True One Design – because the Topper is injection moulded, every boat is identical. The ‘one-design’ nature of the boat makes for a uniquely fair competition.

Fun – with a 5.3sqm sail it has good upwind and downwind performance, making it a thrilling, accessible and exciting sail.

Fast – the lightweight hull and the large sail area make the Topper a fast boat for its size, and being so close to the water just makes it feel so much more exciting.

Simple – with a single hull and sail provider, measurement is simple and conducted with minimum of fuss.

Value – a race rigged Topper is the cheapest single handed racing dinghy in its category.

Durability – its unique polypropylene construction makes the boat virtually indestructible.

Low Maintenance – It requires little maintenance, is easily rigged in a matter of minutes, is rugged and safe for beginners and an exciting race boat too as your skills develop AND it is car-toppable. It truly is the most versatile of sailboats.

Build Quality – After almost 40 years of continuous production (approaching 50,000 boats!) it is the outstanding build quality, durability and innovative design features that have made the Topper one of the most popular boats in Britain.

Lightweight – at just 43kg (compared to similar boats that weigh upwards of 60kg) the cartoppable Topper is the lightest boat of its size and configuration in the world. It is easily righted after a capsize and ideal for sailors from 40kg to 60kg.

Award winning – it has won many awards for innovative design and construction, including the world renowned Design Council Award.

International – nearly 50,000 boats worldwide, a well-established international class structure across Europe, the Middle East, Far East, America and Australasia, Topper sailing is truly international. The Topper is an ISAF Full International Class.

Competitive – with over 300 boats competing at this year’s National Championships and 173 boats competing for this year’s World Championship – the Topper is one of the most competitive classes for young sailors.

Pathway – the success of the Topper as a high-performance race-training pathway class has been proven in the UK. An incredibly high proportion of sailors selected for the RYA Transitional Youth Squads were Topper sailors.

Development – The Topper has always been a great boat. A number of changes that will ensure that it continues to be a great boat into the foreseeable future. These include:

Centre main sheet – moving the mainsheet lead to the centre of the boat and fitting a longer tiller extension permits the sailor to position themselves correctly in the boat without unnecessary twisting whilst hiking means the sailor can get more from the boat and hike harder for longer.

6:1 Downhaul – without doubt the second most important update is the change from a maximum purchase of a 3:1 to one of 6:1. It will allow much lighter and less experienced sailors to sail in strong winds. The extra force available means we can bend the mast to flatten the sail whilst keeping the fullness in the sail well forward. The effect will be to stop the boat heading into the wind on a beat and getting stuck in irons when tacking.

4.2m2 sail
The introduction of the 4.2m2 sail allows eight and nine year old Topper sailors and the smaller older ones to compete alongside the bigger sailors. The small sail is really inexpensive and it’s pretty quick in the hands of a 30-40kg sailor. It also doesn’t require a new mast or a change of controls

“Topper sailors getting medals at the Olympics would be very gratifying, but at the end of the day it’s the hundreds and hundreds of sailors who are having fun, enjoying it more and more because they are better at it. When these youngsters hit the adult classes, I don’t think the adult classes will quite know what has hit them.” Dave Cockerill, UK RYA National Coach

“Young sailors can really quickly handle the boat well, then they can get on and concentrate on the racing. They are good at tactics and they are good at strategy, much earlier than they would be in a more complicated boat.” RYA National Coach

“These sailors just jump in, get stuck in at marks where the action is. It is simple, inexpensive and fun to sail.” RYA National Coach

“You can have a twenty year old Topper that will go just as fast as a new Topper. It’s an amazingly strong thoroughbred boat.” Martin Fry, Manufacturer

“It’s really easy, you can put it on the roof of your car or put it on a trailer. It takes ten minutes, if that, to rig… great boats to sail. So much fun.” Topper sailor

“The unique construction makes it almost indestructible. It is the ONLY injection moulded racing boat.” Martin Fry, Manufacturer

“The Topper is a great boat. It really is. In terms of junior classes it is one of the only boats where the parents can actually go on the water and sail at the same time as their children.” 
Parent of Topper sailor

“I just really like it as it’s such a competitive class. And there are a lot of nationalities involved… the Irish, English, French, Japanese, Dutch, Americans, Australians… you name it.” Topper sailor

“The standard in the Topper fleet means you can guarantee that most of the single handed champions in Britain and top participants in the Laser Class will have come from the Topper.”
Parent of Topper sailor