We recommend reading the Weta Manual and other documents available from the Owners section of the Weta Marine website.

The Boat

The Weta is a 4.4 meter fibreglass/foam composite trimaran with a boomless main, jib and roller furling gennaker. It can be sailed single handed or with up to three adults. When rigged it has a beam of 3.5m, but when put away on its beach trolley the beam is just 1.7m.

Year Hull # When Added Change Old Feature New Feature Manufacturer
  200-300 Inspection port in front of centerboard n/a Black 6” port Ronstan
  600-900 Dolly lightened and strengthened Black moose heads White moose heads Weta
2008 250 Dagger board size increase Small Large Weta
2008 250 “Spitfire-rod” rudder replaces Dotan Kick up Flip up rod Weta
2008?   Dotan Rudder replaces Casette Casette Dotan kick up Dotan
2011   Continuous Furler Single pull drum Continuous KZ/Ronstan
2012   Blocks/cleats replaced Harken Ronstan Ronstan
2012   Float arms joint upgraded Gelcoat part covers jont Gelcoat completely covers joint Weta
    Mast cleats replaced for jib/gennaker Horn Cleet Cam Cleet C-Tech
2015 TBA New moulds      
    Vertical float joins & stronger construction      
    New carbon tube supplier     Killwell
    Reinforced rudder pintle      
    gennaker furler moved to side deck      
    New rope supplier     Liros
    New Sail Supplier Gaastra North Sails North Sails
    Precision Centre Case Slot Shim required Built in shim  
    New float transom and hatches Recessed hatch Flat transom Niam
    Swaged stays      
    Trolley improvement One piece Bolt-on ama rests Weta
2016 ~1200 Furler KZ Furler Ronstan Furler Ronstan
2017   Foam Core Hull Construction Hex Core Weight reduced to 120Kg Weta
    Square Top Mainsail 9.5Sqm     North Sails
    Furler Ronstan Harken Furler Harken
2019   Furler Harken Ronstan Ronstan
    Trolley weld improvements Weta Diagonal welds for improved strength at axle Weta
2020   Self Tacking Jib (optional) Weta Self tacking Weta, Allen Bros.
    Furler update Ronstan Stainless steel bearings added Ronstan
    Twin Tiller Extension Kit n/a Kit with additional tiller and fittings Optiparts, Killwell
2021 >1350 approx Self Tacking Jib track supports incorporated into deck mould Track supports glued to deck External track supports not required on new boats Weta
2023   SwiftFurl Furler  Ronstan Torlon bearings Allen Bros
Specifications
Length (Main hull only)14 ft 5 in / 4.4m
Length (Including bowsprit and rudder)18 ft 10 in / 5.75 m
Beam11 ft 6i n / 3.5m
Beam folded away5 ft 7 in / 1.7m
Minimum Beam Main Hull Only3 ft 4 in / 1.05m (Main hull only on trolley with no ama extensions fitted)
Height Stowed on Trolley3ft 9 in / 1.2m (with standard wheels – 1.0m without wheels)
Hull materialFibreglass/foam core
Hull ResinVinylester (bonded with Plexus epoxy)
Weight – Main Hull132lbs / 60kg**
Weight – Float with Beam Frame40lbs / 18kg**
Weight – Fully Rigged265lbs / 120kg**
Sail Area – Main100 ft ft2 / 9.3 m2 (SQ) or 89 ft2/ 8.3m2 (Std.)
Sail area – Jib34 ft2 / 3.2m2 (Std.), 32 ft2 / 3.0m2 (Self -Tacking) , 32 ft2 / 3.0m2 (Furling)
Sail area – Screecher86 ft2/ 8.0m2
Beam FrameCarbon
MastCarbon 2 piece
Mast Weight13lbs/6kg
Mast Length21.4 ft / 6.53m
Height of mast above water24ft / 7.3m
Rudder StockCarbon
Rudder FoilCarbon
Rudder Lockdown RodFibreglass (custom fittings)
Twin Tiller ExtensionsCarbon (Optiparts universal joint)
CentreboardCarbon
Centreboard depth under hull3.0ft/0.92m
HardwareRonstan/Allen/Custom
Mast TrackC-Tech NZ
FurlerAllen Bros SwiftFurl AL-4907
(Previously Ronstan 60 Series RS006400A, Harken 163/1134 , KZ RF200, Ronstan RS006400)
Self Tacking Jib Track & CarAllen Bros (Custom)
Self Tacking Jib Track SupportWeta Custom (Built in to deck molds of new boats – kit available for older boats)
SailsNorth Sails (Gaastra pre-2015)
Maximum Crew Weight530lbs / 240Kg
Maximum Recorded Speed20+ Knots
Maximum wind recorded sailed (mainsail only)40 Knots
Minimum planing speed (depending on waves)~8 knots
Handicap RatingUK PY 950, USA D-PN 78.5, AUS 94 (98 2-up)
Tacking Angle (approx)95 degrees upwind, 90 degrees downwind
DesignTC design & Weta design team
ManufacturerXtreme Sailing Products, Singapore (2015 on)
Trolley Dimensions 
Width of Trolley (At rear “Moose Heads”)5.75′ /1.75m 2015 version (6 ft 10 in / 2.1m old black version)
Wheelbase of trolley (standard wheels)3ft 7 in / 1.13m
Trolley Axle Width3ft 5″ (895 mm)
Trolley Axle Internal Diameter1″ (25mm)
Trolley Axle Sleeve Diameter1.06″ (27mm)
Total length of trolley (at ground)10.75′ (3.275m)
Length from front of trolley (at ground) to axle8.18′ (2.495m)

Manufacturing

Initially the boat was manufactured in New Zealand but volume production difficulties and high costs led Weta Marine to move production to Land & Ocean Composite Product Co Ltd. in China.

In August 2014 production was switched again to Xtreme Sailing Products head-quartered in Singapore (although the factory is at nearby Batan, Indonesia) where the 2015 Weta was produced using a new mould with improvements in the manufacturing process and some modifications to the main hull, amas, fittings and a new sail supplier, North Sails.

In 2017, the hull construction was switched to foam core reducing the weight to the original 120Kg. In 2020 the Self Tacking Jib Kit and Twin Tiller Extensions Kit were made available for new and existing boats. In 2021, the supports for the Self Tacking Jib track were built into the deck molding for new boats.

Distribution

As of December 2022, over 1400 boats have been sold worldwide. Approximately 50% of sales have been made in the USA and just under 33% in Europe. Australia, France and the USA have the largest racing fleets with 22 boats at Weta Fest 2014, Ft Walton Yacht Club FL and 26 at the 2014 French Weta Nationals in Carnac. Over 35 boats are expected at the 2022/23 Australian Nationals. The Weta World Map has locations of most of the Weta owners (that wanted to be included) here.

History

Weta Marine founders Roger and Chris Kitchen saw a gap in the market for a safe, stable, easy to rig, easy to stow, high performance, recreational family boat. Twenty years ago a variety of surf cats were available but there had been little or no development since then and many sailors were looking for a boat that could be easily handled, single handed, both on and off the water. There was no centreboard yacht available that could be used both by kids learning to sail and adults looking for high performance and thrills.

In 2001 on a trip to France, Roger and Chris were really impressed with the way the French used multihulls in their Learn to Sail programs with 3 young children learning together on a 3.5 m cat. On returning to New Zealand they commissioned a multihull designer (Tim Clissold of TC Design) to sketch up some hull forms that fitted their brief.

They built the first Weta using foam/glass construction and launched it early 2003. The boat had potential but it needed a huge amount of development. Over the following 3 years the Weta underwent trials with many design changes with input from some of New Zealand’s top sailors. The Weta created a lot of interest both nationally and internationally, especially from people who saw it as being a truly versatile family yacht that looked so good. Weta Marine was formed in February 2004 and the decision was made to manufacture the Weta.

2006 was spent setting up a top quality production line in China and sourcing world class components for the boat. The first production Weta was sold in New Zealand in October 2006. 2007 was a time of expansion into a number of overseas markets and there is now a great team of enthusiastic hard-working distributors in Australia, China, France, Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Thailand, UK and USA. Weta 1000 was manufactured in July 2014.

There are a number of people/companies/organisations who have made a significant contribution to the success of the Weta Marine design team. These include:

Mike Bullot, David Charlesworth, John Cliffe, Jason Daniels, Gaastra, Harken NZ, Warwick Kitchen, Land & Ocean, Vince Lettice, NZ Trade & Enterprise, Graeme Robbins, TC Design and Markus Winter.

Awards

Reviews

Yachts & Yachting (UK) 2011

SailWorld (AUS) 2010

MySailing (AUS) 2011

SailWorld (USA) 2010

SailingMagazine (USA) 2010

Sail Magazine (USA) 2009

Multihull Review (UK) 2009

Colours

In addition, Weta can now match any RAL-code colour or photo with a 25% deposit and additional charge (depending on the colour) – this excluded dark colours with a Luminosity less than 50 which tend to fade quickly due to UV.

All new boats are supplied with a container of Gelcoat pigment which can be mixed with local clear Gelcoat for repairs.

Colours for boats <#1000 are RAL codes available internationally.
“Traffic Red” Red 3020
“Zinc Yellow” 1018
“Yellow Green” 6018
“Signal White” 9003

Colour Changes
“Blood Red” to ‘Ferrari Red’ – approx hull #56 onwards
“Lemon Yellow: to Warm Yellow – approx hull #150 onwards.
“Light Grey” (RAL 7035) to White – in 2013 (hull number?)

Manual

A fully revised and updated manual is available in Google Docs format here

Definitions: Mods, TIPs and Notes

There are three information categories used in this Wiki

  • MOD: Modifications are changes you can make to the boat to make it easier to sail
  • TIP: Things you that might help you in caring for your boat or sailing it.
  • NOTE: An important issue that owners should be aware of

Please be aware that many of the modifications suggested may be illegal for racing purposes under the International Weta Class Rules which state:

“A.1.3. Any alteration of the form or construction of the hull, equipment, fittings, spars, sails or running rigging, as supplied by the builder, unless specifically approved by these rules is prohibited.”
Contact your national Weta Class Association to establish if there are local rules in place that allow the modifications.

Rudder

The original rudder was a foil slotted in a cassette

From ??? this was replaced with the Dotan automatically lifting and lowering rudder

From August 2008 this was replaced with the longer and more sophisticated ‘spitfire wing’ spring strut operated rudder with an elliptical bottom edge.

TIP: Always wash off salt water from the rudder fittings after use. Corrosion of the metal components can occur caused by galvanic corrosion between the steel and the carbon fibre. Check any stainless steel components, especially if exposed to seawater, for corrosion on a regular basis.

TIP: The rudder pintle rod used on the Spitfire Wing spring strut rudder can easily fall out if you remove it when the boat is in the water. Better to remove it on land.

NOTE If you need to replace the pintle rod, it can be manufactured from 316 Stainless Steel rod, 210mm x 8mm. The holes for the pin that hold it in place are 5mm from each end and 2.5mm wide. It is recommended to use a stainless steel fabricator as stainless steel is difficult to drill without a drill press and carbon drill bit.

MOD: You can dispense with the rod entirely (especially if you sail somewhere with many sand bars, shallow water or floating obstacles – e.g. jellyfish) which might either damage the rudder or cause it to jump up frequently with the subsequent loss of steering. Just wrap 9mm shockcord around the stock 3 TIMES for the Bungee Auto-Kickup System – details here

Tiller

The tiller extension is a two-piece tapered carbon tube. Because of the mainsheet configuration with the standard rigging, the tiller extension has to be passed around behind it which presents some issues for newcomers to the class. However, alternatives are available including a Twin Tiller Extension Kit supplied by Weta – the benefit of the Twin Tilller Kit is that you can just drop the active tiller, cross the boat using both hands and then pickup the new tiller after crossing the boat.

A “Laser-style” traveller bridle, which allows the tiller to pass underneath, which was developed by the Australian team for the World Masters Games and is now permitted in the rules, provided it cannot be adjusted while racing. 

With the standard tiller, there are three methods of tacking in use by Weta sailors (Note that with the Mainsheet Bridle, you can keep hold of the tiller during the tack and the Twin Tiller Extensions allow you to make “hands free” turns by dropping the inactive extension, crossing the boat, then picking up the other extension)
1. Dave from Weta West

Push the tiller over and lay it on the tramp, uncleat the jib as you tack and grab the sheet on the new side. Pull on the jib and reach back for the tiller at the same time.
Pro: Works in all winds.
Con: You have to let go of the tiller during the tack and reach back for it after.

2. Miranda from Weta

Tack the boat first and cleat the jib on the new side then flip the tiller around the main and swap the tiller behind your back as you cross.
Pro: Forward facing. Tiller always in your hand.
Con: Probably better in light winds as you’re sitting on the wrong side after the tack with the jib and main cleated.

3. The Waldon Flip – developed by Geoff Waldon

Flip the tiller extension around the mainsheet so you’re sailing with it on the wrong side before you tack. Then tack and release the jib and cleat on the new side. Swap the tiller hand behind your back.
Pro: Forward facing. Tiller always in your hand.
Con: Can be tricky in strong winds as you have to flip the tiller around while in the middle of the boat. Requires a flexible tiller extension to execute in stronger winds.

MOD :Autohelm
Add a loop of bungee to the mainsheet anchor point at the rear of the cockpit so that it will tightly fit around the end of the tiller and hold it centrally. Very useful for when you want to do stuff with both hands or have to paddle.

TIP: To avoid cracks in the tiller stock after beaching the Weta, always clip the rudder in the up position otherwise the waves can cause damage when they hit the rudder.

MOD: The tiller extension is a little short if you are hiking from the Amas. It can be extended by adding a 6-8 inch/15-20cm rod or carbon tube with a slightly smaller outer diameter than inner diameter (22.5mm) of the original extension. Remove the stopper and rubber grip from the end of the tiller extension. Wrap some tape around your new extension piece and insert it into the original tube so that it fits tightly. Wrap more tape around the join between the old and new sections. Replace the rubber grip on the end and wrap some tape around so that it can’t slip off. Add a bung to protect the end.

MOD: Twin Tiller Extension Kit
In 2020 Weta Marine produced a twin tiller extension kit which consists of an extra tiller (shipped in two sections and joined with epoxy) and attachments for the tiller to allow both old and new tiller extensions to be attached either side of the tiller. Also included was a steel ring and bungee attachment which kept the free tiller extension from dragging in the water but allowed it to pivot forward in use. Details here

TIP: You may also find the inactive tiller extension catches on the edge of the tramp – one way to resolve this is to tie the loops on the tramp edge down out of the way and also extend the tiller extension to 2m long. Details here.

MOD: Another alternative is to fit a (Laser-style) traveller bridle which allows the tiller to pass under it and therefore you can keep hold of the tiller through the tack – details here.

Daggerboard

The original daggerboard was replaced with the 42cm/18″longer version with an elliptical bottom edge from August 2008

The original Weta often required a shim or lining of the slot with carpet/neoprene to prevent water from squirting up the slot and causing the daggerboard to oscillate and hum. The 2015 Weta has a reworked daggerboard slot providing a tighter more accurate fit with a “fluffy gasket” to hold it steady and prevent water squirting up it (replacement gasket is available from Weta dealers).

MOD: To prevent the daggerboard from sliding down the slot when partially raised and from sliding out if you capsize. Add a 30cm length of bungee shock-cord to the front handle hold so that the bungee can be looped around the mast and clipped onto itself.

TIP: The trailing edge of the daggerboard can easily get damaged against the back of the slot if you hit the bottom with it down. Glue some thin carpet or neoprene at the back in the bottom of the slot to help prevent damage but try never to approach a beach with the daggerboard half down.

Sails

In August 2014 the Weta 2015 was announced with sails supplied by North Sails cut to the same dimensions as the original Gaastra sails. In 2018, The Square Top 9.3Sq M (100 Sq ft) mainsail was introduced which improved performance in lighter winds and when sailing with crew but is still useable up to 25 knots. At the same time the cut of both the Square Top (SQ) and original Pin-head (PIN) mainsail was changed to a modern bi-radial shape compared to the tri-radial original. Also the colour of the sail tapes was changed from black to light blue for improved visibility. Dacron sails are still available. In 2019, the gennaker ripstop nylon supply was switched to Contender Sailcloth which allowed additional colours (Lilac, Orange, Pink).

The original sails were white Dacron but were soon replaced by clear Mylar made by Gaastra (best know for windsurfing sails). The North Sails mylar film is light grey.

Optionally, a Dacron furling jib and smaller 6.5 m2 mainsail are available. This can be used for sailing schools so that they can still teach comfortably in 20 knots of wind and is also great for lighter sailors so that they too can sail in higher winds whilst using the jib. Dacron sails are used in the “Resort” version of the boat.

Screecher (Gennaker)

Screecher Furler

The original screecher furler was a single pull Harken 163 but it could be difficult to furl in strong winds (a 1:2 ratio helps) and after a brief switch to the Ronstan RS006400 furler, this was replaced by the KZ RF200 continuous line furler in April 2011 but this had problems with corrosion of the bearings (although some late models have ceramic bearings). In 2016 they switched to the new Harken 1134 continuous furler but due to increasing costs, Weta switched to the the Ronstan RS006000 furler in 2019. In 2020, this was revised to the Ronstan RS006000A with stainless-steel bearings. This resolves an issue with the furler not spinning easily when moisture penetrated the sealed bearing of the original.

TIP: When furling the gennaker (especially in strong winds) always bear away so the gennaker is largely behind the mainsail and, while keeping tension on the sheet, pull on the furling line – this will ensure a tight furl.

TIP: If your furler doesn’t unfurl fully by pulling the gennaker sheet, or won’t furl/unfurl at the top, the bearing may be gone – if you find it cannot spin the drum freely by hand then it’s most likely corroded internally and you should upgrade to the Ronstan RS006000A or Harken 1134.

Harken 1134

Ronstan RS006000A

Harken 163

TIP: The Ronstan furler is designed to throw the line off the reel when releasing the furled sail and therefore should not have any tension in the tail of the furling lines if you want to take advantage of a quick deploy.

NOTE: Wash the furler with fresh water to remove salt/sand and lubricate with dry silicon spray. Never use a greasy lubricant as this will trap sand.

MOD: The Harken drum furler can be improved with a 1:2 furler line system using a small pulley which greatly improves the unit. See photos here. (Note that the Harken drum furler may fail to furl properly in winds over 25 knots).

MOD: The plastic “shackle” used to attach the foot of the screecher to the furler on early boats is prone to failure under continuous use. It can be replaced with a lashing made from 4mm line.

Gennaker Sheets

MOD: Tapered gennaker sheets can be made for the Weta. It is recommended the tapered/core section measures 100 cm from the inside of the loop to the edge of the jacket/outer casing of the line.

TIP: To prevent the clew of the gennaker or the knot from catching on the forestay during a gybe, it’s better to attach the gennaker sheets by passing the rope through the eye in the gennaker from the “wrong” side (ie. starboard gennaker sheet goes through from the port side) and then tie a figure 8 knot. Repeat the process with the port gennaker so that it also goes through the eye from the opposite side. This means there is no knot or corner of the sail to get caught on the forestay during a gybe.

TIP: Use a white marker or some tape to mark the gennaker blocks so that you always thread them the right side.

Gennaker Additional Block

MOD: If you find the gennaker too much to hold onto, a factory approved modification is to add an additional block at the front of the tramps. This also has the benefit of bringing the gennaker to the front of the cockpit which makes it less likely to be stepped on in a tack or gybe. More info here.

Gennaker Cleats

MOD: If you reverse the hull tie down cleats at the stern of the cockpit, they can be used to cleat the spinnaker (not recommended for tight reaching in strong winds if you want to avoid a capsize!)

Gennaker Sail Care

To lengthen the lifetime of the sail – and help to keep the shape. It’s recommended to remove the sail from the bowsprit after sailing then lay it on a flat surface and flake it from the bottom up, then loose roll it from the end.

Telltales

MOD: Consider adding telltales to the gennaker about 2m up and 30cm in, one above the other using something you can see through the cloth (e.g. magnetic tape for light colours, white yarn for dark colours).

TIP: If the telltales stick to the sail when wet try spraying them (and the sail) with silicone lubricant when dry or use Scotchguard waterproofing spray. Try also creating a crease (or tying a knot) in them to avoid a flat surface that can stick to the sail.

TIP: Use magnetic tape or flagging tape (used for marking out building sites) attached to the shrouds as wind indicators which you can see without having to crane your neck to look at the top of the mast.

Mainsail

The mainsail is fully battened and because the boat is never sailed on a deep run does not require a boom. A bolt rope sewn into the luff of the sail is fed into a track which is glued to the 2-section mast. A V-cleat on the front of the mast engages a knot in the Dyneema leader of the halyard to provide a halyard lock at the top of the mast.

Early boats used a wire leader which was prone to failure in strong winds and waves.

NOTE: The main halyard should not be cleated under tension at the foot of the mast as this risks bowing the mast and the top section can break in strong winds (especially sailing 2-up) – use the halyard lock at the top of the mast which allows the mast to bend under stress.

TIP: The SQ 9.3 mainsail can put additional tension on the bolt rope at the foot of the mast because of the top batten and luff curve. To make it easier to raise and prevent it jumping out of the track, don’t tighten the jib or raise the gennaker before raising the mainsail. Lubricate the mast track with dry silicon spray to ease hoisting/lowering the sail.

MOD: If the bolt rope keeps jumping out of the bottom of the sail track, consider replacing the bottom 40 cm with aluminium track from the 29er which allows you to firmly close the slot with a pair of pliers.

Battens

Tension
In light winds (< 7 knots) you should ease the batten tension to reduce the curve in the sail to ease the airflow and prevent the batten from inverting in a tack.
In medium winds (8-25 knots) you should tension the battens for maximum power.
In strong winds (25+ knots) you should ease the batten tension to reduce the power in the mainsail.

NOTE: Always leave the mainsail with the battens loose as this avoids permanently stretching the sail.

Tip: When sailing upwind in strong winds (over 25 knots), you should have the mainsheet on tight to help flatten the main but cleating it can make it harder to undo in a gust. The solution is to brace the sheet over the edge of the tramp which means you can easily release it.

Mast

The mast is in two sections which are joined by sliding them together.
TIP: If the two sections are tight where they join, try dipping one end in some water or spray with dry silicon spray to provide lubricant.
TIP Raise the mast when facing downwind or with the bow down on a downward slope as this makes it easier to get it vertical.
TIP: A hinged mast step is available from Weta to make raising the mast easier for those who may have difficulty lifting it alone. This can be used with a cradle to allow the mast to be raised without effort.
NOTE: The sail-track on the mast is made by C-Tech in New Zealand (details here) and is available from Weta Dealers in 3m sections (7.4 m are required for a complete mast track replacement). To glue the track to the mast, use a adhesive/sealant such as 3M 4200, Fixtech Fix 2, Selleys Armourflex or Sikaflex 292.
Don’t use permanent adhesives such as 3M 5200 because the mast track is prone to wear and sections may need to be replaced in the future.

TIP: If you are unable to source the sail-track from marine vendors, look for Flex-a-rail from sun shade and caravan awning suppliers.

Jib

The jib is fully battened with the battens sewn into pockets in the sail. They can be removed/replaced by undoing the stitching at the leach. Replacement battens must be the same as the originals.

NOTE: The jib is attached to the forestay using plastic clips, it may not be possible to attach the bottom clip because of the forestay lashing. The webbing straps which the clips are attached to is 50mm long on the port side and 30mm long on the starboard side.

TIP: If you cannot clip on the bottom clip you can replace it with a velcro cable tie.

TIP: Replacement clips are available from North Sails.

TIP: Jib Sail Care – Fold the top over at the first batten and then roll from the top down. This helps to prevent the bottom curling up.

Self-Tacking Jib

In 2020, Weta introduced the self-tacking jib kit which included a track with supports that could be glued to the deck, together with a 6% smaller sail with a reduced leach enabling it to tack without catching on the mast.

The kit also included blocks to enable the tension of the existing jib sheets to adjust the sheet tension and the position of the clew on the track.

The track support is now built-in to the deck moulding of new boats but adhesive kits are still available for early (<#1000) and newer boats (>#1000).

The benefit of using the self-taking jib is significant for solo sailors as it enables you to make “hands free” tacks and gybes – especially when combined with the twin-tiller kit. For racers, it means you can make faster more accurate tacks and gybes and still maintain your heading without oversteering.

Jib Sheets

MOD: Crossover Jib Sheets
The Weta manual suggests attaching either end of the sheet to the clew of the jib and through the cleats so it loops across the cockpit, but this makes it difficult to adjust the jib once you are on the tramps. Also tying the sheets to the clew with a bowline is risky as bowlines can shake undone in strong winds. In addition, because the attachment point is different each time, it’s hard to have a reference marker on the sheets to gauge how much tension has been applied when trimming.

A solution is to tie a loop in the centre of the jib sheet using a Butterfly Knot and attach this loop to the jib using Soft Shackles (DIY with 1m x 4mm Dyneema) threaded through the clew holes. Then feed the sheet ends through the cleat and across the boat to tie off on the opposite tramp handle next to the shroud.

Soft shackles are light and you can have one in each jib clew hole if you wish. The benefit of having a fixed attachment is that you can then mark the jib sheet with a texter either side where they go through the cleats – giving you an instant setting indicator after you tack and for reaching/beating.

jibsheet+soft+shackles1IMG_1651

Forestay

The original forestay bridle was tied to two stainless steel rings threaded through holes in the gunwale and bolted underneath. This has been replaced with a length of Dyneema line passed through the same holes with stop knots beneath the gunwale.

MOD: If you have a boat with steel rings they can be removed and the hole edges smoothed out before replacing with Dyneema.

TIP: The forestay should be tensioned so that the is no slack in the stays attached to the Amas when the boat is on the trolley – and even more in winds above 15 knots.

TIP: It’s worth checking the tension on the forestay again when the boat is in the water before you launch

TIP: Check the Dyneema for wear regularly – there have been a few incidents of failure.

Side Stays

The side stays are adjusted for length by the placement of the pins in the Stay Adjuster.

TIP: The recommended setting is 3 holes from the bottom for winds around 10-15 knots, 2 holes at 15-25 knots, 1 hole above 25 knots (although if sailing with the mainsail alone, move to 5 holes as this makes it easier to tack without the jib).

Mainsheet Block

The block was originally from Harken and was replaced with the Ronstan Orbit Block in ????

Trampolines

MOD: It’s highly advisable to put closed cell foam padding under the outer frame of the trampoline (a camping sleeping mat is ideal) as this makes hiking much more comfortable.

Hiking Straps

The original hiking straps were supplied without a twist in them and anchored in the centre of the tramp using two stainless steel grommets as well as being sewn into a webbing patch. Later boats have a twist in the hiking straps to make it easier to get your feet under them and have dispensed with the grommets.

MOD: If you find that your legs are too short allow you to comfortably sit on the float while wearing the harness then add an additional hiking strap outside of the supplied original (this is allowed under the International class rules).

MOD: To enable you to safely hike from the stern of the boat downwind, add an additional hiking strap between the centre ring and the rear ring on the cockpit floor. Keep it taught by passing it over an additional piece of elastic cord between the mainsheet tension anchor points at the side of the cockpit. A Laser hiking strap is exactly the right length.

MOD: NoodleRaiser™
The hiking straps can be difficult to get your feet under, especially when wearing hiking boots. You can use sections of pool noodle and/or bungee cord to hold the straps clear of the trampoline.
– Cut four pieces of 4-5cm/3-4 inch of hollow pool noddle and cut a slice in each one.
– Thread the pool noodle pieces onto the front and rear hiking strap sections and position them either side of the anchor point in the middle
– Wrap cloth-backed tape or duct tape around them
– Get some thin bungee cord (~4mm) and loop a piece of this around each hiking strap section so that it pulls over the pieces of pool noodle and thus pulls the hiking strap sections off the tramp.

pool noodle 2

Spray Deflectors

There’s no doubt that the Weta is a very wet boat – especially from around 10 knots speed when the spray from the bow goes across the middle of the tramps. So there are only two places to get less wet – hiking out hard or sitting in the middle of the boat.

MOD: An alternative is to fit spray deflectors between the tramp and the bow on either side – but they have to be able to allow water through and also allow you to get into the boat. One Weta owner in the USA has produced plans for a DIY version using tramp mesh  – Rain and Sun in the UK have also produced some ready made.  More info here.

Timeline of Changes