Please select your home edition
Edition
Mackay Boats 728x90 TOP

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

Lloyd Stevenson - AC Alinghi 1456x180px BOTTOMGJW Direct 2024 DinghyMelges 15

Related Articles

52 Super Series 2025 Porto Cervo day 3
Sled lead in Porto Cervo and have slashed American Magic's circuit lead in chase for the title The strong Mistral breeze on Sardinia's Costa Smeralda dropped away nicely today and three good, highly competitive races were completed, bringing the 52 SUPER SERIES - Porto Cervo - Range Rover regatta back to schedule.
Posted on 25 Sep Melges 24 Worlds 2025 at Trieste, Italy Day 3
Light winds compress the standings in Trieste The 2025 Melges 24 World Championship, organized by Yacht Club Adriaco in collaboration with the International Melges 24 Class Association and with the support of the Italian Melges 24 Class, continues in something of a slow-motion rhythm.
Posted on 25 Sep A true attraction for non-French skippers
Hard work, training, and perseverance in the 56th La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec The excellence of the French solo racing pathway is increasingly attracting non-French skippers who want to come, learn, and train in a discipline that, for now, remains very French.
Posted on 25 Sep Switch UK Championship set to begin
A hot fleet is ready at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy Less than two weeks since the completion of the Switch Global Championship, the first ever Switch regatta to be held out side of Italy, the British Nationals and European tour, will start on the famous waters of Portland harbour.
Posted on 25 Sep CSA announces 2026 Rally calendar
Featuring an exciting lineup of events tailored to unite sailors The Caribbean Sailing Association (CSA) is thrilled to unveil its new Rally Calendar for 2026, designed for cruising sailors eager to explore the vibrant waters of the Caribbean in the company of fellow adventurers.
Posted on 25 Sep Greenwich Yacht Club Sails to New Heights
Raising Over £5,000 for RNLI in 2025 Greenwich Yacht Club (GYC) is very proud to have raised over £5,000 for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 2025 through a series of vibrant community events.
Posted on 25 Sep Noble Marine RS100 Nationals at Mount's Bay Day 1
Too light and shifty to hold any racing The fleet headed out in what looked like a promising breeze, but once at the race area, it proved light and shifty.
Posted on 25 Sep Last Chance to Complete 2x25 Survey
As Early Results Highlight Inequities Early responses to The Magenta Project's 2x25 survey reveal encouraging signs of progress on representation alongside systemic barriers that continue to hold sailing and the wider marine industry back.
Posted on 25 Sep Sand Yacht Europeans at Hoylake Preview
78 pilots set to take part in four classes at Wirral Sand Yacht Club The Wirral Sand Yacht Club (WSYC) is proud to announce that Hoylake will once again play host to the European Sand Yacht Championships, running from Sunday 28th September to Friday 3rd October 2025.
Posted on 25 Sep RS21 Worlds 2025 at Porto Rotondo, Sardinia Day 1
49 boats and over 200 sailors from 13 nations are taking part The RS21 World Championship is back at Yacht Club Porto Rotondo, with 49 boats and over 200 sailors from 13 nations ready to battle it out for one of the most competitive titles in one-design keelboat racing.
Posted on 25 Sep
This site and its contents are Copyright © 2025 Sail-World Sail-World United Kingdom and/or the original author, photographer etc. All Rights Reserved. Photographs are copyright by law. If you wish to use or buy a photograph contact the photographer directly.
If you have any questions about advertising or editorial then please contact our team. If you encounter any technical issues then please email techsupport@sail-world.com
Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy