Well I wouldnt reccomend the Vago, anything has gotta be better then that.

I sailed one the other day, it was blowing about a force 5. I honestly found this boat rockier then an 800. I found it difficult to to keep the crew out on the wire, and was constantly looking to get more power out of the main, as the boat just kept wanting to capsize on top of us.

Plus the mast looks like a scafold pole, we went swimmin a couple of times, as soon as your over, we found the boat turn turtle almost instantly, then just to add to the fun, the centerplate fell down.

I personally wasnt impressed, and everyone else that I spoke to last week that had tried it, wasnt completly satisifed either.

I would recomend the Vago, in terms of size it isn' t that much different than the L2000, but has the advantage of a gnav instead of a vang giving more room for crew. It also has a much larger sail area and a larger genacker making it a racier boat particularly downwind on the plane. It is also has the advantage of being cheaper than the L2000.

Personaly I wouldn't sail at L2000 with that many people?, my point is that with the gnav, what room there is in the Vago, which isn't that much smaller than the L2000 can be more easily used. The kicking strap on most dinghies, even quite large ones like the RS400 or Stratos means that more than one person in the front cockpit causes problems when trying to tack.

I have to disagree with you there Sumo, I find that the L2000 is has much more space then the Vago. Iv sailed a L2000 many times, and have never found problems with gettin people in there. To be honest, the kicker really doesnt pose much of a problem, I never found it did anyway.

The L2000 really isnt much slower then the Vago, it was said that the Vago would sail off of a PY of 980, but thats just silly (ploy to sell the boat really). I would have thought its more along the lines of about 1030. So to be honest its not much racier, seeing as a L2000 sails off of 1089.

Also, in a breeze, you would be surprised how fun a L2000 is!

The NSSA "mount hayes trophy" was sailed in Xenons this year.  Described by my kids as "a huge plastic RS400 substitute".  Despite which it can be sailed by a determined 15 year old with a mite-sized crew.  Way to go James & Elly!

Not totally sure what this boat is for.  They already make the Magno and the Omega.  Hardly a Vago competitor as it has no trapeze.

Any ideas?

I think it's Toppers route into development sailing.  It comes with an electric iron as part of the package, and if you feel that the point of max width is a bit far forward, or you want to turn the chines in a bit at the transom, you just warm the iron up, turn the old rotomoulded girl upside down and get to work on her.

Just don't apply too much heat or you'll end up with something that looks like a Vortex...

That's how they designed it!

The Vortex proves a point: never store your rotomoulded too near the barbecue!

Eeh tell me about it!
I usually sail my Topper up the beach at Lancing, at that's mostly pebbles. My baby's bottom's a bit scratched, OK, but how many boats can do that without damage?

Tree trunk, eh? Can you trapeze it?  

The xenon's so wide you could probably sit the kids in the bottom and they'd never have to see the water!  But I'd agree with Marine Boy it's keeping the kids away from the water that's the problem after a bit.

Trapeze on a 6ft wide, designed-for-hiking boat - wow, who needs racks!!  Should  be good in a force 8 or so...... unless the fittings rip out the plastic that is.

As of about 9.30 this morning when I spoke to Topper, 19 of the 30 have been reserved.  You can reserve at that price for £500 deposit, £440 of which is refundable if you change your mind after a trial.

Laser are also offering a boat show deal on Laser 2000s, which knocks about £700 off the list price of a brand new 2000 with cover and combi, they want a £100 fully refundable deposit.