Weta Trimaran

Weta Trimaran
Name	Weta Trimaran
Caption	Weta Trimaran on the water
Designer	Chris Glidden
Year	2006
Builder	Weta Marine
Role	Small sport trimaran
Crew	1–3
Displacement	~140 kg (empty)
LOA	4.2 m
Beam	2.5 m (folded ~2.1 m)
Sailarea	9.5 m2 (main), 4.2 m2 (jib), 12.5 m2 (spinnaker)

Weta Trimaran is a compact recreational and racing trimaran designed for day sailing, coastal cruising, and club racing. The design originated in New Zealand and gained international distribution through a small-boat manufacturing network, attracting sailors from dinghy, catamaran, and multihull communities. The boat's combination of folding amas, lightweight composite construction, and a simple rig made it notable among small multihull classes and sailing organizations.

Design and development

The design was conceived by Chris Glidden and developed by Weta Marine in a milieu that included influences from New Zealand, Auckland, and the wider Oceania multihull tradition. Development drew on precedents set by designers associated with Arthur Piver, Lock Crowther, and James Wharram while incorporating lessons from contemporary skiff and International Sailing Federation-era one-design classes such as the Laser (dinghy), RS Aero, and Hobie 16. The hull form and crossbeam layout reflect principles found in work by Philippe Neuman and multihull innovators from the Pacific Islands, adapted to modern composite techniques used by firms like Composite Engineering and Gurit. Early prototypes were tested in conditions near Auckland Harbour, with input from sailors affiliated with New Zealand Yachting clubs and events hosted by organizations such as the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.

Construction methods combined sandwich composite panels and molded components similar to practices by builders like Cape Horn Yachts and MacGregor Yacht Corporation, emphasizing ease of production for small yards and backyard builders. The folding ama system was engineered to facilitate trailering and storage, echoing mechanisms used on Corsair Marine trimarans and influenced by folding systems employed by Farrier Marine designs.

Specifications

Specifications emphasize compactness and transportability. The hull length overall (LOA) is approximately 4.2 m and beam with amas deployed is about 2.5 m, comparable to small sportboats such as the RS Quest and the RS Tera. Displacement is light, around 140 kg empty, yielding a high sail-area-to-weight ratio akin to skiffs developed by designers linked to Ian Proctor and Bruce Farr. The standard rig comprises a rotating mast, mainsail roughly 9.5 m2, an optional jib near 4.2 m2, and an asymmetric spinnaker up to 12.5 m2, arrangements similar to sail plans seen on MC Scow and 29er classes. Keel and daggerboard options mirror features used in small multihulls by producers such as Nacra Sailing and Hobie Cat Company.

Equipment lists often include fittings from suppliers like Harken, spars modeled on sections common to Selden Masts, and control systems influenced by blocks and cleats used in clubs associated with the International 14 community. Capacity and rigging options allow singlehanded sailing or crew of two to three, paralleling usage patterns at clubs under World Sailing-sanctioned event structures.

Performance and handling

Performance characteristics position the boat between recreational multihulls and high-performance skiffs. The lightweight construction and broad beam yield rapid acceleration and planing behavior similar to small skiffs championed by Russell Coutts-era development, while the trimaran configuration provides stability reminiscent of designs campaigned in events by Elliott Brown-type sailors. Handling in moderate to strong winds benefits from the low wetted surface and efficient foils, with reefing strategies and depowering tactics reflecting techniques promoted by instructors at US Sailing and Royal Yachting Association training centers.

In gusty coastal conditions near features like Firth of Thames or Bay of Plenty, sailors report dynamic yet manageable capsize recovery procedures analogous to those practiced in International Canoe and 49er fleets. Upwind and reaching angles favor speed over pointing, a trait shared with light-displacement multihulls from yards such as Vendee Globe support designers, while downwind performance with spinnaker flown can produce planing speeds comparable to small high-performance multihulls raced in events organized by Multihull Offshore Cruising Club.

Variants and production

Production has included factory-built models and plans for amateur builders, paralleling distribution methods used by small builders like Harken-linked yards and independent designers associated with Designer's Forum audiences. Variants introduced over time included motor mount options, carbon-rig packages, and youth-oriented rigs intended to align with developmental pathways championed by SailGP feeder programs and youth sailing initiatives run by ISAF-affiliated organizations. Limited-edition and upgraded series employed components from manufacturers like Lewmar and Garmin for instrumentation, echoing trends observed in small-boat customizations by firms such as Marlow Ropes partners.

Production shifted between small facilities in New Zealand, France, and distributors in United Kingdom and United States, resembling international supply chains used by boutique builders like Seawind Catamarans and boutique multihull specialists.

Racing and competitive use

The boat found a niche in one-design racing, club regattas, and multihull festivals hosted by entities like the Royal Thames Yacht Club, Auckland Anniversary Regatta, and regional sailing associations linked to World Sailing. Its size and cost profile encouraged inclusion in mixed-fleet handicap events run under measurement rules similar to those of the Portsmouth Yardstick and IRC systems used in local regattas. Competitors from classes such as Hobie 16, Nacra 15, and RS21 have frequently mixed with this trimaran at events, and it has been campaigned in coastal races, short-course sprints, and endurance days organized by clubs such as the Royal Yachting Association-affiliated clubs.

Experienced multihull racers with backgrounds in Extreme Sailing Series and America's Cup training programs have occasionally evaluated the boat as a training platform due to its responsiveness and multihull handling lessons.

Owners and community activities

Owner communities formed forums, regional fleets, and social sailing groups modeled on networks like Cruising Yacht Club of Australia chapters, online communities akin to Sailing Anarchy, and local meetups organized through platforms such as Meetup (service) and yacht club noticeboards. Activities included informal races, coastal exploration days near landmarks like Coromandel Peninsula, instructional clinics run by coaches certified by US Sailing or Royal Yachting Association, and environmental cleanup sails in collaboration with conservation groups similar to Sea Shepherd Conservation Society initiatives. Owner-led modifications and shared rigs echo practices in other one-design communities linked to International 14 and 29er owner networks.

Category:Trimarans