Topper Kicker/Vang - What you need

Harken Topper Kicker/Vang

The Topper sailing dinghy is popular, both for club sailor and also travellers. At each Topper event in the UK there are hundreds of boats competing.

The Harken Topper Kicker system features on most modern boats and unfortunately sometimes the parts need replacing. Here is a guide to what you need to replace the system.

What you need

There are 5 parts to the Topper kicker system:

• Harken shackle to attach to the boom
• Harken 29mm carbo air block
• Harken 40mm Fiddle Block with Swivel and Cam Cleat
• Dyneema core rope
• Braided hose pipe to go around the rope for comfortable adjustment

Some sailors also like to add a carabina to one end of the system for easy attachment, in this case we recommend the 6mm carabina.

Harken Shackle

A simple 4mm shackle will do the trick here, simply attach it at the top of the Harken 29mm carbo block.

4mm Harken Bow Shackle

Harken 29mm Carbo Air Block

One of our most popular blocks, it's a great size and can be used for many different applications across the Topper and other boats.

Simply attached the shackle to the top, tie your rope in a bowline through the centre of the block and you can start rigging the system with the fiddle block.

Harken 29mm Carbo Air Block

Harken 40mm Fiddle Block with Cam Cleat

An impressive piece of kit from Harken. This 40mm fiddle block comes complete with a cam cleat attached, although some Topper sailors to prefer to change to a Spinlock.

Bring the rope down from the middle of the 29mm block, through the top pulley on the fiddle block, back up through the 29mm then through the main sheave and through the cleat.

Harken 40mm Topper Block and Cleat

Spinlock Cleat

4mm Dyneema Core Rope

We've tested lots of ropes for the Topper Kicker, all with our sponsored sailors who have travelled to loads of Topper events and experienced many different wind strengths and conditions.

The rope which came out best was the SK99 dyneema Evolution Race from Gottifredi Maffioli - that's why we created our Topper kicker rope product. It's the perfect length and it's a rope which will last, no more new kicker every event!

Braided Hose Pipe

Available by the meter we have 6mm braided hose pipe available to make those control lines a bit softer on the hands.