The Topper is an 11 foot sailing dinghy designed by Ian Proctor. The Topper is a one-design boat sailed mostly around Ireland and the United Kingdom. It was recognised as an International class by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF). The boat is constructed from polypropylene, and is popular as a racing boat or for sail training.
The Topper was designed by Ian Proctor in 1977 as a One-Design racing boat. The Topper has been in continuous production for over three decades and over 50,000 models have now been sold. The Topper dinghy is built in the UK, to the One-Design of Ian Proctor, by Topper International Ltd. Topper International Ltd are owned by Martin Fry who purchased the company from Guinness Leisure in 1983.
The Topper dinghy is widely used for racing, but it has also gained popularity as a boat in which to learn how to sail. The Topper was originally designed with a glass reinforced plastic (GRP) hull, however, it was later decided that the Topper should be constructed with injection moulding, using polypropylene, which makes it a relatively light but durable boat. Following this change from the GRP to the injection moulded Polypropylene hull, sales of the Topper soared.