Wanted - Topaz Uno Race X

tack'ho, you're quite right, the colour is added directly to the mould - at recent shows, Topper have shown dinghies that are moulded in Orange/White and Lime Green/White...........Hmmm, not sure if I like those colours quite so much. It's been suggested that the new Topper Topaz Vibe will be produced in Orange/White, I do hope that this choice doesn't put buyers off, as it looks like a very nice boat indeed, a bit like a mini Xenon - it'll be interesting to see what PY No. it ends up with.

I sat through a stimulating seminar by a rotomoulding consultancy who quite hilariously tried to persuade me that they manufacture "high performance sailing boats" and on the presentation they showed a photo of an escape captiva!

The colour is achieved by adding the first layer of coloured plastic and then this is rotated to give a good spread over the mould. (hence why if you look, the visual appearance is different in each boat) The secondary layer is then added behind this outer layer which is an expanding foam (this apparently adds 'added bulk' and stiffness)

Anther interesting point is that the characteristics of the plastic change due to the colour of the pigment added so the performance will be different throughout the boat as there is a marbled effect.