World Masters Games Modifications

Unlimited running rigging allowed in the US rules used at the WMG, gave an opportunity to analyse what improvements could be made to the Weta.

None more so than Masters Gold Medal winner, Martin Cross, who tested a number of modifications which either improved the handling or made the boat easier to sail with some tweaks that may have made it marginally faster and shared them with the Australian team members.

Martin also stresses the importance of marking sheets, halyards and controls – especially the jib and mainsheet where they go through the cleats – for upwind and downwind positions. You can use a “permanent” texter for this or for a real permanent solution, splice a marker into the line or use whipping.

Mainsheet Traveller	Possibly the biggest improvement to the boat in terms of boat handling and safety, was the development of a traveller using a line wrapped around the ama arms. The benefits of using a traveller are: 1. You don’t have to let go of the tiller extension through the tack. 2. You no longer have to pass the tiller around the back of the mainsheet and go to the stern to get it. As the stern has less buoyancy, putting your weight back there is like putting the brakes on every time you tack. 3. You can control the position of the mainsheet block so you can let it out to the edge of the cockpit on the off-wind legs instead of having the clew curved to the middle of the boat – it gives a much better shape to the sail and allows you to control the tension of the rig while still letting the clew to leeward. 4. It allows you to extend the tiller under the traveller which means you can reach it easily when sitting forward or hiking from the amas. Downsides are: – You have to remember to move the block back to the middle before you reach the leeward mark – The traveller block can catch on the tiller especially when manoeuvring at slow speeds when the mainsheet is slack. – There’s nothing to hold the mainsheet block in the centre of the boat so it can bang against the side of the cockpit when slack. Method This method requires no additional fittings to be attached to the hull. 1. Thread a traveller block* onto a 5mm line and create a Laser-style traveller loop around the rear ama arms and tie off to the mainsheet fitting on the cockpit floor. You can create a simple system just by tying a loop in the centre of the traveller and then attach the mainsheet block to it. 2. A better system is to create an adjustable “yacht-style traveller” which allows you to adjust the traveller block location on the traveller. This can be created by adding another line which is tied off to the traveller block at either side, fed around the rear ama arms and into the trolley cleats either side. This allows you to pull on or release the cleat on the opposite side but you have to push through the trolley cleat in reverse to cleat off on the side your sitting. 3. Cross System: To allow him to pull rather than push on the line, Martin’s adjustment line was further extended from the trolley cleat, through the eye of the rear tramp grommet on the opposite side and then a continuous loop through the opposite grommet and back through the cleat and around the ama arm. For permanent installation it might be better to add a nylon loop fitting bolted through the gunwale for the traveller lines instead of wrapping them around the ama arm. * Any small block will do but we found a small Ronstan Shock reduces the amount you have to allow for the traveller block to pass over the tiller and makes it less likely to catch as a result. It just fits if you grind a little off the edge of the shackle at the base of the mainsheet block post (in new boats) or you can attach using the dyneema loop (in older boats).
Tiller lengthening	Having created your traveller, you really need to lengthen the tiller so it can pass underneath. Method Slide some carbon tube over the existing tiller and moving the tiller extension to the end of the new tube. We used 32mm ID carbon tube (available in Australia from Playwithcarbon.com or Carbonfiber.com.au) which just fits over the 30mm OD existing tiller with the tiller extension removed (NOTE:older boats tiller dimensions may vary). Martin acquired a section of a broken carbon windsurfer mast. The additional tiller length will depend on your preference but you want it so that the traveller doesn’t catch on the tiller extension universal joint when you tack. It also needs to clear the cleats at either side and the “bump” of the ama arm sockets, so you may need to add washers at the base of the rudder gudgeon pin as a shim to raise the tiller stock slightly. Once you have the right length, secure it in place with some tape to provide a tight fit and drill a hole in the new pipe to line up with one of the tiller extension screws to hold it there.
Mainsheet Setup	We have moved to a 4:1 purchase as it runs better and doesn’t overly strain the hands in winds up to 25 knots. On #1000+ boats you can remove a turn and still keep the small block (in case you need to revert to 6:1) by tying off through the middle of it with a bowline.
Cunningham	Martin added an extra block set to the Cunningham to create a 6:1 purchase which he says he really cranks on in a blow to flatten off the top of the sail (using North tri-radial cut). He also extended the Cunningham to the ama arms, tensioned with bungee and adjusted the angle of the cam cleats using plastic wedges beneath them. This allows him to adjust the Cunningham without coming in off the tramps. The measurement tape on the mast allowed him to re-use settings depending on the conditions. The neoprene bag is used to stow the tails of the halyards after raising the sails to reduce windage and its neater than having them coiled halfway up the mast. A neoprene wine bottle cooler was also used by Paul for the same purpose.
Crossover Jib Sheets	We use crossover jib sheets since it means they’re always to hand even when hiking out, and less likely to get under your feet. Most were tied off using the handles on the edge of the tramp by the shroud but Martin added some shockcord to the tail to keep them taught.
Jib Cleat Replacement	One of the problems with the standard jib cleats is they are very difficult to release in winds over 20 knots. Martin and Paul replaced them with Spinlock PXR swivel base cam cleats that enable you to release them under load. The only issue with the Spinlocks is they have to give a little in order to bite into the rope and a cheaper and possibly better solution is to use a 2:1 on the jib by taking the sheet through the cleat up to a block attached to the clew and then back to tie off on the cleat.
Screecher drop system	This is likely to be banned soon but many of the leaders were dropping the screecher for the first upwind leg (and some for every upwind leg) by uncleating it at the foot of the mast and then stowing it along the foredeck and into the cockpit. A bungee system was used to take up the slack in the tail of the screecher halyard so that it remained ready for deployment as you approached the windward mark. Some boats ran their halyard bungee tension system up and down the length of the cockpit, Martin ran his between the ama uprights which meant that he could raise it on starboard tack approaching the windward mark.
Screecher sheet forward turning blocks	We added the turning blocks tied to the forward ama arms as shown in the Weta Owners Locker. Benefits: It keeps the sheet out from under your feet, it means you’re less inclined to sit on it, it means you’re facing forward during the gybe and it improves the grip of the ratchet block on the sheet making it easier on your hands.
Screecher Sheet “Tweaker”	To keep the sheets flat on the tramp, and thus less likely to get caught in the end of the tiller during a tack, we fed them through a plastic ring which was tied to bungee thread under the tramp and anchored through the screecher block lashing hole in the tramp and fed through a bead to hold it there. This also acts a little as a “Tweaker” to bring the clew of the sail outboard and keep it fuller for more depth.
Screecher Ratchet Block location	Martin had positioned the screecher ratchet block outboard to give a fuller sail and allow him to sail deeper but his system was adjustable so it could be moved inboard for a close reaching course. Tony Sadler and Beryl Morris moved their screecher ratchet blocks inboard for a light wind race so they could use the screecher as a “code zero” which was very effective.
Camelback drink bag	Located under the forward trampoline to allow rehydration while racing using the drinking tube.
Wind indicators	Mast head Windex systems were seen on a number of boats but this modified Laser mast fitting on the bowsprit seemed a better solution instead of craning your neck.We all agreed that the wool tufts used as wind indicators on the North sails weren’t as good as the ripstop nylon versions on the Gaastra, as the wool tended to catch on the panel joins on the sail and they were hopeless when wet. Also the grey North sails were harder to see through than the clear Gaastra.To get around this we taped cassette tape either side of the clear window where it could easily be seen. Cassette tape doesn’t absorb water and with a knot in one end, doesn’t stick to the sail (some McLube or RainX on the window also helps). Additionally, Paul and Geoff had telltales on the luff of screecher (only works on Yellow or Red screechers since you can see through them) and Paul had a 30cm piece of tape attached to the leech of the screecher about 30cm above the clew. This meant that when the sail is furled, a length of the tape would act as a wind indicator right in your line of sight.
	T-Handles were used by a number of boats to ease getting back from the amas. Some were swaged in. Others were just whipped onto the shroud.Geoff had 1m of plastic pipe threaded down the shrouds to provide a handhold.
Additional hiking straps	Some were sewn in, others had a webbing loop that went right around the tramp through the side hand hold loops and tensioned underneath (much easier to setup and easier to adjust for different crew)
Screecher sheet attachments	Dyneema “Pigs-tail” loops spliced into into joined ends of screecher sheets prevents the sheets from catching on the forestay during a gybe.