra gennaker excitement as well! Thanks again for all your help, and I hope you don't mind if I drop you a line every now and then!
Peter Heads testimonial from Elements Watersports, Tauranga:
Since first using the Topaz in 1996 I've used and seen them at many centers around the world, they are incredibly tough, versatile and most importantly fun for beginners and experienced sailors.
The addition sail combinations over the years has just added to their appeal. They were the only serious choice for a training boat when I set up Elements Watersports 5 years ago. The boats get heavy use day to day and are still going strong.
The Bay Of Plenty Sailing Academy has also chosen the Topaz as its youth sail training boat, the ability to use 1 boat for taster sessions, schools tuition that leads into introductory schools teams racing competitions is excellent.
The great part is the maintenance, simply wash them down and store for next time! Sure there is a few lost shackles and bits of bungee but nothing compared to a wooden or glass boat that would be in constant repair if subjected to the thrills and spills the Topaz go through.
I'm looking forward to helping seeing the Topaz grow through New Zealand so that youth sailing can develop as strongly as it has been in Tauranga.
RACE PLUS OWNER in Big Manly:
(First time out in 12-15kts with crew) I've had a Laser and I'm enjoying moving up to a two man boat. Rigging (first time set up) was very easy and straightforward. It works well and when broad reaching and going downwind it is more stable than a Laser, I am also very pleased with the added grunt that the fully battened main provides. All in all I am very happy.
RACE PLUS OWNER from Remuera:
After first demo sail at Big Manly (ex Laser sailor) "So that's what I've been missing, where do I sign?"
Lady Race X owner from One Tree Hill:
(Experienced ex Laser sailor) After a demo on a standard Uno at Big Manly: (Huge smile on face with a thumb up) "Loved it and much more fun to sail than a Laser".
Topaz Uno owner:
"The squeals of excitement from my children were worth buying the Topper Topaz for! We've loved every minute from drifting home with the sun going down to surfing down waves off he beach. Every Member of the family has their own special reason for loving the Topaz."
Topaz Uno Plus/Race Plus owner:
"Having owned a Europe dinghy that I found to be one nasty evil little boat, the Topaz Uno is a far more pleasurable and exciting boat to sail. It is so versatile too, I race Lasers with the Race main, then Laser Radials and Starlings with the standard main".
Topaz Uno owner:
"An old school sceptic and Jollyboat owner at our club took my Uno (standard) out for a sail the other day and came back in saying "I take back every word I have ever said" and now’s a convert to how good a Trilam hull can be".
Topaz Uno owner in Auckland:
"The adult 'Learn to Sail' boats used at our Club seem to put people off, so not living far from the Club I go down for a race or two then let them use my Uno and pick it up later, as they find the Uno a far more attractive proposition to sail".
Ex Manager of Shakespear Park NZYMCA Garth Gully
They have two Uno's, plus two Uno Tres rigs, purchased nearly ten years ago, making them the oldest Uno's in NZ. Total maintainance cost so far = $0.00. Garth's comment, "We will never go back to GRP" Topaz Uno owner: "I took the boat down to the club again on Sunday and some of the older guys had a sail on it and I overheard them calling it a 'wavepiercer' and talking about how fast it was for its size. So it's a hit."
Top NZ Sailor Dan Jowett:
"The Uno (Race) proved faster out of turns and accelerated quicker onto the plane than the Laser (standard).
Topaz Uno Race X owner in Tauranga:
"I recorded an average speed of 18.9 knots on my handheld GPS" (35 kph) Anyone out there up for more i.e. into the 20 knot plus bracket?
Topper Topaz Race X Feedback from Rick in Gisborne
Hi Hugh
As I promised the following in some feedback from me on my new Topper Topaz Race X after a very successful season sailing in Gisborne /East Coast. My Topper Topaz which I’ve named RIKKI TIKKI TURVY has been absolutely fantastic fun to sail and has brought that “WOW” factor back into my sailing days! I have limited time available to devote to sailing these days with a busy rental car company to manage 7 days a week but my Topper Topaz is very easy and quick to rig/de-rig and being pocket sized (no bigger than a Laser) fits perfectly on its easy launch beach trailer into the limited space available in our dinghy shed storage space at Kaiti Beach. What a fantastic “Little Pocket Rocket” the Topaz is to sail: The Topaz is a fast racer but safe and stable, it’s so much fun with heaps of adrenalin pumping speed if you want to push your limits with the gennaker broad reach blastoff that the Topper Race X system allows. However the Topaz is without the high initial purchase cost, complicated time consuming rigging/de-rigging and the high maintenance/ongoing repair costs of the so called race approved Olympic or NZ dinghy class boats. Topper Topaz is a Very Competitive Racer: I’ve competed this season locally and at the Wairoa River and Mahia Regattas which are organised by the Wairoa Yacht Club and my results have been very encouraging when I take into consideration that this is my first season as a serious dinghy sailor (I’ve mainly sailed cats for the last 30 odd years) and a 2nd placing in the Senior Open Dinghy’s at the Mahia Regatta was real great justification for my switch to the Topper Topaz. The gennaker sail deploy/retrieval system is a breeze to use and really puts the “WOW” factor back into any downwind sailing, with a good 15 to 20 knot breeze producing an absolutely exhilarating speed acceleration and now allows a small dinghy to cover a great deal of distance very quickly with all the fun and exhilaration of a windsurfer, jet ski or catamaran. A Perfect Learn to Sail Yacht: I’ve also made a conscious effort this season to support our local junior “Learn to Sail” classes which are run by our yacht club on Saturday afternoons. Initially we started the 16 kids sailing with us in a couple of Sunburst dinghies to give them confidence sailing with a senior sailor onboard plus a few optimists for the more confident kids to show them the ropes. The kids soon tired of the same old tried and true learn to sail course lessons and wanted to have a go themselves so they progress onto the Opti’s, some with success but several with frequent capsize/swamping and the resulting fear as the kids watched their swamped Opti’s fill to the gunnels and bailing like crazy to allow them to start sailing again however most needing rescue from the tender boat/instructor. On my suggestion we then added the Topper Topaz and rotated the kids initially two at a time then later singularly as crew with me helming but then as they gain confidence the kids took the helm with my guidance as crew. All the boys and girls loved the chance to sail on the Topper and looked forward to this rewarding part of their learn to sail days, you could see the excitement on their faces, they competed to get first on the Topper each week and the buzz back on the beach as they all competed to help retrieve the Topper onto its beach trailer and help out washing it down and de-rigging it, was great buzz for me to witness. Often several of the young lads commented that they thought my Topper was really a fast cool boat and they loved to have one of their own to sail some day. Noticeable side effects of the Topper Phenomenon:
1) The very noticeable side effect on this seasons learn to sail course was that virtually all 16 boys and girls completed the full course, attended every Saturday, and the majority pasted their elementary learn to sail YNZ certificate courses. Young learner sailors “Motivation” was unprecedented once they’d had a go on the Topper Topaz!!
2) Three of the young lads have now progressed in their first sailing season from the Learn to Sail course onto sailing Opti’s and again onto Firebugs (tried P’s once but didn’t like them) in our formal junior yacht racing series at our club on Sundays, with I might add, considerable success. They are now talking excitedly about buying their own Starlings for the coming season and their mothers are in full support both on the beach and at the club house. 3) Our “Learn to Sail” course instructors have commented on several occasions that they haven’t seen so much interest and excellent attendance from the kids compared to other seasons but they can’t understand what is responsible for this change in the kids motivation. I might suggest that perhaps the Topper phenomenon has had something to do with this but our old hard core clubbies will never admit this! 4) The senior dinghy fleet at our club has increased from 3 or 4 to 12 this season with a few old clubbies considering returning to sail once again next season. Unfortunately the makeup of these new dinghies is largely “Tired Old Lasers and Laser Phase 11’s that will probably self destruct in no time hopefully! I feel that it maybe coincidence or not but perhaps my Topper Topaz has seemed to have stirred up a lot of sand and undoubtedly renewed interest in off the beach dinghy sailing at our club. I am hoping that this interest will eventually bring some positive change in the “Old Hard Core Clubby” attitudes to the “Same Old Class Boats” of yesteryear and hopefully they will try some really modern material and designed yachts like the Topper that are attractive, durable, low maintenance, sexy and above all “COOL TO YOUNG PEOPLE”!! Bye for now and I will send you more Topper Topaz feedback from Gisborne in the coming season. Regards Rick It is through this revitalizing effect on grass roots sailing that ISAF have chosen the Topaz range of sailboats for their world
'Connect To Sailing' initiative. It is through their ability to attract new sailors into the sport with their modern attractive & exciting user friendly designs that all Topaz yachts are ISAF 'Connect To Sailing' approved. |