Comments from Topaz Uno/Plus/Race/Race Plus (One Hull) owner Zoe Hawkins (ex Crew.org editor) in NZ.

I’ve got an Uno and absolutely love it. It’s a lovely little boat, very forgiving but can put on the speed too.

This is still my favorite out of all the dinghies I've ever sailed - very stable compared with a Laser but has lots of get up and go to it. Next year I'm going to chuck a gennaker on it and see what happens.

The boat planes really easily

I thought I was too chicken to really enjoy dinghy sailing but the Uno has built up my confidence big time and I’m really comfortable now taking it out even on heavier days.

I sailed 470s and Hobies as crew and got a Europe dinghy which just plain scared me in more than 10 knots of breeze. I thought I was too chicken to really enjoy dinghy sailing but the Uno has built up my confidence big time and I’m really comfortable now taking it out even on heavier days. I’m even thinking about investing in the gennaker set!  I sailed it when I was seven months pregnant too and didn’t’ have to worry.

Carrying the big main downwind or reaching in heavier conditions would be a bit of fun but I find the boat handles that stuff really well, the bow seems to have enough buoyancy in it and the boat has enough speed that you can put it wherever you want on the wave, even in quite big waves it’s pretty stable once it’s up on the plane, and easy to keep there. No scary death rolls like in a Europe or Laser!

I find that fully hiked out in 15 knots with the regular main, the boat has a really good amount of power that I’m comfortable with (I’m 66-68kg) and it’s pretty easy to depower the main or luff the boat up.

Thanks to this boat, I’ve gone from being terrified of sailing in white caps to thinking the more wind the better (up to a certain point!)

Racing with French Bay Yacht Club in the Manukau Harbour on Sunday afternoon, the Topaz Uno Race equipped with its new fully battened, roachy mainsail, and sailed one-up, demonstrated that it can indeed be as fast, and possibly even a little bit faster, than a standard rigged Laser. Despite being handicapped by its skipper's inability to finesse a roll tack, and her competitor's ability to execute them perfectly, when sailing boat on boat, the boat had superior height and speed against the two Lasers in the fleet.

Pleased that the boat handled just as well single handed with the new mainsail as it does two-handed.

But I'm well happy with the boat I've got now and all the benefits of the Topper Topaz boats - virtual indestructability, great sailing systems, high quality hardware and good looks, still stand, as they do throughout the Topper Topaz range.

To be honest, it leaves me wondering why I'd even think about a fibreglass or ply boat and in comparison with my old Europe class boat, which was a lovely boat but a hassle to rig, a hassle to launch, and a big hassle to sail at times, the Uno is on another level all together.

Another thing I've discovered is the simple joy of sailing but not racing: just reaching up and down the inlet, chasing the puffs or sprawling across the hull with my feet in the water. What's it called? Cruising. I guess that's going to be a whole new chapter in my sailing career.

Topaz Race Plus Owner:

Took if for its first sail today, bit more breeze than when you gave me the demo. Terrific.

Top NZ dinghy sailor Andrew "Lightning" Philips, on the Uno:

A great boat for learning to sail in with the option to upgrade. Having a battenless mainsail and minimalist rigging allows for quick ‘plug ‘n’ play’ sailing with the ability to upgrade the rig whilst keeping the same hull.

"A great versatile first boat for all ages and sizes."

   

OMEGA

XENON

MAGNO

VIBE

UNO

TAZ

16C/CX

TOPAZ 14

Lady Uno Race X owner from Waikauri Bay, with an extra standard main:

Initial email enquire 2008:

Very interested in your boats as we have been looking for a versatile boat that one person and/or two people can sail for fun.  We are women, average weights 55 - 65 kg, who are experienced sailors from long ago.........!.

After purchase: 

My sister grew up sailing like me in P class and starlings so we had some fun together.  I took my 17yr old daughter and her friend out together one day (3 up) and we all had fun and it wasn't too crowded.

I have been having such fun in my boat!!  We have had a wide variety of wind

and sun days. I have headed out on my own and an equal amount of time with crew. I sat down very comfortably in the cockpit and got them to do the moving!!  I told them it was great having slaves.... Every time we went 2 up we used the racing sail and jib but I haven't tried the spinnaker yet and I'm looking forward to it. Spinnakers are outside my level of experience so I thought I'd just build my confidence with what I know (and the crew's confidence in me!!) first. THEN THE VIDEO!!!! (See Uno main page)

I loved being put on my own too and found the smaller sail plenty big enough for me to handle.

Lots of interest in the boat from folk in

the bay. Thanks for your help and for delivering the boat.

I've had so much fun in my Topaz over this summer (2009/10). We got the gennaker up and flew! 

Topaz Uno Race X owner & son

Amazing sail, incredible speed, talk about fast! and we didn't even have the gennaker up!

Segment of an email from a prospective client;

I’m a relatively inexperienced sailor myself but until I get a boat that won’t change.  The Topaz system seems ideal as a boat that’ll grow with us.

My children are 10 and 8 yrs and about 55-60kg together. The children have only sailed an Opti. I was hoping we’d be able to sail 1 adult/1 child or 2 children together.

Email from the same client after a demo of the Uno:

I was impressed by the forgiving nature and sail ability of the Uno.  As we discussed, I'm keen and I'd like to go ahead and buy one from you.

Email from new Race X (with race & standard main sail) Owner/Club member in Gisborne to a fellow sailor, cc’d to me:

My new "Uno" arrived on top of Hugh's surf on Saturday avo and immediately my nephew Corey (my 11 year old number "1" crewman), his mum and even granddad were very excited to see such a fantastic innovative wee rocket machine and we are all looking forward to trying it out on the water soon!

I'm looking forward to introducing my new Uno to the local yacht club guys and girls (probably a few shocked looks or resentment on the faces of the old hard core diehard clubbies) but hopefully the excitement and potential of the Topaz will appeal to a few of the other more adventurous members who are looking for an upgrade boat for their whole family.

The idea is to spark interest and get a few more members interested in investing in the future of "FUN SAILING " and hopefully start to revitalize sailing locally as our sailing scene in Gisborne has been rather stagnated/boring the last ten years or so!!

Up Date: My Topaz is going great and we are thoroughly enjoying learning to sail all over again (Catamaran owner) but at least the “fun factor is at the max”!!

There has been a lot of interest during the season in my Topper Topaz in Gisborne, Wairoa and some Napier sailors have had a good look too when I sailed at the Wairoa River and Mahia Regattas (I came 2nd at Mahia)!

Topaz Race Plus owner from the Northshore:

Since owning the Uno Race Plus my other sailing dinghy has become somewhat redundant as the Uno is far more fun to sail, plus being much faster to rig I have now found myself sailing a lot more. The old dinghy is now surplus to requirements and will be going on the secondhand market soon.

(ABOVE) Photo of new Topaz Uno Race X with standard mainsail, (Race sail on the floor), displayed at the Gisborne Yacht Clubs AGM.

Email from new Uno owner, who has just taken up sailing:

Had a great time and its true rigging is very easy! 

Found the boat very forgiving, it was surprising how much I improved even in one session, looking forward to getting out again this weekend.  Will keep in touch anyway, thanks for your help getting started.

Topaz Uno Plus owner:

Just a quick note to say the Uno has been great and I have been busy recommending it to anyone who can bear to listen to me raving about it!

Quote from ex Greek Island Sunsail instructor, now living in New Zealand:

“The Uno is a truly fantastic boat and loved by all that sail them. It is so fast to rig and de-rig, after a day of our clients sailing the Uno fleet, myself and another instructor would furl the main/jib around the two piece mast, store it, the hull and fittings on racks in 45 seconds and the same time to rig up, now that is fast.

The Uno would be a great Sailing Club boat for all ages, with the advantages of low maintenance, strength of fittings, longevity of hull, up-grade potential, high fun factor and because of the fast rigging the ability to attract members to the Club during the week for an evening sail after work.”

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". 

GO BACK

Topaz Uno:

As with the TAZ we tested 2 weeks earlier, this boat is simple to rig, utilizing similar mast clamp technology to make stepping the mast and sail easy for everyone. No more balancing acts like with the Laser rig, especially for people of smaller stature.

The gooseneck clamp allows the boom to pivot 360 degrees once the mainsheet is unclipped. This also means you are not trying to undo someone’s fancy mainsheet knot with the boom stuck in the mud.

There is a lot of clearance between the boom and the deck providing plenty of headroom for those taller and larger sailors.

Once we were rigged and ready to launch, the rudder was set up on the rudder stock to clear the ground, and it stays there, unlike dinghies that use a friction device to hold the rudder in position, this rudder has defined notches in the tiller arm to hold it up.

The tiller handle is held in the down position with the assistance of a small bungee loop. This is important as there is often a tendency to lift the tiller when out on the water and it provides enough resistance to stop the rudder kicking up accidentally.

There is still sufficient freedom for the rudder to kick out of the way in the event of striking an under water obstacle; like the ramp! There is a high boom clearance; the boom will swing right over the top of the centerboard when it is in the fully up position.

This is a great feature for both pre-launching as well as on the water, gybing at the wing and bottom marks. You can leave the beach with the wind changing directions and not get the boom caught up on the centerboard causing that embarrassing inshore capsize.

Topaz Uno Plus:

I swapped over to the Uno Plus for the second race to try this boat out in a single handed race. I have sailed a Sunburst for a number of years and finding crew has always been a challenge. My Sunburst requires that extra pair of hands for setting the jib while tacking. I was very impressed with the ease of tacking and adjusting the jib on the Uno Plus. The boat handles very well and was nicely balanced with the small jib.

In Summary” I would recommend the Uno Plus for any dinghy training organization catering to the larger student and adult sailors, particularly running the YNZ NCEA courses. This is a very flexible, adaptable and forgiving sailing platform with lots of upgrade options and should last many years, given the quality of the materials used and accessories."

Topaz Uno Race X:

I really enjoyed sailing the Uno Race X version in our club’s annual Cup Day racing. The Race X’s large and fully battened mainsail generated lots of power and would reliably re-shape while tacking, without the need to ‘shake’ the battens out. I found the gennaker system very simple to use in the lighter winds and single-handed.

I was a bit nervous about unleashing all that extra power when I first tried it, but the sail was very manageable and provided a thrilling ride in the couple of gusts that swept through. The gennaker performed brilliantly and was very easy to gybe in the lighter airs.

My only comment on the Race X was that I want one! I found it easy and exciting to sail single handed compared to similar boats. The sail controls were in good accessible positions.

Personally, I really enjoyed the opportunity to try out the Race X and the Uno Plus in our racing event and would throw away my Sunburst in favour of it.

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: Coatesville Auckland

(Just brought/first sail & without gennaker up)

I have only sailed it once (so far) but found it amazing.

Topaz Uno Race Plus' at: Te Awamutu College Sailing Club

"Thanks for the excellent service. We have taken the boats out (first sail) on Lake Ngaroto and they were awesome!"  Fleet Admiral Zowie Newton.

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.