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weta #253269
10/08/12 12:14 PM
10/08/12 12:14 PM
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 5,590
Naples, FL
waterbug_wpb Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
waterbug_wpb  Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel

Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 5,590
Naples, FL
okay, talk to me about the good/bad/ugly. Preferably from those who sail/have sailed one

Will this keep my beachcat skills up?
Is the performance reasonably close to an F16?
Are beach landings particularly harmful? Compared to today's beachcats - not the bomb-proof solid fiberglass H16s of yore...

The marketing slicks make it look like it's the answer to everything including global warming, so I am quite suspicious

What I DO like is that it's small enough to go in the garage, about $5,000 USD cheaper than even a used F16/F18/A-cat, can go 1up but still take the barnacles if it's not too windy, and looks easy to rig and move around on the beach.

I don't see much of a fleet around, but I'd be pretty much stuck sailing with leaners down here anyway. I envision it keeping my harness damp so I still remember which way points forward on high performance beachcats.


Jay

-- Have You Seen This? --
Re: weta [Re: waterbug_wpb] #253271
10/08/12 12:20 PM
10/08/12 12:20 PM
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 402
Punta Gorda, FL
J
jkkartz1 Offline
addict
jkkartz1  Offline
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J

Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 402
Punta Gorda, FL
Cruise up to the Buzzelli Rendevous next weekend. There should be a big fleet of them. You can probably get a ride.

The Charlotte Harbor Regatta also has a good sized fleet.

Re: weta [Re: waterbug_wpb] #253273
10/08/12 12:26 PM
10/08/12 12:26 PM
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 5,525
pgp Offline
Carpal Tunnel
pgp  Offline
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 5,525
I gave them a good look at Charlotte Harbor a couple of years ago.

They should get some sort of design award for how the boat packs up for trailing and storage.

I felt they would get around the course much better with a spinnaker instead of the reacher. Imo, they sail a bit too high downwind without the speed to off set the greater distance.

Very stable though, you'd likely spend a lot more time with the pointy end up.


Pete Pollard
Blade 702

'When you have a lot of things to do, it's best to get your nap out of the way first.

Re: weta [Re: pgp] #253277
10/08/12 12:49 PM
10/08/12 12:49 PM
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 5,590
Naples, FL
waterbug_wpb Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
waterbug_wpb  Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel

Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 5,590
Naples, FL
well, since my TOTW right now is limited to a barbie boogie board, which is quite a dog to windward I might add and can't float all three of us together, I think anything with a sail that I can handle myself would be an improvement.

Heck, this thing looks small enough to tow behind an old Civic...


Jay

Re: weta [Re: waterbug_wpb] #253281
10/08/12 12:58 PM
10/08/12 12:58 PM
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 3,224
Roanoke Island ,N.C.
Team_Cat_Fever Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Team_Cat_Fever  Offline
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 3,224
Roanoke Island ,N.C.
Originally Posted by waterbug_wpb
okay, talk to me about the good/bad/ugly. Preferably from those who sail/have sailed one

Will this keep my beachcat skills up?
Is the performance reasonably close to an F16?
Are beach landings particularly harmful? Compared to today's beachcats - not the bomb-proof solid fiberglass H16s of yore...

The marketing slicks make it look like it's the answer to everything including global warming, so I am quite suspicious

What I DO like is that it's small enough to go in the garage, about $5,000 USD cheaper than even a used F16/F18/A-cat, can go 1up but still take the barnacles if it's not too windy, and looks easy to rig and move around on the beach.

I don't see much of a fleet around, but I'd be pretty much stuck sailing with leaners down here anyway. I envision it keeping my harness damp so I still remember which way points forward on high performance beachcats.


Similar performance to a Hobie 16 and you can find used,good A cats and slightly outdated F-18s for $3-4K less than a Weta ,all day long. If you want a tri get a weta if you want a cat (That goes alot faster and is easy to move) get an A.


"I said, now, I said ,pay attention boy!"

The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea
Isak Dinesen
If a man is to be obsessed by something.... I suppose a boat is as good as anything... perhaps a bit better than most.
E. B. White
Re: weta [Re: Team_Cat_Fever] #253286
10/08/12 01:41 PM
10/08/12 01:41 PM
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,252
California
mmiller Offline
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mmiller  Offline
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,252
California
From regatta results on the west coast... no where near the Hobie 16 round the course. Guys in the F18 fleet were lapping them even though the Wetas had a shortened course.


Hobie Cat Forums
Matt Miller
Hobie Cat Company
Re: weta [Re: waterbug_wpb] #253300
10/08/12 04:40 PM
10/08/12 04:40 PM
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,049
Sebring, Florida.
Timbo Offline
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Timbo  Offline
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,049
Sebring, Florida.
I found a used Prindle 18 for $500, and an old Hobie 14, also for $500. You could find a used Hobie 16 for a whole lot less than a new Weta, and take the kiddies out on that, teach them to trap, AND be able to race it, they are still one of the biggest fleets at many regattas.


Blade F16
#777
Re: weta [Re: waterbug_wpb] #253301
10/08/12 04:49 PM
10/08/12 04:49 PM
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,383
Kingston SE South Australia
JeffS Offline
veteran
JeffS  Offline
veteran

Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,383
Kingston SE South Australia
I've spent a lot of hours on the Weta at our club, mainly helping the disability program but also solo.
Weta is a great boat and I'm a fan of it for what it is, you can set it up solo easily, novice sailors can sail it confidently under 15 knots, you can go out in heaps of wind, ours has capsized twice in about 20 knots of wind due to skipper error and would have turtled if the water was deeper but it's easy to right. It wont keep your harness wet the mast is too weak for a trap, the harness on the boat is so if you fall off the boat doesn't sail away from you due to the tri stability. It's great fun in a blow and I've sailed along with the leeward ama completely underwater on a good spin reach no problem, it's more tiring than a cat in plenty of wind and very wet, Weta's not much fun in light wind, on a cat you can wild thing in the light so you've still got your heart rate up. It wont keep up with a hobie 16 around the course and cannot sail to it's rating you'll need to work with your club to agree on a suitable rating. It packs away very easily but is not quicker than a normal cat to setup. If you have heaps of wind where you sail it would be a fun boat to own, the kids at our club don't like it and prefer to sail on cats. You cannot leave it mast up overnight as each time the mast wobbles the amas rise and fall slightly which causes wear in the slide in joint for the amas, if its a windy day it's tricky leaving it on the beach on its beach trolley as the wind gets under the tramps, so it's better leaving it on the sand.


Jeff Southall
Current boats
Nacra 5.8 1703 Animal Scanning Services
Nacra 5.8 1667 Ram Raider
Nacra 18 Square
Arrow 1576
Re: weta [Re: waterbug_wpb] #253304
10/08/12 07:06 PM
10/08/12 07:06 PM

M
MN3
Unregistered
MN3
Unregistered
M



I sail with a local who owns a weta. He loved to fly around in 15-20 mph. (he doesnt sail around here much anymore)

He went through many multis (gcat 5.0, acat, Magnum Tri & weta)

He loves it for its mobility and self stepping. they are a hoot..

they are not like being on a formula catamaran.

I sailed this weta in 15-20.. it was a wet and fun ride, but no-wheres near as fast as a f16 (as far as i have seen and sailed next to)

as a pleasure cat..i say its a fantastic cat...

Re: weta [Re: ] #253307
10/08/12 08:49 PM
10/08/12 08:49 PM
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 3,224
Roanoke Island ,N.C.
Team_Cat_Fever Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Team_Cat_Fever  Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 3,224
Roanoke Island ,N.C.
Originally Posted by MN3

as a pleasure cat..i say its a fantastic cat...


except it's a tri.;)


"I said, now, I said ,pay attention boy!"

The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea
Isak Dinesen
If a man is to be obsessed by something.... I suppose a boat is as good as anything... perhaps a bit better than most.
E. B. White
Re: weta [Re: waterbug_wpb] #253314
10/09/12 07:48 AM
10/09/12 07:48 AM

M
MN3
Unregistered
MN3
Unregistered
M



yes, i meant boat / tri

Re: weta [Re: waterbug_wpb] #253319
10/09/12 12:22 PM
10/09/12 12:22 PM
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 125
Clinton, Mississippi
rattlenhum Offline
member
rattlenhum  Offline
member

Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 125
Clinton, Mississippi
Originally Posted by waterbug_wpb
Is the performance reasonably close to an F16?


Surely you meant H16?

There were five WETAs at Juana's, and a big WETA-logoed enclosed trailer (dealer?). Don't know where the rating came from, but they were given a DPN of 78.5. (Rating really didn't matter.....they had their own fleet, and there were no "Overall" results.) WETA's had the same start/course as the H16s. Can compare elapsed times (and maybe see a familiar WETA driver to consult?) here:

http://www.juanaspagodas.com/RegattaNews.htm

Last edited by rattlenhum; 10/09/12 12:24 PM.

Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16
Clinton, Mississippi
Re: weta [Re: mmiller] #253321
10/09/12 12:53 PM
10/09/12 12:53 PM
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 5,590
Naples, FL
waterbug_wpb Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
waterbug_wpb  Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel

Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 5,590
Naples, FL
Originally Posted by mmiller
Guys in the F18 fleet were lapping them even though the Wetas had a shortened course.


I would hope to heck they were... Looking at some rough calculations between the tri and a typical F16, and there's some pretty huge disparity. I didn't even want to think about comparing to F18 or Acat as it would look pretty silly

I wonder how this tri would compare to a Hobie 14?

SA D upwind - Weta 55.68, F16 84.43, H16 74.64
SA D down - Weta 94.43, F16 162.35, H16 74.64

Bruce number up - Weta 1.87, F16 2.28, H16 2.16
Bruce number down - Weta 2.43, F16 3.19, H16 2.16

L/B ratio - Weta 1.25, F16 1.95, H16 2.09

So, compared to just about any cat, the tri would be a lot slower. On the bright side, the Weta offers:
- smallest size (14 ft LWL)
- smallest storage footprint (15ft x 4ft? folded up)
- smallest sail area to handle for one person
- lightest overall weight (211 lbs if you can believe the literature)

I would love to see a polar diagram. I think there was another thread about smartphone apps that could plot a polar for your boat...


Jay

Re: weta [Re: waterbug_wpb] #253340
10/09/12 04:00 PM
10/09/12 04:00 PM
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,383
Kingston SE South Australia
JeffS Offline
veteran
JeffS  Offline
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,383
Kingston SE South Australia
Much better boat than a H14


Jeff Southall
Current boats
Nacra 5.8 1703 Animal Scanning Services
Nacra 5.8 1667 Ram Raider
Nacra 18 Square
Arrow 1576
Re: weta [Re: waterbug_wpb] #253343
10/09/12 05:52 PM
10/09/12 05:52 PM
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 4,118
Northfield Mn
Karl_Brogger Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Karl_Brogger  Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 4,118
Northfield Mn
I think for what it is, it looks like a good boat. I've never been on one, and I have zero interest in owning one too. Just doesn't appeal to me. Different strokes for different folks


I'm boatless.
Re: weta [Re: waterbug_wpb] #253347
10/09/12 09:57 PM
10/09/12 09:57 PM
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 217
Palm Harbor, FL
daniel_t Offline
enthusiast
daniel_t  Offline
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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 217
Palm Harbor, FL


Daniel T.
Taipan F16 - USA 213
Re: weta [Re: daniel_t] #253354
10/10/12 08:15 AM
10/10/12 08:15 AM
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 5,590
Naples, FL
waterbug_wpb Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
waterbug_wpb  Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel

Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 5,590
Naples, FL
hmmm, more like a de-powered skiff with training wheels/amas?


Jay

Re: weta [Re: waterbug_wpb] #253359
10/10/12 09:08 AM
10/10/12 09:08 AM
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 12,310
South Carolina
Jake Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Jake  Offline
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 12,310
South Carolina
Originally Posted by waterbug_wpb
hmmm, more like a de-powered skiff with training wheels/amas?


...While being sprayed with a fire hose.

Don't get me wrong, it looks like a hoot...but two dudes on that is probably a bit much....or it needs a little more freeboard for speed.


Jake Kohl
Re: weta [Re: waterbug_wpb] #253369
10/10/12 06:22 PM
10/10/12 06:22 PM
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 757
japan
erice Offline
old hand
erice  Offline
old hand

Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 757
japan
the furling screacher is very flat, code zero like

which is great for reaching and light winds

but the angles are not too good for downwind

however the factory is apparently now working on a deeper cut sail


eric e
1982 nacra 5.2 - 2158
2009 weta tri - 294
Re: weta [Re: waterbug_wpb] #253370
10/10/12 07:39 PM
10/10/12 07:39 PM
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,383
Kingston SE South Australia
JeffS Offline
veteran
JeffS  Offline
veteran

Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,383
Kingston SE South Australia
Originally Posted by waterbug_wpb
hmmm, more like a de-powered skiff with training wheels/amas?

Spot on it's an ideal boat for nervous, new, cruisers, old or disabled sailors. If your just looking for an easy boat for yourself that packs away easily, for the same price you can buy an A class or any number of other cats that will lap the Weta on a proper course in any wind.


Jeff Southall
Current boats
Nacra 5.8 1703 Animal Scanning Services
Nacra 5.8 1667 Ram Raider
Nacra 18 Square
Arrow 1576
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