A TV news report on the Topper Worlds that took place mid August in Pwhelli Wales. Whereas the Laser Radial is the interim junior class for the Optimist graduates in North America, the Topper holds this distinction in the U.K., with massive turnouts. This doesn't mean adults can't enjoy Toppers as I have posted before in this post and also this post.
Velocette
11 hours ago
2 comments:
These little boats are about 1000 times better in so many ways (faster, more like "real boats", self rescuing, can take a crew, cheaper, etc etc etc) than the silly Optimist dinghy. Sticking kids in Optimists is a sure fire way to make kids prefer video games or something else more stimulating.
I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the Optimist. There is no small dinghy that can tolerate the mistakes and not overwhelm a skinny 8 or 9 year old. It has the right size, the right stability, the right sail area for a small kid just learning to sail. (Whether you think the highly competitive International circuit for the Optimist is where this class should be placed in the pantheon of dinghy classes is another question, and perhaps where the Topper is a better fit.)
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