Thought I would share an experience I had while evacuated from LA for Hurricane Gustav. I stayed in Gulf Breeze, FL and while there had the opportunity to sail Cliff Farrah's new Weta trimaran (www.wetamarine.com) at FWYC.

The Weta trimaran is a 14' FG/foam/epoxy platform with a carbon mast, carbon bowsprit, carbon beam tubes, carbon rudder and daggerboard, full battened boomless mylar mainsail, mylar jib, and a roller furling spinnaker/screacher. The main and jib are combined around 100 ft2 and the screacher is 60 ft2. The overall weight of the boat is 200 lbs.

I was pessimistic in my expectations of this boat so the actual sailing experience was a big surprise. The best sailing experience is when it is fun and easy. This boat does both extremely well and feels quite "sophisticated". I sailed with my girlfriend on the boat in 6-14 knots of wind on two afternoons. Our combined crew weight was around 265 lbs. In over 8 knots of wind, the center hull (which is very skiff like) started to plane upwind. The boat appears to have a tacking angle around 95 degrees. We had a Velocitek GPS on board and in 10-12 knots, we were doing 8-9 knots upwind. Downwind with the screacher, we were seeing 9-11 knots, our top speed for the two days was 15 knots. The builder advertises a maximum crew carrying capacity of 400 lbs. I would think it could be raced competitively in the range of 240-300 lbs which potentially makes it a great teenager, guy/girl, parent/kid, or spouses boat.

You can sail seated on the trampoline with your feet in the center hull **** or if you want to avoid the spray, move out to the weather ama. You don't have to hike. The epoxy construction makes the boat very stiff (I saw no appreciable flexing). The finish quality was excellent. Some of the running rigging was a bit lame but it could be easily and cheaply upgraded by the owner. The total cost of the package with a launching dolly and yard cover is right at $10K.

The boat can be sailed/raced double- or singlehanded. In New Zealand where it was introduced, they race both single- and doublehanded fleets separate.

The Portsmouth rating is 81.2 singlehanded and 87.2 doublehanded. That's pretty quick for a 14' overall length boat and faster in comparison to the majority of monohull dinghies raced in my area. Some might think it would feel too small for two adults at that length but it does not seem that way at all and I think that is because the trimaran width makes it feel bigger.

My girlfriend and I are really too light for a doublehanded beach catamaran. She has a desire to race some type of doublehanded dinghy and this boat seems much more fun (and easier to sai) than a Snipe, V-15, or JY-15. The price seems like a great value considering the carbon content and the epoxy construction. We may be very interested in getting one.

The boat currently has only one distributor in the US and they are selling each one they bring in so far.

Sounds like fun, and you two at 265 are about the same weight as the fastest F16 crew, Matt and his wife Gina McDonald. Have you sailed one of those yet?

Yes, they are quote a neat little craft...want to try one myself.

Cheers!

this is sweet... if I weren't already too busy....

I like F-16 but I am not sure my girlfriend would like it. She loved the Weta and I think a lot of dinghy/monohull sailors would be intrigued by the boat because the center hull is more like a skiff/dinghy. Weta should consider trying to market the boat as an alternative to established one design dinghy classes as this boat is lot more fun than a Snipe, V-15, or JY-15. It is also very cost competitive against these boats.

Not to knock the Wave, but this boat is a higher performance yet as easy to sail alternative. It is more expensive but that hit could be softened if the fleet grows and a used boat market develops.

I believe the Weta is something that has been needed for a long time. I really hope it is successful.

Hey Bob,

Thanks for the writeup - it is a great boat, and I'm really happy with it...glad you both enjoyed it. You both looked good out there.

If anyone is going to the GYA at Key Sailing in early October, the boat will be there and I'll make it available for test sails when there is time.

C.

hey everyone.
i am a weta owner and am able to sail it by myself. we get a lot of wind in the river where i sail and have nearly capsized it a few times. i was wondering if there a trapeze option. if anyone has any ideas, please email me.
[b][/b] cate.blackburn@mac.com

Has anyone tried out the French built Astus 14.1 tri? It's a bit smaller than the Weta & apparently less expensive with no carbon fiber elements. I can find no tests in higher winds, but it has a quickly planing hull.
Ron

http://www.exaqua.co.uk/trimaran_astus_14.1.php

There is one of those at my sailing club, I've seen it on the water 4 or 5 times. All I can say about it is that it is slower than my 5.2 on all point of sail and it took forever for the safety team to bring it back up when it capsized the only day I saw it in more than 10 knots of wind...

I have an Astus 14.1 that I sail in Cornwall and righting it has never been a problem for me. The floats are quite small and it's fairly easy to right the boat by standing on a float and making it sink.

What I like with the Astus is that it's very light and goes like a go-kart. It does accelerate quite quickly with the genny up.

Cheers,
Pete

What about the Astus 16? Anyone have experience?
Because it has no dagger board it would be more user friendly for our shallow water. No dagger board, kick up rudders and plastic hulls in a Hobie Wave/Getaway becomes a trimaran would be a great package. Sadly the Astus 16 is glass

The Weta will be at the Baltimore Boat Show on January 21-25. Tell us you saw this post on Catsailor and we will have a free gift for you. Stop by and see us!!

Jon

Fun boat, my father in law had one and we would go out in 15 mph plus and have a ball while the other boats were on the beach watching. A trap would have been very cool. our total wieght was 360lbs. good times. he told me he wished he never got rid of it.

Sounds similar to my Windrider 16 (just not the same).
I'll be by to get my free gift friday or saturday. I was wondering if any other beach cats would be shown, I'll just have to wait and see.

Scott

OOOOOOOOOps! Guess I should have paid attention to the first postings...Sorry

How confident in that rating on the Weta? Currently US Sailing has it listed in the "Inactive" multilist as 78.5 Portsmouth...putting faster then H14 but slower than H16.

lots of new youtube videos including a review by Meade Gougeon

http://www.wetamarine.com/GALLERY.aspx

If you are looking for performance check out the TMS-20 that I am building.

http://www.themanshed.net/tms-20-trimaran/?g2_itemId=30

This is the basic design I started with then we modified it. Working on the prototype now.
LOW 20'
Beam 17'
Mast 31' carbon
Construction: Foam / carbon fiber
Est. dry weight <500lbs

Looks interesting!! So can everything be done sitting done? Sheeting in. Spin set? Estimated cost and would you sell them?

Doug

The rating we are using for the Weta is 78.5. It is probably a little low. We don't have enough buoy racing records against other catamarans to have a feel for it. In an upwind/downwind course, it will probably do very well as it points well, tacks on a dime and has the reacher for downwind. It loose the waterline battle on a reach. It will do better if it is breezy as the Weta can handle heavy air very well.