Top Hat 25

[Andrew]

Top Hat 25's

These look like solid pocket cruising yachts for the budget minded. Some have an outboard well and run 6hp Tohatsu sailpro's (this would save on engine costs), others have small inboard diesels. Anyone come across these in your travels?

https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/top-hat-25

One is for sale in Qld

https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/moolool ... 1274965294

[IanS]

I'm currently reading this book about a circumnavigation in a Top Hat:
https://www.amazon.com.au/Two-Top-Hat-I ... B00ULX21AS

They might be a bit small for my next boat. I'm dreaming about one of these:
https://www.boatsonline.com.au/boats-fo ... eywords=33

[Andrew]

That must be a good read Ian, shows what TH25's are ultimately capable of doing (Bet it was heavily modified though). From what i've seen in the for sale columns most are set up for safe coastal cruising,

The Displacement of 2.5 T and the cost range (8-18k..ish) is very reasonable for a small liveaboard for 2 or solo. Small but has headroom, long keel and strong hull and keel hung rudder. Three versions Mark 1, 2 and 3 (different cabins and hull layups etc) diesel inboards for deep sea and outboards for coastal hopping. Of course there is also a big range of sail inventories, fitouts, equipment and condition. The standard layout seems well thought out and practical.

TH25 rudder keel

TH25 galley

TH25 design study plan

TH25 outboard well

Here is the TH25 data
https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/top-hat-25

The Martz craft 33 looks like value for money for that displacement class of cruiser. Apparently the higher hull later versions are better (roomier, esp aft cabin) . M33's seem like very popular boats on the forums, owners love em. I'm very skittish about "spade rudders" offshore (as had a bad experience loosing one off Byron in a gale) But with good maintenance and proper use M33's could make awesome coastal cruisers (popular bareboat in WhitSundays). If buying one might be worth dropping the rudder blade out and checking the stainless rudder post for any hairline cracking near the hull aperture bushing (it was the failure point of my E24 spade rudder).

[IanS]

Hi Andrew,

Looks like the only modification they made to the Top Hat was to add wind vane self-steering. Their storm tactic was to lie-a-hull. That says something about the stability of the boat as they hit some pretty heavy wind and sea. Plus they had a baby half way round, delivered in Sth Africa! Amazing story, 1974-1977.

The Mottle 33 has a skeg hung rudder, seems to tick a lot of boxes, and there's lots around. I have been looking at Martzcraft 35s as well.

Just a dream at the moment...

Cheers,
Ian

[Andrew]

That's good news about the Mottle 33's skeg rudder. Found a couple of slipway pics of the underbody, sounds like a nice cruiser.

"2 in a Top hat" should be a good read, will look out for it. On u tube "That sailing guy" is a couple sailing the east coast in a top hat 25 (they upsized after that). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJnSKl2 ... x=17&t=88s

Im always checking out other yacht designs, either step-ups , downsizers or other TS's, just for interest sake.

[Peter T]

Hi Andrew, I did my coastal navigation course in a modified Mottle 33. It had the distance between all the frames of the building frames lengthened by three inches from what the plans showed on each one making it a few feet longer than the standard 33. Absolutely beautiful yacht with the centre cockpit and the aft cabin. I got the nick name of araldite on that trip. The skipper reckoned my hands were glued tight to the wheel and I couldn't let it go. My word it sailed beautifully. Probably the nicest yacht I have ever sailed on. I asked the skipper what it cost him to build and he said he didn't know because he stopped counting when he got to 300. There was absolutely nothing it did not have.

[Andrew]

Been reading up/net surfing on Tophat 25's (while the monsoon rain falls here),

They have a wide range of uses/capabilities with most about Sydney and NSW coasts.
They displace 2.5 tons unloaded (over 3x bigger than an 1563, quite a huge step up!) and can load ~500kgs gear and stores, to displace 3 tons total.

They are even more variable than Investigators it seems. Three versions build, known as Mark 1, Mk2 and Mk3

Mark 1 - has the stepped dog house, strongest hull layup, lowest headroom and transom mounted outboard.

Mark 2 - Strong hull layup, long coach house and outboard well. cockpit floor raised a bit.

Mark 3 - Best headroom, nice fitouts, "youngest" (less old) equipment onboard, lighter hull layup.

The first 2 marks were often owner fitouts, the mark 3 usually factory fitout.

The distinguishing feature is the keyhole companionway with main traveller above (good to hang onto)
Nice 3/4 keels with fully attached inboard rudder,
Nice dinette to starboard, doubles as chart table
Cockpit has 2 storage hatches (much like an 1563)
Galley space to port forward of settee berth (maxie was standard factory stove)

Variations.
Forward starboard compartment (eg either a head, nav table or locker)
Storage setups (lockers, shelves etc)
Galley fitout details (sinks/water, stoves, racks)
Engines (from inboard diesels to outboards, any make/model, seems like 6-15 hp). Inboard diesels for offshore serious any weather/anytime, well outboards for coastal fair-wind day hoppers, transom outboards for harbour sailing.
Rig set-ups vary allot. Some run halyards aft, some don't. Some have roller furlers, some don't. Some have double slab reefing/ lazyjacks etc others don't. Some have anchor winches, others don't. Some have autohelms (ST1000 or ST2000 size usually)
Some have cruising fitouts (eg solar panel rack, bimini's, spray-dodgers, sail UV edge strips, sail-covers, more/better navigation and safety gear) others have minimal.

The "Top hatters" have an online forum http://www.tophatyachts.com/