WETA's for disabled people

Please select your home edition

Edition

WETA's for disabled people

by Mike Wood on 10 Dec 2016

Best performanc with crew to ballance the boat Mike Wood

While the Paralympic world ponders the technicalities of disabled people you may be interested to know that disabled people in the UK have been sailing and racing them for over 10 years.

The UK's Disabled Sailors Association (DSA) has a small fleet of Wetas and either provides dinghy sailing free of charge to disabled people or loans boats to people who promise to use them on a regular basis.

Rod steering is very positive © Mike Wood

Rod steering is very positive © Mike Wood

It is very easy indeed to adapt the Weta and the DSA provides modifications which allow any disability to sail them, single handed or with one or two crew. The most popular 'mod' is fitting a racing seat on the centre line allowing severely disabled people to enjoy this versatile craft.

Two Wetas are kept on the Mar Menor in Southern Spain which allows all year round sailing and racing and inexpensive holidays.

Spanish National Team members try a Weta in 2011 © Mike Wood

Spanish National Team members try a Weta in 2011 © Mike Wood

Very comfortable © Mike Wood

Very comfortable © Mike Wood

Wetas will sail with and rig combination © Mike Wood

Wetas will sail with and rig combination © Mike Wood

Easy access to seat © Mike Wood

Easy access to seat © Mike Wood

If you want to link to this article then please use this URL: www.yachtsandyachting.com/150331

Related Articles

Almost 80 enter Fernhurst Books Draycote Dash
Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series event this weekend has 39 classes entered Dinghies of many different shapes, sizes and speeds have entered the Fernhurst Books Draycote Dash, which takes place this weekend. It's the first of eight events in this season's Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series.
Posted today at 8:36 pm

The RYA 150 Podcast - Episode 9
Pip Hare and Abby Ehler share what it truly means to be a professional sailor What does it take to thrive at sea when the waves are high, the sleep is short and the stakes couldn't be higher?
Posted today at 7:07 pm

Henri-Lloyd launches Ocean PRO at Metstrade
A revolution in survival-grade performance offshore apparel Henri-Lloyd is set to unveil its latest new offshore range, Ocean PRO - a revolutionary new range of professional sailing apparel engineered for survival-grade performance, comfort, and sustainability on Stand 03.520/03.512 at Metstrade.
Posted today at 5:00 pm

Dart 15 Winter TT at Stewartby Water
Cancelled due to storms then rescheduled and cancelled once again With the 2024 event having been cancelled due to storms then rescheduled and cancelled once again due to lack of wind, the 2025 event was keenly awaited.
Posted today at 4:40 pm

Autumn Series 2025 at Medway YC overall
Finish the season in style Race starts were from a committee vessel with Philip Clarabut as RO. Philip provided courses that gave great variety, testing every owner and crew member. Courses took the fleets down river towards Queenborough.
Posted today at 2:19 pm

Enterprise Northern Region Series 2026 preview
The legendary 'Cock of the North' returns Enterprise Northern Series unveils 2026 calendar to celebrate 70 Years of iconic dinghy racing. The legendary 'Cock of the North' Enterprise series returns in 2026 with a six-event calendar to mark the 70th anniversary of the Enterprise dinghy class.
Posted today at 12:59 pm

Building work under way at Solway YC
Creating fully accessible disabled facilities Thanks to a substantial grant from the Dumfries and Galloway Coastal Benefit Fund, serious building alterations are now well under way to create a fully accessible changing, showering and toilet facility within the main Clubhouse at Solway YC.
Posted today at 12:02 pm

PredictWind A-Class Cat Worlds 2025 Day 6
The final day of any boat class Worlds can often an odd one. Sailors battle each other all week. The final day of any boat class Worlds can often an odd one. Sailors battle each other all week. Throughout that time, as in real battles, small skirmishes, pockets of unseen individual personal heroism and little victories happen all over the field.
Posted today at 10:34 am

SailGP introduces Athlete Transfer framework
Designed to professionalize and formalize the registration, transfer and loan processes SailGP has announced the introduction of its first Athlete Transfer framework, set to take effect ahead of the global racing championship's 2026 Season.
Posted today at 10:31 am

LXNAV win DAME Design Awards
Bringing aviation sector expertise into marine instrumentation ICOMIA's Technical Director, Patrick Hemp, presented the globally recognised DAME Design Awards 2025 to LXNAV's E360 chartplotter at the Metstrade Official Opening this morning.
Posted today at 9:39 am