Hi,
So I'm looking to purchase my first sailboat. The budget is a bit tight. I know the mk1 tophat 25 is known for being a great sea worthy vessel, and there is a tophat 27 for sale with in my budget but I cannot find any information on them. Virtually nothing on the internet on them. Does anyone know anything about them? Basically I'm wanting to do some coastal cruising with a look at getting into something a little more adventurous down the track.
Thank you

r13 said..
Assume you've seen these links the 2nd and 3rd links are probably the one you are looking at and the links give a heap of details?

www.tophatyachts.com/about_t27.php

marinebrokerage.com.au/boats/285181/top-hat-27/
www.australiawide.com/australiawide/yachts-for-sale/used/sail-monohulls/top-hat-27/291353/

Expect if you posted here you could get more inputs if they are needed.

www.facebook.com/groups/42917318330/

Thanks, that is the boat I am considering. But I was looking for some first hand knowledge or even a page with data. I've just joined the group you posted, and will ask there. Thanks again for your help

Interesting that the ad shows the designers as Merv Howlett and Bill Bollard. Waaay back when Noah was a lad, Merv modified an 18 Foot Skiff (with input from Bill, if vague memory is correct) that dominated trailerable yacht racing for years. Bill is a naval architect and a successful skiff designer who also drew the Magnum 8.5, I think.

I can't see those two getting too much wrong with their modifications. There was a wooden extended Top Hat around Palm Beach many years ago, too; it had lovely lines.

The Top Hat 27' is just an extended Top Hat 25' according to what Merv told me.
Only 4 of the 27'ers were built and they were expensive at that time.
As no interest in them was shown I believe they were originally sold off to friends of the owner of Formit, the builder.
There is one each in WA & QLD, the other two are in Sydney.