Topaz Upgrade
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy development
Forum Discription: The latest moves in the dinghy market
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13801
Printed Date: 27 Jun 25 at 10:48pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Topaz Upgrade
Posted By: Mark Aged 42
Subject: Topaz Upgrade
Date Posted: 18 Jun 21 at 11:46am
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So I made a school boy error. Just after a Covid lock down, I travelled and bought what was advertised as a Topaz Race X. It was raining, and I wanted to get back quickly. Also I did not do enough research. Started rigging last weekend, and found its actually a bit of a Franken-Topaz. It does have shrouds, a spinnaker and a fully battened main. It does not have jib cleats, a spinnaker halyard jammer or forward footstraps. It also has the cross beam which is for the Tres version, I believe. I have now sourced most of the missing components. Quick thanks to Topper International, they have been very patient with me. Questions: 1) To fix the footstraps to the forward bulkhead, I could go the easy route and use self tappers. In this solution, what size would be recommended. The harder option is to bolt through the forward bulkhead. There is some access via an inspection hatch. What lenght bolt works? 2) Jib cleats. Will ahve to use self tappers here - anyone reccommend a size? |
Replies:
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 18 Jun 21 at 12:42pm
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I thought all the fittings went into threaded inserts? I can't see self tappers holding in the plastic. ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: Mark Aged 42
Date Posted: 18 Jun 21 at 12:46pm
| [message lost] |
Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 18 Jun 21 at 1:21pm
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Ah, so your hull doesn't have the right inserts then?
The key thing is that screws don't really work well in tension. The fitting needs to pull across the screw, not up. Toe straps are so important I think you have no choice but to bolt them, and I would put some kind of big backing plate behind them to spread the load. In the old days everyone used plywood, but bearing in mind a plastic boat I'd consider using a piece of cheap HDPE kitchen chopping board. Put a nice large washer behind that. Bolts probably won't need to be very long. Jib cleats... well, the right size screw is the largest that will fit through the hole in the fitting. I have pretty low confidence that screws into unreinforced basic rotomould structure will hold for very long, but you can give it a go. If that fails, hmm, I suppose I might try another piece of chopping board, glued and screwed to the surface. If the cleat is bolted to a bit of chopping board, and the chopping board glued and held down with half a dozen screws or so, then you may get lucky. |
Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 18 Jun 21 at 2:16pm
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You using it solo? ------------- Robert |
Posted By: Grumpycat
Date Posted: 18 Jun 21 at 11:14pm
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Sorry to be negative, but stop messing with it and just sell it. It’s one of the worse boats ever made . There are just so many better boats out there, it’s just not worth the effort .
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Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 19 Jun 21 at 6:57pm
Wot he said ^ ------------- https://www.corekite.co.uk/snow-accessories-11-c.asp" rel="nofollow - Snow Equipment Deals https://www.corekite.co.uk" rel="nofollow - New Core Kite website |
Posted By: Mark Aged 42
Date Posted: 21 Jun 21 at 7:33am
| One more question - when I finally get the genniker parts installed (!), do I rig the boat with the side stays? Or is the mast still unstayed even when flying the kite? |
Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 21 Jun 21 at 10:39am
| I would want stays. |
Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 21 Jun 21 at 12:15pm
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Just wondering, you've been here ten years now shouldn't you be Mark Aged 52 now? ------------- https://www.corekite.co.uk/snow-accessories-11-c.asp" rel="nofollow - Snow Equipment Deals https://www.corekite.co.uk" rel="nofollow - New Core Kite website |
Posted By: Mark Aged 42
Date Posted: 21 Jun 21 at 12:47pm
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The Mark Aged 42 thing all started when I was an occaisional contributer to Boards, back in the day. You remember Boards - right? The moniker just stuck, so I use it in all forums (fora?). Its actually worse than that Grumpf - I turn 60 in September. Trouble is, I still think I'm 42! Funny thing is, I reckon I love my watersports now more than when I was younger. Maybe its having kids to share it with and encourage, maybe its having less free time, maybe its that my club (Essex YC) has a terrific group of Laser sailors, maybe its the invention of the SUP for that quick fix on a windless evening, I dont know. I do know this time is precious.
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Posted By: Chris_H
Date Posted: 21 Jun 21 at 1:18pm
His real name is Dorian and he has a picture in the attic ....
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Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 21 Jun 21 at 2:47pm
You're very right, time is precious, the more so the older we get, as Rod Stewart said 'Lifes like a toilet roll goes faster the nearer to the end it gets...' ------------- https://www.corekite.co.uk/snow-accessories-11-c.asp" rel="nofollow - Snow Equipment Deals https://www.corekite.co.uk" rel="nofollow - New Core Kite website |
Posted By: sargesail
Date Posted: 22 Jun 21 at 7:13am
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Mark,
Sorry to say it but I’m with Grumpycat and IGRF on this. It’s a cormorant: WHAT TO DO WITH A CORMORANT Having shot your cormorant, hold it well away from yourself as you carry it home; these birds are exceedingly verminous and the lice are not solely host-specific. Hang by the feet with wire, soak in petrol and set it on fire. This removes the feathers and kills the lice. When the smoke has cleared, cut the cormorant down and remove the beak. Send this to the local Conservancy Board who will, if you are in the right area, give you 3/6d or sometimes 5/-. Bury the carcase preferably in a light sandy soil and leave it there ideally for a fortnight. This is said to improve the flavour by removing in part, at least, the taste of rotting fish. Dig up and skin and draw the bird. Place in a strong brine solution for at least 48 hours. Remove, dry and stuff with whole, unpeeled onions; the onion skins are supposed to bleach the meat to a small extent, so that it is very dark brown instead of being entirely black. Into 2 quarts of seawater, put 2 heaped tablespoons of Chloride of Lime. Put the cormorant in and gently simmer for a minimum of 6 hours. This further tenderizes the bird. Remove from cooking liquor and allow to dry. Meanwhile, mix up a stiff paste of methylated spirit and Madras curry powder. Spread this paste liberally over the breast of the bird. Finally, roast in a very hot oven for 3 hours. You will find the result unbelievable. Throw it away; not even a starving Vulture would eat it! |
Posted By: Riv
Date Posted: 23 Jun 21 at 6:11pm
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Away from Cormorants and back on board the Topaz, I fitted front toe straps to our donated club boat (always a sucker for a free boat) I used Toe strap screws left over from a Windsurfer. These are about 15mm long with an aggressive deep coarse thread profile. Drilled a small pilot hole. So far so good and the kids like the boat. It is yellow with a virulent pink mainsail. It is called Rhubarb n' Custard. ------------- Mistral Div II prototype board, Original Windsurfer, Hornet built'74. |
Posted By: Grumpycat
Date Posted: 23 Jun 21 at 6:57pm
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Funny enough. My club also has one, also donated by a ex member. We have have had it for 3 years and no one has ever used it. We are going to sell it in the near future for a nominal amount just to clear the boat parking place
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