Top Hat Racing

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From: GiovDayman (Original Message) Sent: 19/06/2007 8:03 AM
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>Good morning all you lucky Top Hat owners.
My name is John Dayman and I own a Top Hat in Melbourne called Sombrero at
the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria.

I think it has been a while since a 30 year old Top Hat has raced actively
on Port Phillip and we are working on a few advances in the technique of Top
hat racing for anyone interested.

We now have won 2, yes two around the bay races on PHD handicap, proving
that a well sailed small old yacht can still win races. We get top three
places in our Wed afternoon races and get top 10 in our series in a fleet on
30 plus. So Top Hat owners, get out there and harrass those bigger boats,
you can do it!

We've ghosted around in light breezes and raced in 50kts plus. Top Hats are
a terrific design and can really shake a fleet up and embarrass the heck out
of them. And I love it!

Lessons:

1. Get the weight out of the ends ie move anchors, chains to the mast step
just in front of the bulkhead, balance the boat so it sits upright (ie make
sure petrol, etc is not sitting all in the port cockpit locker). Look at the
boat sitting at rest on a calm day. Empty the water tanks. Take off what you
do not need on the boat. Leave it on the pier, put it back onboard when you
get back. It will sit higher in the water, believe me!!!

2. Position crew amid ship up wind and even down wind keep them forward.
Weight is critical. I even steer from the traveller on light days. get that
stern out of the water and getthe mast raked forward.

3. Reduce drag: I have just taken 60kg of 30 year old antifoul of Sombrero
and it even motors faster!

4. If you have an outboard well, plug it with a couple of drain vents to
drain the cockpit. Plus sikaflex a plug in the gap at the back of the keel
where an inboard prop would be. This gap affetcs the flow of water ove the
rudder and you are loosing steerage.

5. And then there's the sailing skill! If anyone wants to know more, let me
know, happy to tell you how after 42 years of sailing dinghies (and I still
do), Ocean racing a Swanston 36 for 15 years and now gone to a Top Hat, how
I and my excellent crew get the most out of sailing a 7.62m Illingworth
design.

Good sailing and if anyone is ever in Melbourne, I have an open invitation
to ANY Top Hat owner to come for a sail with us when we race at Royals.
Might only cost you a bottle of Bundy!

Good Sailing.
John Dayman
Sombrero
R142

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> $7,800 Top Hat
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> From:
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> Thanks very much guys, it is a Mk3. Good news about the
>foam, seems as thought a dunking wouldn't cause any other problems except
>cosmetic ones, eg cushions, water tank full of s/w etc. The timberwork down
>below has suffered, but the rest looks OK. Wiring will be fun, but probably
>nice to run a new set anyway. I'm going to have a look next week, will keep
>you all posted. I know it'd be better value to grab one of the many for
>sale in Sydney/Brisbane for around $10,000 incl motor and wiring, but it's
>a month off work to sail up to Cairns, or $5000 on a truck (from Brisbane
>to Cairns), so a bit out of reach. The sail from Airlie to Cairns looks
>magic...
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Reply
Recommend Message 2 of 4 in Discussion

From: marklang2 Sent: 20/06/2007 3:55 AM
Thanks John,

As a Top Hat sailing novice, all this information is tremendously interesting. Have been racing with the Top Hat Sailing Association on Pittwater for the last 12 months and have been doing OK on handicap but this may just give me the edge I need!!

Mark Langworthy,
Windy Business

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Reply
Recommend Message 3 of 4 in Discussion

From: nswsailor Sent: 21/06/2007 7:06 PM
John,

I am very interested in your statments re racing. In fact it explains why my SEAKA had 75 odd kg in lead slabs just forward of the mast below the floor. SEAKA was raced in Pittwater by John Lake for many years (about 30? I think).

Up here on the Camden Haven (NSW midcoast) we don't get any racing to obtain experience under pressure, so I would be very interested in any comments re your offer in your point 5 in regards to mast rake, rigging tension etc etc for general cruising.

May I also suggest that you re post all this in the How to do section so it will not get lost amongst the other postings.

Looking forward to your reply with much interest,

Phil Bowman
SEAKA

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Reply
Recommend Message 4 of 4 in Discussion

From: GiovDayman Sent: 21/06/2007 8:58 PM

Racing or cruising, it's always nice to try a bit harder and get a bit more
boat speed.

Suggest you take lead slabs out all it is doing is pushing it down in the
waterline, it is not assisting ballast unless it is in the bottom of the
keel. I also had additional lead ages ago and got rid of it.

Make sure the boat sits upright from al angles in the water and when it does
(adjust position of weight around the boat to get it level) Then you can
adjust the mast and rig tension to get the mast upright. Forward mast rake
for upwind sailing is achieved best by positioning crew well forward on the
weather deck. Get as much weight out of the ends of the boat as possible.
Put al anchors, chain, etc at the base of the mast just infront of the
forward bulkhead on the floor. Steer by leaning on the coach house to get
your weight forward and don't have anyone else in the cockpit if they aren't
actually doing anything.

Cheers
Johnnp
Sombrero
R142
PS After all the work we did ini the 10 days between race series end and the
new one starting lst Wed, we WON the race by a country mile averaging over
6kts with a No2 and full main well over 6kts, even up wind!