weta trimaran max speed

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• Sailboat Reviews

Compact Weta Trimaran Screeches Past the Big Boys on Biscayne Bay

Mini-multihull with aerospace-like attention to detail fills niche of high-performance day sailor.

The new Weta trimaran is designed in New Zealand, built in China, and imported into the U.S. by Nor Banks Sailing of Duck, N.C.

Photo by Billy Black

When it comes to the pure love of sailing, its hard to beat a small, light efficient boat whose sole mission is to harness the wind rather than provide a home afloat. And now that Hobie and others are moving toward heavy, flexible, roto-molded plastic, and lower performance “beach boats,” its no surprise that a new mini-multihull has come along to fill the niche.

During the few days immediately following the Miami Boat Show in February, Biscayne Bay, Fla., becomes a multihull playground where shallow-draft cats and tris strut their stuff. In a David-and-Goliath replay, the 14-foot-6-inch long Weta trimaran streaked like an agile mouse amidst a herd of elephants. The big cruising cats certainly offer sumptuous accommodations, but they lumbered in the fickle 10- to 12-knot breeze that touched down and lifted off the bays green water. At the same time, the Weta 4.4 scooted off on double-digit reaches, accelerating with each puff, and ghosted through the lulls. If enjoying an active sailing experience on Miamis aquatic frontyard was the plan of the day, the Weta won hands-down.

Conceived in New Zealand by father-and-son team Roger and Chris Kitchen, and designed with collaborative help from a handful of experienced sailors, this elegantly simple and finely built boat is a glowing example of mission accomplished. The company principals, an ex-mathematics teacher and his highly skilled Laser-racing son, bridged both a generation and engineering gap, and came up with the performance boat both had envisioned. The big challenge, however, was in creating a cost-effective boat with the strength-to-weight ratio needed for performance sailing. And a good part of the Wetas challenge was to mate an efficient design concept with the careful use of high-tech and mainstream materials along with exacting composite boatbuilding techniques.

Construction

A carbon-fiber and E-glass tubular framework connects the outer amas to the hull and successfully spreads rig and hull loads. The mast and sprit are also made of carbon fiber, but the light, stiff hull structure, daggerboard, and rudder are built using less-costly E-glass and Divinycell foam. Wetas key to fabrication success stems from the builders aerospace-like attention to detail. Vacuum-bagging and strict resin control results in the elimination of resin puddling and sloppy glasswork in hard-to-get-at areas, and offers excellent weight control. The 220-pound boat is as lean and fat free as a long-distance runner, yet retains the strength and stiffness needed in a high-performance sailboat. These boats are built in China, and they represent a new trend in Asian boatbuilding, an industry once known only for thick, resin-rich laminates and carved teak trailboards.

The deck layout and hardware selection make absolute sense, and show the value of continual input from accomplished small-boat sailors. Not only is there sensible layout of the sheet leads, cleats, and control lines, but all the gear works from either inboard or outboard hiking locations. When you first climb aboard the trimaran, youll find that theres plenty of room for two seated on the comfortable side deck of the main hull, and theres even room for big feet and the mainsheet tail in the full-length cockpit well. Sitting out to windward on the canvas trampoline, the tiller extension and sheet leads make sail trimming and screacher control a snap. Its hard to make a small boat really roomy, but the Wetas wide canvas side deck extension and main hull create plenty of room for a couple and a cooler.

Photo by Ralph Naranjo

The success of this pocket-sized trimaran also stems from its sailplan, a triple threat of main, jib, and easy-handling, furling screacher. The boomless mainsail, made by windsurfer sailmaker Gaastra, incorporates five full tubular battens that control draft and allow the mainsheet to be attached to a well-reinforced clew rather than a conventional boom. Its sculpted foot allows a crew to easily duck under during tacks but still keeps sail area maximized. Gaastra transferred quite a bit of its “go fast” sail shaping into the sailplan, including light tubular batten technology and X-ply and monofilm sail material. The high-tech Gaastra sail package, like the Harken hardware and carbon sprit and mast are all standard, and the result is a package primed for performance.

The upwind sailplan is that of a classic multihull with a big main (75 square feet) and small jib (23 square feet) providing enough drive to make ghosting in light air more than a possibility. Thanks to this efficient sailplan, tight sheeting angle, and a foil-shaped daggerboard, the boat points quite well-more like a one-design dinghy than a multihull. Steer a little wider and the roller furled “screacher” can add a virtual turbo boost. This 60-square-foot gennaker deploys like any roller furler but is trimmed via a single sheet led through both port and starboard leads. As a result, there is much less line to cope with and no sheet tails to drag in the water. To date, the top recorded speed has been 16.5 knots.

The ride is both exhilarating and responsive, sort of like sit-down windsurfing, lots of speed but fewer gymnastics. The helm is fingertip light, and the boats responsiveness takes a little getting used to in order to avoid oversteering. The slight up angle of the amas keeps the windward ama out of the water most of the time, reducing drag. Spray flies, and the boats proximity to the waters surface delivers an enhanced sensation of speed. In a way, it makes sailing more of a contact sport, best suited for warm water and sunny skies. Extending the sailing season means a commitment to good drysuit or wetsuit technology.

Putting the boat away is expedited by the handy beach dolly that comes as a standard component of the new boat. It captures the main hull and locks it in place for quick de-rigging or beach storage. It also eliminates the tendency to scar the hulls by dragging them up and down the beach. Rigging, and its end-of-session reversal, takes less than 20 minutes. This includes assembling the amas and hull, stepping the mast and sprit, and setting the sails. The boats user-friendliness is a tribute to the designers. Whether or not you enjoy multihull sailing, its hard not to give high marks to a well-thought-out sailboat.

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Home » Weta Trimaran

Weta Trimaran

“Life’s better with a Weta” they say!  The Weta is a fun, fast and easy Trimaran that appeals to sailors of all ages and abilities. 

10 reasons to love sailing your Weta!

• Incredible stability
• High performance – speed up to 20 knots
• Simple rig – no boom
• Versatility – sail solo or together
• Lightweight yet robust
• Compact storage
• No abs of steel required
• Rig and launch by yourself in 20 minutes
• Proven New Zealand design
• Capsize resistant and easy to recover

The fun bit – getting out and fast on the water – is easy, too, with the boat designed for ease of handling whether you’re a seasoned skipper or an enthusiastic novice. The three-sail design, boomless rig and minimum control lines mean you can make the most of the wind single-handedly, and even with the family on board, you can tack like a monohull but speed like a multihull, with absolute ease.

And when you’ve had all the fun you can take, everything packs down quickly and easily and stores on a surprisingly small footprint.

SAILING FOR EVERYONE Unlike other dinghies, the Weta is the boat everyone can use – in almost any conditions – all in one compact, easy package.

READY TO SAIL The Weta comes with everything you need to go sailing – three sails, custom aluminum beach trolley, sail bags, carbon rudder stock, carbon foils and custom foil bag.

COMPACT DESIGN The Weta packs down to the footprint of a Laser on a custom fit, lightweight beach trolley.

FAST AND EASY SETUP Lightweight and simple, rig and launch by yourself in 20 minutes.

ONE DESIGN CLASS Weta has an active strong base of racing fleets across the world.

CUSTOM HULL COLOURS Stand out from the crowd with a custom color options.

SAILS FOR EVERY WIND STRENGTH Redesigned by Norths in 2017, the bi-radial cut mainsails provide manageable high performance in all conditions. The Standard 8.3sqm Sail is great for beginners or strong winds. The Square Top (SQ) 9.3sqm Sail gives more speed in light winds and effortless power up to 20 knots.

UNCOMPLICATED DECK LAYOUT Screecher furler cleat on cockpit side, swaged stays, Liros ropes and optional hiking strap.

NO FITNESS FANATICS REQUIRED In most dinghies you quickly get tired when the wind gets up, but the Weta is comfortable to sail in nearly all conditions, whatever your ability or mobility.

SLEEK FLOATS With a vertical join, the clean look float has strong internal construction. Killwell carbon beams enable a precision fit with the main hull.

NORTH SAILS Proven quality, worldwide service.

PRECISION CENTRECASE Xtreme Sailing Products have 20+ years experience building quality sailboats, including the F18, 29er, 420 and Taser.

DRY HATCHES Quality Nairn hatches for a tight seal.

CUSTOM BLOCKS Captive carbon pads with Ronstan blocks for better trampoline alignment.

ROBUST RUDDER BAR & GUDGEONS Engineered for strength and durability.

SPECIFICATIONS

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East Coast Sailboats, Inc: 104 Shores Avenue, Point Harbor, NC 27964

Tel: 252-489-3491

Weta Trimaran Class of North America

Class contact information.

Click below

Class Email

Class Website

One-Design Class Type: Multihull

Was this boat built to be sailed by youth or adults? Both

Approximately how many class members do you have? 60

Join/Renew Your Class Membership – Click here

Photo Credit:Eric Rasmussen

Photo Credit: Nick Tomecek/Northwest Florida Daily News

Photo Credit: Eric Rasmussen

About Weta Trimaran Class of North America

Weta is a 14.5 foot trimaran used for day sailing with family and children as well as one-design racing. With its sleek design and lightweight tech materials, speeds of 20 knots can be reached. Due to the Weta’s ease of handling, it’s perfect for the enthusiastic novice or seasoned skipper. It brings the best of both worlds together since it handles like a Monohull with the speed of a Multihull.

Boats Produced: 1500+

Class boat builder(s):

Weta Marine, Auckland, NZ

Approximately how many boats are in the USA/North America? 500+

Where is your One-Design class typically sailed in the USA? List regions of the country:

California Texas Northeast Mid-Atlantic North Gulf Coast Central Florida

Does this class have a spinnaker or gennaker? Yes

How many people sail as a crew including the helm?  One or Two

Ideal combined weight of range of crew:  120-180(1up) 250-300(2up)

Portsmouth Yardstick Rating:   84 for one up and 86 for two up (Unofficial)

Boat Designed in  2006

Length (feet/inches): 14’5”

Beam: 11’6”

Weight of rigged boat without sails: 220

Draft: 3’0”

Mast Height: 21.5 feet. Deck mounted overall 23.3 feet above waterline

Back to One-Design Central

Copyright ©2018-2024 United States Sailing Association. All rights reserved. US Sailing is a 501(c)3 organization. Website designed & developed by Design Principles, Inc. -->

  Wētā North America​

Weta trimaran weta sailboat one design high performance sailing dingy, weta class north america.

The North American Class Association of the Weta Trimaran .

Weta is a 14.5 foot trimaran used for day sailing with family and children as well as one-design racing. With its sleek design and lightweight tech materials, speeds of 20 knots can be reached.  Due to the Weta’s ease of handling, it’s perfect for the enthusiastic novice or seasoned skipper. It brings the best of both worlds together since it handles like a Monohull with the speed of a Multihull.

Owning a Weta has many advantages, one being the opportunity to Join WCNA . As a member of WCNA, we encourage you to join a Weta fleet. This is the best way to get connected with other Weta sailors, have the best sailing experiences and have FUN with new friends!

10 reasons to love sailing your Weta

Weta Marine Website

2010 boat of the year.

For more information,  CONTACT  WCNA .

Outboard motors and brackets Home / Topic / Outboard motors and brackets

Home › Forums › General Weta Stuff › Outboard motors and brackets

Tagged:  outboard , temo

• Creator Topic

How do you fit and store an outboard on a Weta?

Some would say don’t bother as it will always get in the way and in anything above 5 knots of breeze you can move fairly quickly using the sails alone – although sometimes it may help to use the screecher as a “code 0” to keep momentum although you can’t point as high.

However, there may be situations and regulations that require you to have an outboard but if possible, try one of the options using paddles and oars first .

There are two main posts covering brackets and outboards

• Author Replies
• City: Sydney
• Country: Australia
• Weta Sail Number: 1300

TEMO-40 Electric Paddle Winner of the 2021 DAME award, the TEMO-450 electric scull is waterproof (IP67), telescopic (130 to 170 cm) propulsion unit that weighs only 500 kg and attaches to the gunwale with a rowlock accessory. It has a 400-watt motor with 200 watts output and battery life is 42 mins on full power or 80+ mins on 1/2 power. Sold with a cover for easy transport.

Video: Oliver Bricout

The Temo attaches to the Weta with a swivelling Oarlock (supplied) which bolts to the gunwale.

It’s too long to fit inside the hatch but it comes with a waterproof case and, according to Oliver, it’s easy to store in the cockpit inside the case while sailing.

Available in Europe, the USA and Australia. More information at https://www.temofrance.com/

• City: la rochelle
• Country: France

Hello, thank you for sharing this. I am interested in purchasing a TEMO motor and I would like to have more details on fixing the fastener: how to drill, what diameter, what screw or bolt, feedback on solidity, photos .. do you have more information? Is it possible to contact Olivier? Thanks a lot

Brackets These are options I have seen for brackets: 1. Using a bar (wood or metal) across the stern clamped from gunwale to gunwale with the outboard mounted on a block at the side.

2. Stern Bracket Using a metal bracket mounted on the stern which has been reinforced from the inside using a plate inserted by adding an inspection port on the cockpit side.

4. Bolt on bracket

Designed by José Carlos Sánchez for his solo cruising adaption.

I designed this one because it only needs to drill one hole on the Weta´s fiberglass. It can be installed in less than a minute, does not interfere with sailing and does not load the boat too far back. Wood is not a single block, it covers an internal steel frame.

It is worth considering to install an electric outboard if your local conditions allow it. It will reduce pollution and you will not suffer noise and gasoline smell.

All methods will work although the a bar is easier to fit/remove, can be stowed out of the way when sailing and doesn’t require any holes in the cockpit side. It also means that the outboard is out of the way in most sailing positions if the outboard is not removed while sailing.

The TEMO comes with the Rowlock fitting which contains screws and bolts for attachment.

https://www.temofrance.com/en_GB/shop/t450-temo-450-104

Rowlock https://www.temofrance.com/en_GB/shop/sem-1500-rowlock-fitting-9

On a Weta I’d recommend using the bolts and installing a curved metal plate under the gunwale to reinforce it.

I have tried to contact Oliver via the French Weta Class forum without success – there’s a thread here.

https://forum.wetaclassefrance.com/viewtopic.php?t=883

Outboards Probably the most important aspect of using an outboard on a Weta is the weight of the engine and where it can be distributed to have least impact on your sailing experience. Having extra weight on the stern is slow in light winds but of course you can counter that with your body weight.

Then there’s the issue of stowing the engine when it’s not in use. The below deck storage compartment has benefits in that the weight of the outboard is then in the centre of the boat and near the water line. However the compartment below deck is not very deep so careful measurement of the engine and compartment is recommended before purchase, if you plan to stow it below.

The standard 6″ hatch is too small for any outboard but Kayak hatches offer various shapes and sizes which can be latched shut securely. The hatch in front of the daggerboard must seal closed because the storage compartment below deck provides buoyancy in a capsize – the boat may not be righted if this is compromised.

If you are storing a petrol outboard below deck you may need to carry an additional fire extinguisher above deck, depending on your local marine regulations.

Lying the outboard in the cockpit is an option but it may get in the way when tacking and is liable to catch on ropes.

Engine options include:

1. Electric paddle

The electric paddle is different from a trolling motor in that it’s designed for propelling small boats rather than just moving quietly after fish. It has a brushless electric motor which outputs 30Wats of power, but unlike a trolling motor, it uses a “model aeroplane” type propeller which is much more efficient for continuous propulsion.

One Weta owner reports: “The EP can move the Weta on calm waters with little to no wind in the 2.8 to 3.0 knot range if you have the main and jib up. Bare pole only the speed drops a couple tenths. The apparent wind created by the propulsion of the EP helps generate the additional speed. Throttling back to the mid-range setting drops the speed by .3 kts so not much of penalty, considering the gain in range. I have yet to run the NIMH battery down to empty and would guess that the furthest I have run on a charge if 4 to 5 miles.”

The manufacturer claims the range is as follows

• Almost 2 hours at High speed (about 2.5-3.5 mph on many small boats)
• Up to 4 hours at Medium speed
• Up to 5 hours at Low speed
• Motor weighs 7.6 lbs.
• NiMH Battery pack weighs 8.1 lb.
• Smart Charger weighs 1.28 lbs.
• Motor envelope sizes Short shaft: 7” dia. x 38.5” long Long shaft: 7” dia. x 43.5” long Mini shaft: 7” dia. X 33.5” long
• Waterproof battery comes in a floating bag 9” x 7” x 6”.
• Smart Charger fits into a 6” x 8” ditty bag.

Minimum battery range:

• At High Setting, the battery will last almost 2 hours.
• At Medium Setting, the battery will last about 4 hours.
• At Low Setting (midway between off and Medium setting) the battery will last 5 hours.
• Recharge time: about 3 hours.

Speed control:

• High Setting = 100% output
• Medium Setting = 50% output
• Midway below Medium and Off (not marked) = 33% output

2. Electric outboard motor There’s a useful buyers guide to Electric outboard motors over 5Kw here and under 5Kw here

Torqeedo Ultralight 403

Sold as a trolling motor for Kayaks ( The 1103 a new more powerful version is now available ), the advantage for the Weta is that the drive is separate from the battery and connected by cables. This means you can separate the weight of the battery from the engine which is much better for weight distribution and stowing. Weta owner, Glenn Madere installed the mount following the manufacturer’s diagram for an off-center installation ( see p. 47 of the Manual ) as if his main hull were a kayak, adjusting the vertical “shaft” as far down as it will go. Between this adjustment and keeping crew weight aft and on the motor side, the prop has enough depth to perform well in up to, say, a foot of chop. The battery is said to be good for 1hr of use.

Torqeedo Travel 503/1003

503 $1699/ 1003 $1999

Revised for 2015 the Torqueedo Travel is sold as a replacement for 1.5 HP (503) and 3HP (1003) Engines but this is a misleading comparison, as a 3hp petrol motor will get many small, lightly loaded craft of the right hull form “on the plane”, and a Torqeedo 1003 won’t. The propeller supplied is not even designed for that sort of speed (it’s rated 9kmph at 790W, or about 6 knots flat out). Where the Torqeedo excels is pushing surprisingly heavy loads (when the 3hp petrol wouldn’t get you on the plane anyway) at up-to-displacement speeds. 4 or 5 knots in a typical 9ft inflatable dinghy, for example.

The acceleration up to those speeds is also impressive, as electric motors (unlike petrol ones) generate full torque from very low revs – there is never a “lag” after twisting the throttle. So the Torqeedo 1003 has lots of low to mid-range push, but not the whizzy top end of a petrol. Unlike “trolling motors” it will be genuinely useful as a main propulsion unit – just not for anything much over 6 knots (12kmph).

• On-board computer with GPS-based calculation of remaining range
• Removable battery and tiller
• Solar rechargeable – including during the voyage
• Stepless forward/reverse drive
• Completely waterproof (IP 67)
• Integrated battery with 320 Wh Li-Ion
• Max speed 9-10 km/h (depending on type of boat, wind and waves)
• Charging time: 7 hrs
• Remote throttle available

ePropulsion Spirit 1.0 $1930 approx (HQ in Hong Kong, Distributors worldwide) New Spirit 1.0 Evo is a portable 3HP electric outboard made for dinghies, fishing boats, and sailboats. It features a 1276Wh large integrated lithium battery for long range. The hydrogeneration function recharges the battery while sailing.

ePropulsion Spirit 1.0 Evo web page

• kW : 1.0 • Voltage : 40.7 (nominal) • HP : 3
• Battery : Integrated • 1.02 kWh • LiPo (lithium-ion-polymer)
• Running Time : 1 hrs – 4 hrs
• Shaft Length (cm) : (XS): 52.5 • (S): 62.5 • (L): 75
• Weight (kg) : Motor : 11 • Battery : 8.8 (varies with shaft length and/or tiller)
• Steering : Tiller or Remote, Wireless
• Other : Hyrdrogeneration. Two year limited warranty. As of May 2019 wireless remote control is available
• Country of Manufacture : China
• Price : €1800 – €2136 • $2150 – $2400

ePropulsion Navy 3.0 Evo web page

• kW : 3.0 • Voltage : 46.8 (nominal) • HP : 6
• Battery : Non-Integrated • 3.04 kWh • Li-ion
• Shaft Length (cm) : (S): 64 • (L): 76.5
• Weight (kg) : Motor : 24 • Battery : 31.5 (varies with shaft length and/or tiller)
• Other : Hydrogeneration. Two year limited warranty, one year on battery. Wide variety of accessories available.
• Price : €2500-€2600 • $2900 – $3050

3. Petrol (4-stroke) motor

Super Chibi

$500 approx

The Thai-made Super Chibi uses a reliable 1HP Honda Engine (designed for garden tools) mated to a short drive-shaft and neat integrated petrol tank.

I have seen one used on a Laser (!) which had to sail to yacht racing regulations

4. Propane Outboard

Price $1000 appprox The US-made Lehr runs on propane and the cannisters can add to the overall weight.

5. Weed-wacker conversion

Some people realised you could get a crude but effective “outboard” by putting a propeller on the end of a string trimmer (aka “weed-whip”, “whipper-snipper”, “weed-whacker”, “weed eater”, “strimmer”).

There’s now a few conversion kits available that come as a complete unit or you can DIY with a donor unit

Conclusion From the options above, you can see that the petrol outboard has the best power to weight ratio and highest top speed – although there are all the issues of pollution, noise and transporting a flammable liquid.

The electric motors may not have the top speed of a petrol or propane motor so they won’t get you planing – but they produce thrust at very low speeds and can output a steady power for reasonably long periods. The electric motors can be disassembled allowing you to stow components below deck and some can separate the battery entirely from the drive unit using cables for better weight distribution.

The Aquaparx – Another miniature 1.2hp 4-stroke outboard – this time from the Netherlands.

More info here

In Option 2 for the outboard bracket, what is the metal used, what thickness is it, and what material is used for the block?

I’m not sure since that was a photo from the Yahoo Weta Forums – but I suspect it would be stainless steel as aluminium would need to be pretty thick to be able to take the weight of an engine and probably would have to be welded to accept the bends in the plate shown in the photo.

You might be interested in this universal bracket solution http://www.v-lock.com which looks as if it doesn’t require a backing plate as the load is spread over the surface it’s attached to.

You’d then be able to mount an angled motor bracket to it or a lifting version here.

You could also use stainless toggle bolts to anchor you fitting to the stern without having make a hole in the cockpit to add a backing plate.

The mounting boards tend to be either hardwood or polyurethane.

This bracket on eBay may be a good cheap alternative.

Hope this helps

There are some French outboard solutions using Electric and Petrol motors on the French Weta forums  here

Hello there!

I recently became a Weta family member (bought Weta 424) and read this topic with high interest! In Belgium we have strong currents at sea. I have allready build a motor mount for my Weta to be able to go out and return safely. Unfortunately I’m not sure how much hp I should choose to be able to return to the harbor quite fast ,even with strong currents, but also avoiding crossing the legal max. 20km/h limit. Anyone has an idea of the speed output of a 2,5hp and 3,5hp on a Weta? These are very interesting because of their low weight (17kg). All tips are welcome!

I don’t know which harbour you use, but according to this research data , the current at Zebrugge is around 4 Knots.

20 Kmh is equivalent to 10.7 knots but there are so many variables you can’t say exactly what speed you’d get. Not forgetting that you can use the sails to supplement the output of the outboard. If there is more than (say) 8 knots of breeze you’d probably go as fast with the sails and no outboard and of course a small boat like the Weta can hug the shore to get out of the current.

According to this test , the Torqueedo would give you a speed of around 6 knots as shown here .

A 2.5hp petrol engine would be faster and could allow the boat to plane – the little Super Chibe 1HP motor would give you around 3-4 knots – depending on wind/waves. A 2.5 engine should be good for about 5-6 knots. There’s a test on a small boat here which gives speeds for different outboards.

Use a GPS or a GPS App on a smartphone like iRegatta to check your speed.

Thanks Paul! I will go with a mercury 3,5hp! A good speed/weight ratio and a perfect add-on back-up in case of an emergency (especially with kids onboard) or in narrow area’s (harbor, rivers,…). The Weta fun just keeps on growing for me 🙂

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• Sailboat Guide

2010 WETA trimaran

• Description

Seller's Description

Very nice Weta located in Pacific Northwest.

Equipment: 2010 Weta in 9.9 of 10 condition. pintop 8.3 main sail, jib and genoa. ingenious self loading trailer with beach dolly. Everything in near perfect condition. Sails are all transparent with no scratches. All original bags, state of washington title, registration for BOTH boat and trailer.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

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Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Wow, that was fast! Why trimarans are SO much fun to sail – and how to do it

• Theo Stocker
• February 13, 2024

For their size, trimarans can punch well above their weight in speed, cruising potential and fun. Monohull sailor Theo Stocker gets to grips with how to handle one

Humans tend to gravitate into tribes of like-minded enthusiasts, enjoying the encouragement, support and sense of identity, while often looking askance at others; sailors at motorboaters, cruising sailors at racers, monohull sailors at raft, I mean, multihull sailors, and everyone looks askance at jet-skiers.

Large cruising catamarans (40ft now counts as a small one) are a world apart from monohull sailing, but there’s a sub-tribe of sailors dedicated to life on three hulls and builders such as Dragonfly, Corsair, Farrier, and Astus give them plenty of choice.

I’ve been sailing a 22ft (7m) Astus 22.5 this season, with just enough space for a family of four and a minimum of creature comforts. Thanks to her VPLP-designed hulls and 650kg all-up weight, we can sail upwind at 7-plus knots and downwind at over 10 knots with ease, all on a roughly even keel, while the kids play Duplo down below. It can also be beached and is towable behind a car.

Having, it seems, caught the trimaran bug, I wanted to get better at sailing and handling the boat, but my monohull sailing experience and habits were proving something of a hindrance, so we sought advice from some existing trimaran owners, and well as the UK’s top multihull sailors.

Much of the advice will apply to all multihulls , whether two or three-hulled, while other parts are just for small trimarans. I also found that brushing-up some of my rusty dinghy sailing skills helped get my head around what we were trying to do.

To try out our expert tips we went out sailing to see what difference they made. On the day, we got a solid Force 4-5 southwesterly, averaging 16 knots, but fluctuating between 12 and 20 knots true.

Blasting about on a sporty trimaran is a whole world of fun, but is much calmer than it looks

Trimaran sail trim

One of the biggest differences between a cruising monohull and a multihull is how the mainsail is trimmed. Leech tension on a yacht is often largely controlled by the kicker and the backstay, while the mainsheet sheets the mainsail in and out, predominantly controlling the angle of the boom to the centreline, and there may be a short traveller.

On a mulithull, however, there’s more than enough space for a good, wide traveller. Those who sail on performance monohulls will also be used to this. The sail shape is mainly controlled by the mainsheet, and the traveller then moves the boom towards or away from the centreline.

This is exaggerated on a multihull which has wide shrouds, swept well aft with no backstay, making space for a powerful square-top mainsail with full-length battens. There’s no backstay to bend the mast and flatten what is anyway a pretty rigid mainsail.

The mainsheet purchase creates enough power to control the leech of the square-top mainsail

Depowering a trimaran

Sailing on a monohull, heel and weatherhelm and eventually a broach give loads of warning that you’re pushing too hard. With straight hulls and little heel, those warning signs don’t really apply to multihulls.

In reality, however, there are a host of warning signals that it’s time to back-off; they’re just a bit different. Even then, there’s still a large safety margin before you get close to danger.

By way of reassurance, with the boat powered up on a beat, Hein, from Boats on Wheels, the boat’s owner, stood on the leeward hull and lent on the shrouds. Even as his feet got wet and the wind gusted at the top of Force 4, the boat didn’t bat an eyelid, thanks to the huge buoyancy of the floats.

Even with a person on the leeward float the boat was extremely stable

On the water – sail trim

My first inclination was to point the boat as high upwind as possible, pin the sails in and go for height. Doing that resulted in a not-terrible boat speed of 5-6 knots and a good pointing angle.

Free off by a handful of degrees however, and ease the sails just a smidge, and the speed leapt up to 8-9 knots – over 50% more; a huge increase. So, don’t pinch. If you had a decent chartplotter on board, you could find your optimum speed to angle using velocity made good (VMG).

I was also tempted to pinch in the gusts, but it’s better to hold your course and let the speed increase until the main needs easing.

On the wind, it’s time to get the boat fully powered up

If that’s the case, drop the main down the traveller an inch or two or ease some twist into the mainsail and it makes all the difference in the world, but not so far that the top battens fall away and invert – that really isn’t fast. Push too hard and the boat will slow down, largely from the drag of submerging the leeward float and crossbeams. If you’re still overpowered and the main is luffing, it’s time to reef. Downwind is different, but we’ll get onto that later.

After we put a reef in the main, our boat speeds upwind remained largely the same, and the boat was much happier. I came away feeling reassured that even a little trimaran like this would be pretty difficult to capsize, and there were always plenty of warning signs telling me to take my foot off the pedal a little.

Article continues below…

Catamaran sailing skills: Mooring and anchoring a multihull

How do you make an average passage speed of 7 knots, fit in three double cabins and a huge saloon…

Monohull or multihull: which is best for blue water?

As former editor of Yachting World, David Glenn has plenty of experience of both monohull and multihull cruising. Here he…

Tacking and gybing a trimaran

Everyone knows that multihulls don’t tack as well as monohulls. Straight hulls and wide beam don’t lend themselves to turning, especially when coupled with the displacement and fixed keels of big cats. Trimarans are a little easier, with a single central daggerboard to act as a pivot, and one or other of the floats will generally be clear of the water. On the downside, light displacement means that there isn’t much momentum to keep you going through the turn and plenty of windage to stop you.

On a trimaran the central daggerboard helps the boat to turn by providing a central pivot point that catamarans lack

Speed is your friend. Build speed up before the tack to give you as much momentum as possible. The helm needs to steer positively into and through the turn, and if necessary, keep the jib backed on the new windward side to help the bow through the wind. Don’t worry about scrubbing speed off, but you don’t want to get stuck in irons.

When it comes to gybing, speed is again key. The turning bit isn’t going to be an issue as you’ll be scooting along, but the faster you’re going, the less load there will be on the sails. The more you slow down, the more the true wind will pile up.

Trimaran sailing skills

Tacks took a bit of practice. It felt plain wrong to jab the tiller across the boat, slamming a big break on in the water but I ended up putting us through the tacks far too slowly, losing a lot of speed. A more aggressive approach worked better. On the Astus, the traveller was between me and the tiller, so the tiller extension needed to be swung around the stern behind the mainsheet onto the new side.

Similarly, old habits of controlling a gybe needed to be modified. With the asymmetric set, we were planing at well over 10 knots, and the ideal is to stay on the plane. Heading dead downwind and centring the main lead to a more violent manoeuvre than flying into the gybe as fast as possible and, as the boom was never that far out thanks to the apparent wind angle, it didn’t need much extra controlling.

Coming up onto the wind after the gybe helped the asymmetric around the front of the jib and to fill on the new side. Stay too deep and it’ll get blanketed by the main. Once we had built up some apparent wind, we could bear away again.

You’ll be on a course deep downwind before you know it, hitting speeds in the double digits

Downwind in a trimaran

Upwind cruising may be fun in a multihull, but bearing away and going with the wind is what it’s all about. Easily-driven hulls, a generous sailplan and light weight mean you can be up and planing, leaving displacement boats wallowing in your wake.

The big difference comes from apparent wind. If you’re in a boat that can do 15 knots downwind in 20 knots of true wind, the resulting wind angles can really mess with your head.

To get going then, says Brian Thompson, ‘Use those leech tell-tales again when sailing downwind and reaching to set the correct twist through the mainsheet, and use the traveller to set the correct angle of the whole sail to the wind.’

As the wind and your speed builds, bear away and trim the main accordingly.

In theory, you shouldn’t need to ease the traveller at all, but you may need to if you want to sail deep downwind. As the gust fades, you’ll find the boat slows down, so you can come back up towards the wind a little to pick up some more breeze, and then bear away as you accelerate again.

Bear away as the boat accelerates. Your course will be something of a slalom as you look to keep a consistent wind angle

This results in something of a ‘slalom’ course, and will also be accentuated if you’re sailing down waves, but that’s all quite normal for apparent wind sailing. Ultimately, you’re looking for a consistent apparent wind angle, even if the resulting wake isn’t straight.

It’s worth remembering that apparent wind reduces the felt effect of the wind, so you need a sailplan to suit the true, not apparent wind speed.

I found that the boat was more sensitive to having a balanced sailplan and trim downwind than upwind, largely because you’ve got almost double the canvas up, with the bowsprit as an extra lever. When weather helm built, I needed to ease the mainsheet to increase twist to depower so that I could bear away. I must admit, getting the boat balanced, sailing fast and light on the helm at 15 knots was something I came away feeling I needed more practice at.

Reviewing the images, I suspect the asymmetric was sheeted in too hard, with too much twist in the main.

Getting a float fully submerged is when it’s time to back off

On the water

Unfurling the gennaker worked best on a beam reach, giving plenty of airflow over the sail to help it fully unfurl. This was also roughly the fastest point of sail, ideal for getting up some speed for apparent wind sailing. We mostly had the sails set for a close reach, even when we were beyond 120º off the true wind on a broad reach.

It was possible to soak deeper downwind, but lose the apparent wind benefit downwind and our speed dropped off dramatically, prompting us to point a bit higher to find some more speed.

As the boat powered up, it paid to hold a slightly higher angle than I would have done in a monohull for the boat to properly take off and get up into double digit speeds – topping out at 15 knots. Lymington to Cowes would have taken us just half an hour at that speed. It’s easy to give yourself a heck of a beat back!

We were sailing on a pretty flat day, so didn’t have to contend with any waves to speak of. On the recent RTI this is what caused the capsizes of at least two multis, a sobering reminder that you need to sail much more conservatively in lumpier conditions.

The bows want to point downwind, so a stern-first approach works with rather than against the boat

Coming alongside

A 650kg boat with no draught and plenty of windage feels dreadfully skittish when manoeuvring in confined spaces. Straight hulls with no forgiving curves and fragile-looking sharp bows make berthing tricky. You’ve got a couple of advantages on your side, however. In the Astus, the floats are at pontoon height making stepping off easy.

Whether you have an engine in each hull of a cat, or one in the central hull of a tri, there’s also a lot more leverage to play with to turn the boat and drive her on or off the pontoon. A steerable outboard gives you even more options.

If the boat has a lifting keel or daggerboards, put them down if there’s enough depth to give you a pivot and to resist drifting. Think about getting corners onto the pontoon, rather than putting the boat alongside. On tris, you won’t be able to get to the bow to fend off as it’s too narrow. You can rig a fender up forwards on a line, and two fenders are enough on the flat sides.

Steering with the outboard towards the pontoon will drive the stern in more; steer away to drive the bow in more

Offshore wind

Coming onto the pontoon with wind blowing off, it worked well coming in stern first. If there’s a tide running, you’ll want to be heading into the tide, so find a spot down wind and down tide to start your approach so you come in at an angle.

On our first attempt we had a bit of tide under us to start with so we came in at a much steeper angle, almost 90º, although this worked out OK in the end.

The crew could then step ashore, taking a line from the stern quarter round a cleat.

Drive forwards against the line and the bow will obediently drive up towards the pontoon, bringing you flat alongside. Getting off was simple, releasing the bowline, and allowing the bow to swing out the before slipping the stern line.

Coming in astern and stopping upwind of the berth meant the bows blew towards the pontoon far to quickly

Onshore wind

Getting onto and off a pontoon with onshore wind proved rather trickier. On our first attempt we came in stern first. The issue was that once we were just upwind of our desired berth and stopped, we lost steerage and the bow immediately blew off with alarming speed towards the pontoon.

Going ahead would only increase the force of the impact, while going astern only increased the bow’s sideways drift. I managed to back out without smashing the bow, but only just, and ended up awkwardly stern to the wind with the bows pointing at the pontoon.

On our second attempt we came in bows first but having aimed at the berth, I had to motor the stern to leeward to stop the bow hitting, making for a rather forceful coming alongside.

On take three, I came in forwards and began ferry gliding towards the berth early, keeping the bows to windward of the stern. Being able to steer with the outboard meant I could go ahead to keep the bow up, and go astern with the engine pulling the stern down toward the pontoon. In this way, it was possible to come in pretty well controlled and parallel to the berth.

To get out, motoring astern against a bow line pulled the entire boat clear before slipping the line

Leaving was a different proposition all together, as I didn’t want to drag the bow along the pontoon, or to drive hard onto it to spring off. Instead, we rigged a slip-line from the forward cross beam. Going astern against this, and then turning the engine towards the wind, I could pull the stern, and the rest of the boat, out and away from the pontoon.

Keeping power on astern, once we’d reached a decent angle, we slipped the line and went astern, finding steerage way almost at once, with the bow following obediently in our wake with more control than I had anticipated.

Whether the wind is blowing onto, or off the pontoon, you want the engine to be driving or pulling the boat off the pontoon with a line on the corner you are going away from. That way you avoid point-loading fine ends where it’s hard to fender.

You’ll want a bridle to reduce swinging, but keep the pick up lines on the bow as backup

Anchoring and mooring a trimaran

While mooring a catamaran is complicated by the lack of a central bow, things should be simpler on a trimaran, and they are, mostly. Picking up a mooring buoy from the main hull bow with a low freeboard and dropping the pick-up line onto a cleat is easier even than a monohull.

The bow may be narrow, but for any lines that pass through a ring on the buoy, you still need to take it back to the same cleat to avoid chafe. That should be it, but windage from the two extra bows and the lack of keel mean the boat can dance merrily around the mooring buoy in a breeze.

Rig the bridle so the buoy sits to one side to stabilise the boat

In practice, we found that a trimaran benefits from a mooring bridle in the same way that a catamaran does. It can’t be rigged from the floats’ bows, as there are no mooring cleats, so a line passed around the outboard ends of the forward beams gave a pretty good angle, again with long lines passed through the mooring and back to the same side. The main pick-up lines stay as a safety backup.

The other trick is to rig the bridle asymmetrically so that the buoy sits to one side or the other, just enough to not be dead head to wind, making it much more stable in the wind.

On the plus side, the lack of draught or keel means that you’ll nearly always be lying head to wind, so the cockpit remains nice and sheltered whatever the tide’s doing.

We ran out of time on the day to try anchoring, but rigging a bridle, effectively a long snubber to a point on the anchor chain in a similar way wouldn’t be tricky.

If you needed not to swing, or to behave more like deeper boats nearby, hanging a bucket over the stern can help, or there’s always anchoring with a kedge, either out ahead in a V, or in line astern.

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Sailing magazine – weta review.

June 07th, 2010

A quick but stable little trimaran that will thrill families and hardcore racers alike

The name weta refers to a family of large insects in the New Zealand Archipelago. Roughly translated, weta means "God of ugly things." Nothing could be farther from the truth about the insect's namesake, a sexy 14-foot trimaran called the Weta that has been turning heads like crazy.

Designed and built by Weta Marine of New Zealand, the Weta made its debut in 2007. Since then this new-kid-on-the-block of small multihull designs has been frequenting boat shows in France, England, Sweden, the Netherlands and China, drumming up a strong following at every stop.

Multihull sailing has come a long way since Woody Brown's first Hawaiian catamarans of the 1950s. Those early boats were based on ancient Polynesian outrigger designs, but their speed and grace in a variety of situations captured the imagination of a couple of young surfers named Hobie Alter and Phil Edwards. That partnership created the Hobie Cat and the rest is history.

That first 14-foot Hobie Cat has inspired generation after generation of new boat designers. While the basics of the catamaran have remained the same, a multitude of advancements and alterations have ensued, all in search of a better formula for speed, excitement, ease of transport and comfort. That simple quotient could not be more clearly defined or more successfully marketed than in the Weta. This light and responsive trimaran with collapsible amas just might be what the boating market needs.

Last spring, a demonstration of the Weta was held on a beach near the Mission Bay Yacht Club on an overcast but gusty day in San Diego. As a storm blew through, it crossed my mind that this was anything but the right day to try what I anticipated would be a flimsy, high-tech, wet boat. When I pulled up there were people lining the shore to get a glimpse of this unusual-looking craft. There were multihull racers, Laser sailors, big boat veterans and young fathers looking for something the entire family could enjoy.

The one-design racers confirmed the Weta to be responsive in a variety of conditions, while the big-boat sailors were impressed their body weight in 20 knots of wind did nothing to deter the boat's performance. Perhaps the best response, however, came from 9-year-old Andrew Fleming, who summed up the adventure succinctly: "If this were a report card, I'd give it an A-plus."

Andrew's father was no less impressed. "I've sailed one-designs for most of my life," said Bruce Fleming. "Then my kids came along and I gave up sailing. The Weta is exactly what I've been looking for-a boat that is small and responsive, and that I can singlehand, but also a boat my entire family can sail and enjoy."

Fleming's description was spot on. This is a boat that can make the hair on the back of your neck stand up in certain conditions, and yet it's a stable enough platform for the entire family to enjoy. The Weta can carry three adults with ease. Of course, the power-to-weight ratio is reduced under such a load, but in a breeze she still gets up and goes.

At the same time Weta was holding its trials, the San Diego NOOD Regatta cancelled racing when a vicious weather front blew across the course. For a time winds were gusting at 30 knots. This didn't deter Simon Garland and Jeff Westbrook, big-boat sailors eager to try the Weta. They figured they would easily handle the small boat. As they sailed around Mission Bay it didn't take long for them to trim aft in the cockpit and grow competent in setting the reaching jib, called the "screecher." Even though both men were six feet tall, with a combined weight of 400 pounds, the Weta managed to get a hull out of the water several times.

The boat is very forgiving and actually very difficult to capsize, but it can happen. Garland and Westbrook were surprised by a gust and lost the boat at one point, finding themselves in the water and struggling to right an unfamiliar boat. Unlike the Hobie, Prindle and other larger multihulls, the Weta has a no-nonsense process for righting the trimaran that a child could execute. Even a turtled Weta won't give most sailors too much trouble.

The system is simple: Stand on one of the outer pontoons and unscrew the inspection port at the back of the hull until it fills with water. The sinking pontoon will turn the boat over. As you sail away the water drains from the outer hull. Unfortunately, the backing plate doesn't float, and when you right a boat like this in a stiff breeze, you really don't want to have an inspection port lid in your hand. Fortunately the designers have addressed this problem by attaching a retaining line to the cover. Problem solved.

Garland and Westbrook were not deterred. "She's very touchy, very responsive," Westbrook said. "What we noticed was that she really took. We had a variety of wind conditions out there today and the boat was marvelous in every one of them. Our problem was that we were really pushing her when we were surprised by a pretty big gust. We were going to weather and had the mainsheet too tight. The leeward hull started to sink and over we went, very slowly.

"Sensitive? Yes, and especially in winds like we had today, but we really enjoyed sailing her. The little trimaran has the feel of a real boat. When you consider our combined weight, the wind, and how hard we pushed her today it's pretty amazing that we didn't break anything. That says a lot about a boat."

The day before the storm blew through I had the chance to sail the Weta in lighter air. I, too, found the boat to be extremely responsive; able to accelerate rapidly and sharp in the turns. Being able to lie out on the hiking aprons gives you a chance to really appreciate the shape of your sails, and the forward daggerboard makes all the difference in the world. While all multihulls seem to want to break the sound barrier off the wind, most are slow and cumbersome in tacks. The Weta turns on a dime. How refreshing that is to discover. The daggerboard can be pulled up for downwind sailing or beaching the boat, and the kick-up rudder allows for smooth beach assaults.

One problem I encountered was a wrapping of the small staysail when jibing. In the end I determined it was the rookie reviewer driving the boat, and not a gear malfunction. I was releasing the jib too late. A little practice and a forgiving breeze improved my timing rapidly.

The cockpit is smartly designed with lots of room and an open transom. The tiller is long, allowing the driver to work the front of the boat. As Garland and Westbrook discovered, in a good blow, and with excessive weight in the boat, you need to move aft to trim the load. The boomless main is extremely comfortable to use in all conditions. The fully battened jib carries a great shape. The roller furling screecher has a welcome demystifying effect on whoever is driving the boat. Surprisingly, it was very simple to use.

It's really hard to find fault with this compact little racer. It sails fast without a lot of drama or preparation in the cockpit. Yes, it could find a future as a popular one-design but I predict the real audience will be flat-water sailors (lakes and bays) and families. This is a powerful little boat, and yet, even in a good blow the sails are quiet and sail area can be reduced to make the boat more manageable.

The Weta only takes 20 minutes to rig and has just five lines controlling all three sails. The two-piece mast is easy to step, and an optional pivoting mast base allows the mast to be simply folded down instead of unstepped. The outer hulls fold inward on hinged amas, nesting and tucking to make a trailerable load no wider than a Laser-a plus on the road and in storing out of the water.

The Weta really is an incredibly fun boat in most any wind. It sails like a dinghy and is very well balanced. One person described it as a dinghy with training wheels. Not a flattering description, but visually it gets the point across. I had a chance to sail alongside Lasers and pocket cruisers. I gave them both good leads and then made my move. There is an ageless thrill that comes with having a faster boat. There was no contest in the light air of Mission Bay, and a couple of times I actually fell backwards as the boat accelerated.

The Weta hulls are a solid fiberglass laminate. A foam sandwich laminate is used on the main deck for added strength. All the boat's components are vacuum bagged (even the frames) and vinylester resin is used to enhance strength and rigidity. The mast, beams and tiller extension are carbon fiber. The deck gear is mostly Harken. As stated, the boat is smartly rigged although some sailors are modifying the cockpit with ratchet blocks, swivel cleats and stainless bridles.

The sails are by Gaastra, and the main and jib are made from transparent laminated Mylar cloth, which makes it easy to see leeward traffic. The screecher is made from a high-quality, non-stretch spinnaker cloth and comes in a variety of colors.

The Weta measures in at 14 feet, 5 inches in length, and 11 feet, 6 inches in the beam fully extended. On the trailer it's an entirely different story, as the boat tucks into 5 feet, 7 inches. The total dry weight of the boat is 211 pounds with a mast weight of 9 pounds. The Weta can carry 440 pounds and has been clocked at 18.6 mph. There is 123 square feet of area in the main and jib, and 86 more square feet in the screecher. This boat will add a fresh new dimension to sailing for a variety of sailors.

Weta Trimarans

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