Topcat (boat class)

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Notation
TOPCAT K1 with a length of 5.48 m (18 ft)
TOPCAT K2 with a length of 5.17 m (17 ft)
TOPCAT K3 with a length of 4.92 m (16.1 ft)

The Topcat boat class is a " one-design " sailing catamaran - boat class that is divided into different sizes. The sailing catamarans are widely used two-hull boats in sizes from 3.60 m (12  ft ) to 5.50 m (18 ft). They are represented worldwide and are characterized by screwless assembly .

history

In the mid-1970s, two German sailing rivals in the A-Cat catamaran class , Bernd Breymann and Klaus Enzmann, found the cumbersome transport and assembly of the sport catamarans unsatisfactory. Their idea was a sport catamaran with the following features:

In 1975, Klaus Enzmann, the designer of the catamarans, built the first swordless prototype without rudder, in principle similar to the Spanish "Patin-Vela", but improved in details. In 1976, the prototype was first fitted with a new type of rudder by Klaus Enzmann, for which a patent was applied for, along with other equipment features. In the same year TOPCAT GmbH was founded. In the following year, the first Topcat catamaran appeared, a 4.80 m long two-hull boat that was only held together with plug connections. It had a mast height of 7.00 m as well as a jib with 3.6 m² and a main sail with 11.2 m² sail area .

The German Topcat class association was founded in 1981 from among Topcat sailors . This made it possible to organize numerous regattas in which absolute regatta novices could also take part. Training courses are held within the framework of the Association of German Sport Boat Schools (VDS) and the Association of German Windsurfing and Sailing Schools (VDWS) . The first Topcat stations are set up on Lake Garda .

In 1983 the International Topcat Class Association (ITCA) was founded after the national one . In the same year the first European championships took place in Brenzone on Lake Garda with 44 participating boats from five countries.

In 2005 Topcat K1 was recognized as an official ISAF regatta class. The first world championship then took place in Torbole on Lake Garda in September .

In Germany, the class has not yet been classified as worthy of the championship by the German Sailing Association , as the DSV championship regulations in Section 5.1.1 require at least 60 boats in the ranking list and the ranking system in Section 5.1.3 10 boats in a race. Among other things, due to the division into the various sub-classes K1, K2 and K3, the necessary number of the same boats in the ranking list is not achieved.

Catamarans

concept

Usual catamarans were rigged like sailboats of equal size . With Topcat catamarans there is no need for a large boom , swords and complicated trim mechanisms such as rigging screws . In order to offer enough lateral surface despite the lack of swords , the profile of the swimmer towards the keel line was chosen to be very narrow and deep. This is a compromise between the necessary lateral stability and maneuver agility. The two hulls are only placed on the two transverse profiles and are stably held together by a trampoline stretched between them. Also new is the divisible and freely rotatable mast and a liftrudder, in which the rudder blades do not have to be laboriously folded up in shallow water, but simply slide up through the rudder jaws after pulling on the line provided for this purpose. For safety reasons, capsizing lines are attached to the front beam , which allow the catamaran to be easily straightened after capsizing. The equipment carried can be stored dry in the two storage compartments with screw locks.

The Topcat is very suitable as a catamaran for coastal waters with waves. The ability of the Topcat to sail in very shallow inland waters is unusual , as it has little draft and can still be steered when the oars are retracted at the level of the keel line.

hull

Topcat 01.JPG

The hulls of the Topcat catamarans are very similar to the design of the Tornado as well as the Dart . The swords are not used. For this, the hulls in the lower area were equipped with the keel fins typical of beach catamarans. The material is plastic and glass fiber reinforced plastic with a thickness of a few millimeters in the upper and side areas. The material thickness is adapted to the forces occurring at individual, heavily stressed areas:

  • two pick-up points for the beams (similar in shape to an epitrochoid )
  • a mounting point of the shroud
  • a pick-up point of the front beam
  • the mirror with the mount for the lift steering system
  • Keel fins
  • There are versions with an extra reinforced keel for training vehicles or coral areas

The surface of the hulls is provided with a gelcoat . The interior of a fuselage can be reached via an inspection cover, which is located in the area of ​​the rear beam recordings.

Structure

Two aluminum beams, similar in profile to a hypotrochoid, are inserted into the fuselage, stability is created by a trampoline made of synthetic fiber fabric stretched between them . This consists of two strips of fabric that are inserted into the groove of an aluminum profile with a round rubber profile on the outside , which is riveted to the inner edge of the fuselage. The fabric panels are tied in the middle of the boat like a corsage . The mount for the mast is riveted to the front beam, a ball head.

Rigging, rigging, sails

The rig consists of a rotatable, streamlined mast, which is held by a pair of shrouds and a forestay . Topcat catamarans do not have spreaders in the classic sense. Only the subclasses K1 and Spitfire have diamonds to stabilize the mast.

  • The main sail is sailed without a boom and is completely battened with battens and, required by the missing boom, has a very stable leech. It can be adapted to the wind conditions with a foot stretcher. It is guided in a groove in the mast and hooked onto the mast using a patented hook system.
  • The jib has a simple translation and a traveler in the sheet . It is designed as a roller-furling jib.

The sails are available in three versions:

  1. Classic (for beginners)
  2. Streamcut (for advanced users) 1
  3. Foil (Pentex, for regattas) 1

The size of the Streamcut and "Foil" sails are identical, only different fabrics, Dacron (Streamcut) or Pentex (Foil), as well as slightly different sail cuts due to the construction are used.

1 permitted for the regattas of the International Topcat Class Association (ITCA)

equipment

The Topcat catamarans of the subclasses K1, K2, K3 and K4 can be equipped with a reacher . This enables a significant increase in speed on downwind and downwind courses. The standard jib furling system makes it possible to recover the jib when setting the reacher .

In addition, in every sub-class of the bow , in the case of the Spitfire, K1, K2 and K3, the helmsman , as is usual with many sporty regatta boats, can use a trapeze device to trim the boat.

In ranking regattas, the K1 is sailed two-handed with jib, mainsail and reacher, the K2 either two-handed with jib and mainsail or one-handed without a jib and the K3 one-handed with mainsail and reacher. The K4 is designed for light youth crews. This means that the Topcat offers a suitable subclass for every crew and skill level.

Models

Topcat model overview 1977 to 2015
model series F1 / F2 Spitfire 2.3 / 2.5 K1 K2 K3 K4 / 4.5 Chico
construction time 1977-2005 1985-1993 Since 1993 since 1995 since 1999 since 2005 since 2005
Length (LüA) 4.80 m 5.48 m 5.48 m 5.17 m 4.92 m 4.50 m 3.60 m
Length (LüA) 15.7 ft 18.0 ft 18.0 ft 17.0 ft 16.1 ft 14.8 ft 11.8 ft
Width (BüA) 2.00 m 2.50 m 2.50 m 2.44 m 2.21 m 2.21 m 1.98 m
Mast height 7.00 m 9.20 m 9.15 m 8.20 m 7.60 m 7.00 m 5.76 m
Empty weight 115 kg 180 kg 170 kg 155 kg 138 kg 115 kg 80 kg
Large sail area 11.2 m² 16.7 m² 16.7 m² 15.9 m² 14.9 m² 11.0 m² 5.8 m²
Jib sail area 3.6 m² 5.4 m² 5.4 m² 4.2 m² 3.2 m² 2.5 m² 2.1 m²
Sail area reacher -, - m² -, - m² 18.8 m² 16.3 m² 16.3 m² 12.0 m² -, - m²
Trapezoid 1 2 2 2 1 1 1
crew 1/2 2 2 1/2 1/2 1/2 2 (children)
Catstick
LW 1 / MW 2 / SW 3
1610/1220/980 4 1498/1110/896 5 1375/1040/830 6 1460/1120/905 7 1480/1140/920 8 1610/1220/980 9 - / - / -
Catstick - Spizahl
LW 1 / MW 2 / SW 3
20/30/30 4 20/30/30 5 0/0/0 6 20/30/30 7 20/30/20 8 20/30/30 9 - / - / -
  • K1 produced: 2920 total, 20 in 2013
Remarks

All information according to the German Sailing Association (DSV)
1 * LW - light wind - below 3.5 m / s (<3 bft) average; 2 * MW - medium wind - between 3.5 and 8 m / s (3 bft to 5 bft) average; 3 * SW - stronger wind - over 8 m / s (> 5 bft); 4 Topcat F1 Streamcut single-handed; 5 Topcat Spitfire 2.5 Classic; 6 Topcat K1 Streamcut with Spi 2-man; 7 Topcat K2 Streamcut 2-man; 8 Topcat K3 Streamcut one-handed + two-man; 9 Topcat 4.5 Streamcut one-handed (temporarily adopted from F1 / F2)

Individual evidence

  1. www.topcat.de (see model overview) . Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  2. International Sailing Federation - 2014 Class Report . Retrieved January 8, 2015.

Web links