Sonar (keelboat)
 | |
 | |
| Development | |
|---|---|
| Designer | Bruce Kirby |
| Location | Canada United States |
| Year | 1980 |
| No. built | 860 |
| Builder(s) | Ontario Yachts |
| Boat | |
| Boat weight | 2,100 lb (953 kg) |
| Draft | 3.92 ft (1.19 m) |
| Hull | |
| Type | monohull |
| Construction | fibreglass |
| LOA | 23.00 ft (7.01 m) |
| LWL | 19.92 ft (6.07 m) |
| Beam | 7.83 ft (2.39 m) |
| Hull appendages | |
| Keel/board type | fin keel |
| Ballast | 930 lb (422 kg) |
| Rudder(s) | internally-mounted spade-type rudder |
| Rig | |
| Rig type | Bermuda rig |
| I foretriangle height | 25.00 ft (7.62 m) |
| J foretriangle base | 8.90 ft (2.71 m) |
| P mainsail luff | 27.50 ft (8.38 m) |
| E mainsail foot | 11.20 ft (3.41 m) |
| Sails | |
| Sailplan | fractional rigged sloop |
| Mainsail area | 154.00 sq ft (14.307 m2) |
| Jib/genoa area | 111.25 sq ft (10.335 m2) |
| Total sail area | 265.25 sq ft (24.643 m2) |
| Racing | |
| D-PN | 82.5 |
| Paralympics class | |
Blazer 23 →
| |
The Sonar is a one design trailerable racing sailboat that was designed by Canadian naval architect Bruce Kirby and first built in 1980.[1][2][3]
The design was initiated as a commission from the members of the Noroton Yacht Club of Darien, Connecticut, United States.[1]
The Sonar was inducted into the American Sailboat Hall of Fame in 2004.[4]
The design was developed into the more cruising-oriented Blazer 23, using the same hull, but a larger cabin.[5]
Production[]
The design was first built by in Berlin, New Jersey, although the company went out of business in 1986. Other companies that have previously produced the boat include and in the US, as well as Ontario Yachts and in Canada, with a few built by in the United Kingdom. Since 2015 the boat has been built by in the UK and distributed in North America by Shumway Marine. A total of 860 boats have been built.[1][3][6][7][8][9]
Design[]
The Sonar is a recreational keelboat, built predominantly of fibreglass, with wood trim. It has a fractional sloop rig with aluminum spars, including a tapered boom, a raked stem, a reverse transom, an internally mounted spade-type rudder controlled by a tiller with an extension and a fixed fin keel. It displaces 2,100 lb (953 kg) and carries 930 lb (422 kg) of lead ballast.[1][3]
The boat has a draft of 3.92 ft (1.19 m) with the standard keel.[1]
The design has a cockpit 11.50 ft (3.51 m) long, with space for eight people. It has a small cuddy cabin that is used for stowage and can also house a portable head. The cuddy can also be fitted with two berths for sleeping accommodation.[3][8]
The boat can plane downwind. For sailing the design is equipped with internal boom slab reefing, a 4;1 mechanical advantage mainsheet block, a backstay and a boom vang. Hiking is not permitted under the class sailing rules.[3][8]
The design has a Portsmouth Yardstick DP-N racing average handicap of 82.5 and is normally raced with a crew of two to three sailors.[3]
Operational history[]
The Sonar is used for sail training as well as racing.[7]
The Sonar is an accepted World Sailing international class and was selected for Paralympic sailing at the 1996 Paralympic Games and has remained a Paralympic class since then.[7][10]
The boat is supported by an active class club that organizes racing events, the Sonar Class Association.[11]
In a 1994 review Richard Sherwood wrote, "the Sonar was designed for the same market as the Etchells 22, Soling, Tempest, and Ensign. The basic concept was generated by a committee of the Noroton Yacht Club (Connecticut), then designed by Bruce Kirby. The cockpit is huge ... Only three sails are allowed — main, jib, and spinnaker."[3]
The boat was inducted into the American Sailboat Hall of Fame in 2004. The citation noted, "the brainchild of Bruce Kirby (who also designed the Laser, which was inducted into the American Sailboat Hall of Fame in 1997), the Sonar was designed to a specific set of parameters determined through a survey of club sailors. All were looking for the same thing—a boat that was exciting to race, easy to handle by sailors of varying ages and abilities, trailerable, self-bailing and reasonably comfortable. Basically, Kirby said, "we wanted a boat that could be sailed without breaking your neck." "I think it’s the best boat I ever designed in that it met all the criteria," Kirby said."[4]
Events[]
Open Worlds Championships[]
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (November 2020) |
Year
|
Gold | Silver | Bronze | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2001  United StatesNoroton, CT 37 Boats |
Mark Ploch (USA)
|
Craig Sinclair (USA)
|
Steve Shepstone (USA)
|
[12][13] |
| 2004 United States St. Petersburg, FL 25 Boats |
Steve Shepstone (USA)
|
Peter Galloway (USA)
|
John Ross-Duggan (USA)
|
[14][15] |
2005  Great BritainCowes, UK |
Steve Shepstone (USA)
|
Paul Bowen (GBR)
|
Peter Galloway (USA)
|
[16][17] |
| 2007 United States Marblehead, MA |
Bill Lynn (USA)
|
Greg Anthony (USA)
|
Rick Dominique (USA)
|
[18] |
| 2009 United States Noroton, CT |
Dave Franzel (USA) Todd Cooper (USA) Greg Anthony (USA) Conor Hayes (USA)
|
Jud Smith (USA)
|
Karl Ziegler (USA)
|
[19] |
| 2011 Great Britain Rhu, Scotland |
Steve Shepstone (USA)9381
|
Simon Barter (GBR)
|
Scott McLeod (USA)
|
[20] |
| 2013 United States Rochester, NY |
Eric Voss (USA)
|
Colin Gordon (USA)
|
Peter Galloway (USA)
|
[21][22] |
| 2015 United States Falmouth, MA 27 Boats |
Karl Ziegler (USA)
|
Dave Franzel (USA)
|
 Bella Rena (CAN)
|
[23][24] |
| 2017 United States Lunenburg, NS 25 Boats |
Peter Galloway (USA)
|
Karl Ziegler (USA)
|
Eric Voss (USA)[25]
|
[26][27] |
| 2019 United States Rochester, NY |
Michael Wilde (USA)
|
Brian Doyle (USA)
|
Eric Voss (USA)[28]
|
[29][30] |
Disabled World Championships[]
| This section needs additional citations for verification. (September 2021) |
The Sonar has also been used extensively for disabled sailing. The boat specifications are exactly the same for open and disabled sailing events, but additional adaptations are allowed to be fitted to the boat to aid the crew who are not permitted to hike or use a spinnaker. The World Championships is recognised by World Sailing.
Year
|
Gold | Silver | Bronze | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 Cadiz |  GermanyJens Kroker |
Great Britain Andy Cassell |
 NetherlandsUdo Hessels Marcel van de Veen Mischa Rossen |
[31] |
| 2001 Florida | Canada Brian MacDonald Paul Tingley |
Great Britain Andy Cassell |
Germany Jens Kroker |
[32] |
| 2002 Medemblik | Germany Jens Kroker |
Great Britain Andy Cassell |
Canada Brian MacDonald Paul Tingley |
[33] |
| 2003 Athens | Netherlands Udo Hessels Marcel van de Veen Mischa Rossen |
 IsraelDror Cohen |
Great Britain John Robertson Stephen Thomas Hannah Stodel |
[34] |
| 2005 Sonderborg | Great Britain John Robertson Stephen Thomas Hannah Stodel |
 NorwayJostein Stordahl Aleksander Wang-Hansen Per Eugen Kristiansen |
Germany Jens Kroker |
[35] |
| 2006 Perth | Great Britain John Robertson Stephen Thomas Hannah Stodel |
Germany Jens Kroker |
Norway Jostein Stordahl Aleksander Wang-Hansen Per Eugen Kristiansen |
[36][37] |
| 2007 Rochester | United States Rick Doerr |
United States |
Germany Jens Kroker |
[38] |
| 2009 Athens | Germany Jens Kroker Robert Prem |
Israel Dror Cohen Arnon Efrati |
 Greece |
[39][40][41] |
| 2010 Medemblik | Netherlands Udo Hessels Marcel van de Veen Mischa Rossen |
Great Britain John Robertson Stephen Thomas |
Germany Jens Kroker Robert Prem Siegmund Mainka |
[42][43] |
| 2011 Weymouth | Israel Dror Cohen Benni Vexler Arnon Efrati |
Great Britain John Robertson Hannah Stodel Stephen Thomas |
Norway Aleksander Wang-Hansen Per Eugen Kristiansen Marie Solberg |
[44][45] |
| 2012 Charlotte Harbor | Norway Aleksander Wang-Hansen Per Eugen Kristiansen Marie Solberg |
 France |
Great Britain John Robertson Hannah Stodel Stephen Thomas |
[46][47] |
2013 Kinsale Ireland
|
France |
Netherlands Udo Hessels Marcel van de Veen Mischa Rossen |
 AustraliaColin Harrison Jonathan Harris Russell Boaden |
[48][49] |
| 2014 Halifax | France |
Canada Paul Tingley Logan Campbell Scott Lutes |
Australia Colin Harrison Jonathan Harris Russell Boaden |
Canada[50]
|
| 2015 Melbourne Australia
|
Great Britain John Robertson Hannah Stodel Stephen Thomas |
Australia Colin Harrison Jonathan Harris Russell Boaden |
Norway Aleksander Wang-Hansen Per Eugen Kristiansen Marie Solberg |
[51][52] |
Paralympics[]
| This section does not cite any sources. (September 2021) |
The Sonar has been the equipment used for the three person keelboat discipline at all Paralympic Sailing Competitions that have included sailing.
Year
|
Gold | Silver | Bronze | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 Atlanta Lake Lanier |
Great Britain Andy Cassell Ian Harrison |
Canada |
Germany |
|
| 2000 Sydney | Australia Noel Robins Jamie Dunross Graeme Martin |
Germany Jens Kroker |
Canada Paul Tingley Brian MacDonald |
|
| 2004 Athens | Israel Dror Cohen Arnon Efrati Benni Vexler |
Netherlands Udo Hessels Marcel van de Veen Mischa Rossen |
United States Bradley Johnson |
|
| 2008 Beijing Qingdoa |
Germany Jens Kroker Siegmund Mainka Robert Prem |
France |
Australia Colin Harrison |
|
| 2012 London Weymouth |
Netherlands Udo Hessels Marcel van de Veen Mischa Rossen |
Germany Jens Kroker Siegmund Mainka Robert Prem |
Norway Aleksander Wang-Hansen Marie Solberg Per Eugen Kristiansen |
|
| 2016 Rio | Colin Harrison Russell Boaden Jonathan Harris (AUS) |
Alphonsus Doerr Hugh Freund Bradley Kendell (USA) |
Paul Tingley Logan Campbell Scott Lutes (CAN) |
See also[]
- List of sailing boat types
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e McArthur, Bruce (2020). "Sonar sailboat". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
- ^ McArthur, Bruce (2020). "Bruce Kirby". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 25 August 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Sherwood, Richard M.: A Field Guide to Sailboats of North America, Second Edition, pages 120-121. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1994. ISBN 0-395-65239-1
- ^ Jump up to: a b Schanen, Erin L. (2004). "Sonar". American Sailboat Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 8 May 2004. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
- ^ McArthur, Bruce (2020). "Blazer 23 (Kirby) sailboat". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 13 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
- ^ McArthur, Bruce (2020). "Seidelmann Yachts". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Rondar Raceboats (2020). "Rondar Sonar - About". rondarboats.com. Archived from the original on 15 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Shumway Marine (2020). "The Sonar — Something for Everybody". shumwaymarine.com. Archived from the original on 15 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ Shumway, Skip (15 February 2015). "To all members of the Sonar Class" (PDF). shumwaymarine.com. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 June 2018. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
- ^ World Sailing (2020). "Sonar". sailing.org. Archived from the original on 15 April 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
- ^ McArthur, Bruce (2020). "Sonar Class Association". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
- ^ http://www.norotonyc.org/swc/site/pages/head.php3
- ^ Sonar at World Sailing
- ^ http://www.sonar.org/site/files/Library/Results/Sonar%20Worlds%20Final%20Results.html
- ^ Sonar at World Sailing
- ^ http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/class/Sonar
- ^ Sonar at World Sailing
- ^ Sonar at World Sailing
- ^ Sonar at World Sailing
- ^ Sonar at World Sailing
- ^ Sonar at World Sailing
- ^ http://www.rochesteryc.com/files/Sonar%20Worlds%20Series%20after%20%2010%20races.pdf
- ^ http://www.regattanetwork.com/event/9300
- ^ Sonar at World Sailing
- ^ https://yachtscoring.com/event_results_cumulative.cfm?eid=2760
- ^ https://www.yachtscoring.com/event_results_cumulative.cfm?eID=2760
- ^ Sonar at World Sailing
- ^ https://yachtscoring.com/event_results_cumulative.cfm?eID=6051
- ^ https://www.rochesteryc.com/2019SonarWorlds
- ^ https://yachtscoring.com/event_results_cumulative.cfm?eID=6051
- ^ 1999 IFDS Disabled Sailing World Championships at World Sailing
- ^ 2001 IFDS Disabled Sailing World Championships at World Sailing
- ^ 2002 IFDS Disabled Sailing World Championships at World Sailing
- ^ 2003 IFDS Three Person Keelboat World Championship at World Sailing
- ^ 2005 IFDS Disabled Sailing World Championships at World Sailing
- ^ 2006 IFDS Disabled Sailing World Championships at World Sailing
- ^ http://www.2006ifdsworlds.com.au[dead link]
- ^ 2007 IFDS Disabled Sailing World Championships at World Sailing
- ^ 2009 IFDS Disabled Sailing World Championships at World Sailing
- ^ "IFDS Disabled Sailing World Championship 2009". sailing.org. World Sailing.
- ^ http://www.disabledworlds09.gr[dead link]
- ^ 2010 IFDS Disabled Sailing World Championships at World Sailing
- ^ http://www.ifdsworlds2010.com[dead link]
- ^ 2011 IFDS Disabled Sailing World Championships at World Sailing
- ^ http://www.ifdsworlds2011.com[dead link]
- ^ 2012 IFDS Disabled Sailing World Championships at World Sailing
- ^ http://www.ifdsworlds2012.com[dead link]
- ^ 2013 IFDS Disabled Sailing World Championships at World Sailing
- ^ http://www.ifdsworlds2013.com[dead link]
- ^ 2014 IFDS Combined World Championships at World Sailing
- ^ 2015 Para World Sailing Championships at World Sailing
- ^ http://www.ifdsworlds2015.com[dead link]
External links[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sonar (keelboat). |
- Keelboats
- 1980s sailboat type designs
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- Sailboat type designs by Canadian designers
- Trailer sailers
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