5Yr plan - am I crazy?

[storm petrel]

No you are not crazy! Sounds like a good plan you have put together. I agree that you should try to find a Top Hat with a diesel in good condition and a 40 or 50 litre SS tank( this is what I have in my boat) which will give you 30 hrs of motoring without having to worry about refueling. No lifting and you just need to turn a key to bring the 'iron genoa' into play and if it is a modern diesel it will be pretty quiet and easy to live with. I have found the Top Hat a wonderful sea boat for her size, easy to sail single handed and, if well set up, they will do 5-6 knots in just about any wind/sea conditions.

Good luck with your search,

Mark

[di_namic42]

Hi Troppo

They are a friendly couple at Scarborough marina. her name is Dianne (also) and his was Jean-Paul ( french!) He used to be the manager there.
They were really nice. If it was a Top Hat it was probably them. She currently lives on the top hat with her 13yo son. Cramped!!!
Which is why it is up for sale
Also a mention and plug to Fletch and his wife at the chandlery there - amazingly helpful, knowledgeable and friendly.
Regards Dianne
( Moreton Bay, QLD)

[bornfreee]

Hi Diane i to have a five year plan, i have lived on 4 Tophats and have sailed them up and down the coast, they are a fantastic safe yacht, i am now living on a Northerner 28 the first of the Compass 28 they are a heavier displacement more carry capacity more room and in my opinion better built boat, also they are a bargain, some of the advantages that i see is it has a bridge deck so it is harder for water to find its way down inside, wooden furniture, so if you wish at a later date you can change the fit out, no lining in the roof, so if there is a leak you can find it quickly and lastly they sail very well here is a short video of my trip north
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vL62B-n-mb8

[Ianb]

Dianne
I would not be fixated on having a diesel. If you can get a Mk2 or 3 with an outboard in a well, it is also a good solution. Diesels in good working order are great, but one with problems can be overwhelming if you do not have mechanical skills. Outboards can be taken ashore and fixed at a reasonable cost if you know a good mechanic.

[rob.lovelace]

yeah offset.most are I think.

BTW,salt air music good food and exercise is the fountain of youth!!!

[di_namic42]

Some of them have wells for outboards?
I read someones comments on that & thought i was misunderstanding.

Good middle ground!
I must check all the outboard tophats for sale & see if they have wells
Is that very common? What % would have well?

[di_namic42]

Hi Y'all!!!

There is a top hat 27 for sale ...

http://www.boatpoint.com.au/boats-for-s ... x=8&eapi=2

Anyone have thoughts on this one for extended coastal cruising i.e 6 months at a time?

Simple is good, but some comforts when cruising for a longer period could be nice?

[di_namic42]

I am travelling down to Sydney after Easter to look at every marina & lots of boats on the way down in my search for a boat.

Maybe i can catch up with some top hatters while I am down that way?

[rob.lovelace]

oh god, don't start the outboard/inboard topic please Di, they go nuts around here when they start on that one

[Ianb]

Some of them have wells for outboards?

The Mk1s have a cut out on the transom and no well. As far as I can tell the Mk 2 and 3 have the well unless fitted with a diesel. You can usually see the outboard mounted in the well in photos in the ads.
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