Do I buy DD an Oppie or a Topper?

[Katymac]

She is 9
About 4ft 8 & 4st 10

She is quite a good little sailor & has been on several oppie courses

BUT if I buy her an Oppie will she grow out of it soon

Should I buy her a Topper or should I wait until she grows?

TIA
KMc

[Katymac]

bump

[Katymac]

hopeful bump in case anyone sails?

[Katymac]

bump

[JoshandJamie]

I'd buy an oppie. I sailed oppies until I was 12. I can't do the conversion from stone to Kgs which is what I know. I was a skinny child (oh how things change) and only weighed about 33 kgs when I was 12, but I knew kids who were a lot heavier and still sailed oppies. I think oppies are brillint boats to get kids comfortable sailing - so yes, by the age of 12, maybe 13 she'll be out of it, but will probably be more confident in her sailing skills.

[JoshandJamie]

by the way, do you know what a second hand oppie costs? One day ( a long way off) I want to get my boys into them

[Katymac]

She's about 30 kg (ish)

I can't find a cheap oppie - but there is a cheap (with a good history) topper for sail at a local club

[Katymac]

here's one

[Kathyis6incheshigh]

Does she want to race or do Swallows and Amazons sort of things? If the former the Topper, if the latter perhaps the Oppie?

[Katymac]

That's what I thought - but all the Topper courses start at 12 so i wonder if it's an age thing, rather than a size thing

[Katymac]

Still can't fins an oppie close by in our price range

[Bananaknickers]

buy her a topper and use the sail reefed down or buy a special cut down sail until she is big enough to use the full sized sail.

[Katymac]

Really - I think £375 is pretty good for a Topper

I'd have to get a launch trolley (unless I can use the mirror trolley?)

Now I need to decide what to do with the Mirror

My Uncle (who died of cancer) left it to DD, my dad restored it

But DD & I can't get it in the water - it's way to heavy

So sell or keep in case she grows into a big strong girl?

[Kathyis6incheshigh]

Keep the Mirror!!!

BTW why can't you get it in the water? Which part is difficult?

[Bananaknickers]

I am talking to dh at the moment. He is the sailor and not me. He reckons you may get away with the trooly for the Mirror ( we have a mirror). Dh also says that a topper comes close to the mirror in wieght. My boys have just completed their first sailing course in an opppie.

[Katymac]

Dragging it to the slip puts my shoulder/neck/lower back out

Getting it down the slip without falling over is a nightmare

Getting it back on the trolley & then up the slip is impossible

It is just too heavy

I was hoping a plastic boat would be lighter

DD is just to small to pull it about

My skeleton is just too wron to cope

[Katymac]

"worn"

[Bananaknickers]

trooly that was supposed to say. Keep the mirror too if you have room

[Bananaknickers]

tolley done it again

[Katymac]

Oh - that's bad news

So I guess it's keeping looking for an optimist then (I'm sure they are lighter)

DD has done a course in an Oppie
2 in a laser/pico
and is on another in an oppie

I actually think she wants an Oppie - but I'm not sure I can afford one

[Bibis]

I had a Topper and loved it, but that's because I was crap at sailing and could control it .

Just an idea but have you thought of a Mirror? All the kids at the yacht club I was a member of learnt on one of them - my brother managed to put a hole in it (on the trailer in the garden) hence the topper.

[Bananaknickers]

Are you a member of a sailing club. At ours they a really friendly and would always help you out if you needed it.

[Kathyis6incheshigh]

OK I see the problem.
There must be some stats somewhere on how much the different boats weigh.

[Bibis]

Oh shit didn't read whole post, you already have a mirror - is there no one who can help you with it? All the sailors at the club encouraged their kids to learn in one

[Katymac]

They are great - I just want to be self sufficient

I also think they think I'm a bit weak & watery

Which I am - but I also have arthritus & it bloody hurts to get the boat out

[Bibis]

In that case I would go for a topper, I was a weak teenager and could manage it - I have such happy memories of it might have to come up and have a go (we are in Suffolk!)