Boat Test

TOPAZ 16 TEST
YACHTS & YACHTING TEST REPORT 2008

"Having designed the Dart 16 as the first mass-market cat with low cost, rotomoulded hulls in 1997, Yves Loday went to work on the Topaz 16 almost a decade later. So it's not surprising to find that the 16 has taken a big step forward in terms of design, construction and performance."

 

"The Topaz 16CX provides a different kind of sailing experience. On the water it feels stiffer, lighter and more dynamic than any rotomoulded cat produced by Dart or Hobie, with taut feedback that qualifies as 'true performance' sailing."

 

"The Topaz 16CX has all the attributes for a new International Youth Cat: low cost, durable, true performance and fun to sail."

 

"What's more the Topaz 16 is an easy boat to handle."

 

"The Topaz 16 is the first cat to bridge the gap between low cost rotomoulded hull construction and true performance cat sailing, a feat emulated by the smaller 14."

 

"At under £6,000 complete with kite, nothing comes close to the 16CX. The 16S (school version) trims £1,000 off the price with a single trapeze, dacron mainsail and no spinnaker. It's a good choice for cat novices, but novices with aspirations should go balls-out for the CX."

 

To download a pdf of the full TEST REPORT, click here