tophatyachts.com

Hi all

Just had an awesome morning sail on Sydney Harbour, nice westerly took my all the way from my mooring to Taylors Bay (before i cheated and motored home), too much work uphill solo.

I took along my handheld gps, and was surprised that it showed a sustained 6.5kts downwind, just under main. Im sure current was probably adding a knot or two, though just curious as to what speed you've had your boats up to (under sail) ?

(conditions at the time were WSW average of 10knts with gusts to 19 kts)

dan

Dulcamara doesn't have a working log, nor a GPS, but last Sunday week in those big winds with just the #2 we managed to get from Gladeville Bridge to Burns Bay and back, sailing downwind and motoring up, in about 3 hours. The fastest we've ever been, but the winds were supposed to be about 25kts and the current was with us some of the way.

Interesting day, getting the rails well in the water with just the # 2 part furled and no main up.....

Michael

We were out in Storm Petrel on the Sunday before last (20-25 knot westerlies) off Palm Beach with reefed main and a few turns of our No.2 on the furler. Our GPS was reading over 6 knots but I suspect we were a little over powered and probably should have reduced sail a bit more. I think the hull speed is about 5.6 knots and anything much over this is proabably pushing a 'hole in the water' and making life hard on the tiller. We have had Storm Petrel up to 6.5 knots at times but she is happiest at 5.5-6.00 knots in a stiff breeze.

Cheers,
Mark

Afternoon All,

I have a quote from Chris Mitchell who owned, and wrecked (the first?), one of the first Timber Top Hats a Mk0 called BARCEROLE.
This was in about 1971.

"This was on a return to Gladstone in a strong wind warning, had to beat and tack the 20miles south to get out of the estuary, then headed north and averaged 7.2 knots over 300 miles to Mackay. We had a reefed main, a working jib on a spin pole, and a genoa set on a second forestay sheeted to a tight reach set in the lee of the main. The jib on the pole funnelled the wind around and filled the genoa. We surfed every wave under perfect control, the sumlog only went up to 17 knots I recall and we went over that all the time. On a wave the main was flapping."

What can I say.

Phillip
SEAKA

Yes, but as a surfer of 45 yrs I would question whether he was surfing or sailing. I really cannot picture a small heavy displacement boat like a Top Hat doing over 17 knots even surfing and having any control. Has anyone else got their Top Hat to anything like this speed?

I guess we know why he wrecked!

Last time i did 17kts was onboard a V.O 60 coming back from hobart, cant imagine that speed on a little top hat, would be insane

Hello All,

My Mk3 will do 6 knots, sometimes more, in 15 to 20 knots of breeze on a close reach or reach. I usually double reef the main and carry the number 2 in winds approaching 20 knots, I am usually single handed and its more comfortable. My boat has a 3 bladed prop ( the equivalent of dragging a bucket) so I am pretty happy with that performance.
One of the things that impresses me about the Top Hat is its performance in light winds ( 5-10 knots), with the genoa up I can keep up with some larger cruising boats.
I checked the hull speed using an online calculator. For its waterline length of 21ft, the theoretical hull speed is 6.14 knots. But boats can go faster than hull speed, they just need much more drive and make bigger waves.

Regards,

Bart

Hi All,

Yes I did question Chris on the speed but never got a real reply.
Chris wrecked BARCEROLE on the shores of Java.
He may in fact have been the first to take a Top Hat overseas.

Anyway, his full storey will be published here towards the end of the year.

If any long term Top Hat owners have a story like this please email me.

Phillip
SEAKA

We keep record of our top speed and try to top it...

Best to date so far, was 8.9knots and that was surfing with far too much sail up in about 20 knots and 3m swell... <moments later we gyped and ripped the end of the sail track off but that was another story... ha ha.>

Too be honest, on a cruise always content with over four, pretty bloody happy with 5, and estactic with anything above 5.5 - 6.

Ironically I went for a sail on Skandia (98 foot of Carbon) a few months back and got talking about Tophat and how we managed over 8 knots... one of the crew commented "were you getting a tow at the time" cynical pr8cks.

Not a boat for a hurry

Karl,

Your honest cruising speeds are about right as thats' about my lot also.

We get many cruisers through here (Laurieton) and many claim 6-7 knots.
But after a while you usually find out that they MOTOR SAIL .

I also can do over 6 knots all the time with the iron sail on!

Phillip
SEAKA

PS. Chris was asleep when he ran into the hardstuff!