Bears Top 10

[bearmcnally]

Hi Top Hatters

It seems we forget how good the Top Hat design is. Designed as a" pocket JOG " yacht back in the 60s and has proved itself as good cruising yacht ever since. They still hold their value and are still a highly sort after yacht after all these years.We dribble and drool over these so called " modern yachts" and are hoodwinked on how seaworthy these called tupperware vessels are,for example cast iron V's lead keels fin V's full.Yes the Wife and girlfriends love the mon-cons and the big roomy cockpits for prancing around in and looking pretty. But at the end of the day the Top Hat is still one of the top 10 Yachts I've sailed in the past 20 years.So here is the deal this is my choose of yachts under 38 ft in no order or size for cruising and maybe a little around the bouy twilight racing.So if you can add or better my choose here's your chance.Maybe we can disscuss in detail why we chose them.

1 Swanson 27
2 Swanson 28
3 Defiance /Swanson 30
4 Coast East 31
5 Swanson 32
6 S&S 34
7 Magpie 34
8 Currawong 30
9 Brolga 34
10 Swanson 36
All these yachts where designed built and raced through-out the 70s and early 80s .Although they are getting a bit long in the tooth they still have that classic design that modern yachts seem to lack. If you want some sailing fun and excitement you should try racing on an old JOG yacht.I have 7 years on Di Hard an ex admirmal cup etc . Most of these modern yachts behave just like Di Hard but have a comfortable fit out and all the mon-cons.And if you have ever raced an IOR yacht you'll no what I mean.


Regards Bear

[Phillip]

Ahh Bear,

I'm going to stick to my Top Hat!

Phillip.

[karl010203]

Hey Bear...

The others I considered when ultimately deciding on the tophat where:

Herreshoff H28
Compass 28

Also full length keel - fibreglass seaworthy yachts.

The Tophat at the time of purchase represented better value and overall package.

Cheers

Karl

[Dolphin]

You can't overlook the Endeavour 26. It was born out of a high demand for the Top Hat.

I only know some of the boats that Bear is proposing.
Greg.

[karl010203]

Hi Greg,

I think the Endeavour is a bit of a different beast... and there is no doubting their success as a production yacht.

I have previously had an E19 - think of an E24 that shrunk...same with fixed keel etc -- and had a lot to do with the Endeavour association etc. A very active association, great group of people and a lot of information regarding the class... they also have a "blue book" which is a bit of a bible on the different makes... which I think ads a lot of value to this class of yacht.

I would choose a tophat over a Endevour any day of the week for my needs though, as I am not a club racer (and wouldn't possess the skills to even get over the start line without a protest or something) and for coastal cruising and maybe that offshore passage one day - feel more at ease with a full keel / rudder in preference to a spade and fin - go fast set up.

I found the E19 an overly sensitive and fragile boat, really not suited for any significant swell or wind... but I am sure the e24 - 26s are better again.

Karl

[storm petrel]

I probably would have picked the same 10 yachts Bear, though there are some O.S. built yachts of the same vintage that might displace some of the Aussie ones if money was no object. For example a Bristol 27, Cape Dorey 25, Westsail 32 or valiant 32 etc.

But I think I will stick with my Tophat!

[karl010203]

Ditto on the westsail!!!!