NEW ZEALAND - Weta's Open Day a Success - November 2006
NEW ZEALAND - Weta's Open Day a Success - November 2006 'Sailing With the Stars' got away to a great start with sailing conditions perfect for putting the Weta through it's paces. 18 of our top Kiwi sailors were on hand to take people out for a sail or to instruct them on going solo...and a great mix of people with varying skill levels turned up to check out the Weta and give it a go. Gemma, a 6 year old who had never been on a boat before, surprised everyone. Within minutes of leaving the beach she took over the helm and with a delicate touch, steered an impressively straight line with ease. Carsten and Marianne, a couple of young student doctors with considerable keelboat experience were visiting from Denmark and had seen nothing like the Weta before. Peter, a Chinese national from Hong Kong, who learned to sail in NZ and happened to be looking for a craft to take his wife out sailing, thought the boat was ideal. Seasoned keelboat racers Allan and David were looking for a boat to teach their grandchildren to sail. Judging by their match racing antics, it is more likely that they will need four Weta! Even a broken hip did not deter David from taking his wife for a sail 6 weeks after the op! It was however a privilege and a pleasure to host one of the legends of NZ yachting. Attracted by the sight of the tips of the masts of the Weta fleet from his Takapuna home, Jim Young, at 81 made his way down to the beach to satisfy his curiosity. He enjoyed the sail and was enthusiastic in his response to the concept of family sailing in a trimaran. He commented on the attention to detail from assembly to sail management. He was confident that the Weta would “take off”. Another highlight of the day was the novelty race with a 50m beach start. Although Chris put a generous bias on the start line, it was not long before Andrew Murdoch showed his pace on the beach, hitting his boat at speed. It is not a good idea to give Andrew a head start! With a top mark moving at speed, Chris was able to give Stephanie Williams the break she wanted and she almost caught Andrew at the finish line. Mark Overington was not impressed having to sort out three sails on his own, while Sara Winther happily multi-tasked, staying mid fleet and offering encouragement to others. Overall, the Weta certainly satisfied a wide range of sailors from top Olympic athletes to absolute beginners showing that, not only is it ideal as a family boat, but also provides the option of speed for the thrill seekers. The Open Day was only possible through the support of the Takapuna Boating Club, NZ’s elite sailors freely giving their time and Weta owners who kindly lent their boats.
