Weta inspires mum to get family sailing

While many young women enjoy sailing and the thrill of being on the water when young, they struggle to find the time - and the right boat - once they start a family.

This was certainly the case with Wellington mother of four Biddi Clark. She believes that one of the main challenges facing young mothers is balancing their busy lives and taxi driving the kids, with finding time for something they enjoy, something that is also fun for the whole family.

"Along with the move to grow your own veges and have chooks in the backyard, many women are taking up more exciting sports, especially ones that can also be enjoyed by the rest of the family," she says. "For many women, these include family triathlons, rail trail bike rides, hiking in the bush and sea kayak adventures."

However, Clark, who admits she "just mucked around in boats while on holiday" when growing up has chosen a slightly different route.

She has again taken up sailing and is doing so, often with her young children on board, on an increasing popular (although perhaps not very well known) New Zealand-designed and built trimaran.

Clark said it was her husband who first convinced her that getting back into sailing was a good idea. It was also he who suggested they seriously consider a Weta trimaran.

"Since then, there has been no going back," she says. "The Weta is so simple to set-up and sail that, quite quickly, I was confident in taking and teaching the kids on my own."

Clark's first introduction to the sea and sailing was as a child on family camping holidays.

"My parents owned one of the original windsurfers, all of four metres and wooden centreboard (I exaggerate the length but it really was an old dinosaur)," she says.

"Then Dad went to night classes and built a dinky little Optimist in which we had many years of fun, sailing around the lagoon and beachfront in the Abel Tasman National Park."

Although sailing then took a back seat for several years, "relegated to snapshots in our old photo album", she is now as enthusiastic as ever.

"Today, sailing in our Weta means I can take up the challenge of relearning those lost sailing skills in a boat that is easy, stable and safe yet feels like a thoroughbred when the wind picks up and the excitement of speed courses through the veins," she says.

"Believe me, as a mother of several small children being able to drop the snail's pace and go pelting across the water really makes my day."

Clark says she is also surprised by how easily sailing has slotted into the family's life.

"We plan family sail days on various Sundays throughout summer, load the kids on to the boat's trampolines, pack the picnic lunch in a waterproof bag and set off sailing from one beach front to another.

"Rather than everyone else having the fun and me being left to clean up the mess, sailing means everyone can get out there together and have a real blast."

She says all the children, from their 10-year-old through to their 2-year-old, love getting out on the water.

"It gives their day at the beach an adventurous twist and news to share at school mat time on Monday."

Clark says the 4.4-metre Weta copes admirably when all six family members pile on to it for an expedition. In gentle breezes, the children even get to take the helm and experience the thrill of steering a boat.

"The lack of a heavy boom also means the kids can safely scramble from one side of the boat to the other when changing tack."

In true Kiwi style, the Weta was initially conceived by father and son team Roger and Chris Kitchen in their garage.

That was in in 2003. Since then, more than 700 Weta trimarans have been sold around the world, in some 30 countries.

In 2010, the Weta won the Sailing World Boat of the Year Award, competing against some of sailing's biggest brands. The yacht also attracted high praise with Sailing World's USA judges saying: "If there's one boat that will get any sailor excited about multihull sailing and small boat sailing, it's this NZ import."

Learn to Sail NZ has also included the Weta in their training feet with instructor Carl Webb saying the versatile trimaran definitely makes his life easier.

"The Weta allows me to take two or three kids out in one hit and give them hands-on teaching, sitting side by side. It's amazing to see how they respond."

Kitchen says the Weta is also popular with holiday home owners and those who live near the sea.

"With no boom to bang your head, a wide stable trampoline to pile everyone on and a self-furling sail, the Weta is the low stress way to sail. It folds up into a custom-designed trailer and is easy to transport to the bach or the beach, and easy to store away."

While all those attributes make the trimaran ideal for younger or inexperienced sailors, Kitchen says the Weta also has the ability to zip across the water like a high-performance race yacht.

New "adventure mum" Biddi Clark is quick to agree. "I really enjoy experimenting with the difference weight makes by hiking forwards or up and out, and the effect this has on the balance of sail and tiller.

"You can really start humming along. It is a great escape when I've had enough of the kids and set sail for the horizon, leaving my husband behind in the wake."

WetaLength: 4.4m

Beam: 3.5m

Weight (main hull): 60kg

Weight (float with beam frame): 18kg

Construction: GRP/foam

Sail area (main): 8.3m2

Sail area (jib): 3.2m2

Sail area (screecher): 8.0m2