Sonar (keelboat)
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]
 | |
.svg.png.webp) | |
| Development | |
|---|---|
| Designer | Bruce Kirby |
| Location | Canada United States |
| Year | 1980 |
| No. built | 860 |
| Builder(s) | Seidelmann Yachts Ontario Yachts C. E. Ryder Rondar Raceboats DS Yachts Shumway Marine |
| 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 | |
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 Seidelmann Yachts in Berlin, New Jersey, although the company went out of business in 1986. Other companies that have previously produced the boat include C. E. Ryder and Shumway Marine in the US, as well as Ontario Yachts and DS Yachts in Canada, with a few built by Carbon Index in the United Kingdom. Since 2015 the boat has been built by Rondar Raceboats 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
Year |
Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
2001  United StatesNoroton, CT 37 Boats [12][13] |
Mark Ploch (USA)
|
Craig Sinclair (USA) |
Steve Shepstone (USA) |
| 2004 United States St. Petersburg, FL 25 Boats[14][15] |
Steve Shepstone (USA)
|
Peter Galloway (USA) |
John Ross-Duggan (USA) |
2005  Great BritainCowes, UK[16][17] |
Steve Shepstone (USA) |
Paul Bowen (GBR) |
Peter Galloway (USA) |
| 2007 United States Marblehead, MA[18] |
Bill Lynn (USA)
|
Greg Anthony (USA) |
Rick Dominique (USA) |
| 2009 United States Noroton, CT[19] |
Dave Franzel (USA) Todd Cooper (USA) Greg Anthony (USA) Conor Hayes (USA) |
Jud Smith (USA) |
Karl Ziegler (USA) |
| 2011 Great Britain Rhu, Scotland[20] |
Steve Shepstone (USA)9381 |
Simon Barter (GBR) |
Scott McLeod (USA) |
| 2013 United States Rochester, NY[21][22] |
Eric Voss (USA)
|
Colin Gordon (USA) |
Peter Galloway (USA) |
| 2015 United States Falmouth, MA 27 Boats[23][24] |
Karl Ziegler (USA) |
Dave Franzel (USA) |
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} Bella Rena (CAN) |
| 2017 United States Lunenburg, NS 25 Boats[25][26] |
Peter Galloway (USA) |
Karl Ziegler (USA) |
Eric Voss (USA)[27] |
| 2019 United States Rochester, NY[28][29] |
Michael Wilde (USA) |
Brian Doyle (USA) |
Eric Voss (USA)[30] |
Disabled World Championships
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 Cadiz[31] |  GermanyJens Kroker Peter Muenter Peter Reichl |
Great Britain Andy Cassell Andrew Millband Brian Harding |
 NetherlandsUdo Hessels Marcel van de Veen Mischa Rossen |
| 2001 Florida[32] | Canada Brian Mackie Brian MacDonald Paul Tingley |
Great Britain Andrew Cassell Brian Harding Edward Suckling |
Germany Jens Kroker Dietmar Steigel Peter Reichl |
| 2002 Medemblik[33] | Germany Jens Kroker Dietmar Steigel Peter Reichl |
Great Britain Andrew Cassell Brian Harding Edward Suckling |
Canada Brian Mackie Brian MacDonald Paul Tingley |
| 2003 Athens[34] | Netherlands Udo Hessels Marcel van de Veen Mischa Rossen |
 IsraelDror Cohen Benny Vaxler Michael Levy |
Great Britain John Robertson Stephen Thomas Hannah Stodel |
| 2005 Sonderborg[35] | Great Britain John Robertson Stephen Thomas Hannah Stodel |
 NorwayJostein Stordahl Aleksander Wang-Hansen Per Eugen Kristiansen |
Germany Jens Kroker Holger Schonenberg Tobias Schuetz |
| 2006 Perth[36][37] | Great Britain John Robertson Stephen Thomas Hannah Stodel |
Germany Jens Kroker Sigi Mainka Tobias Schuetz |
Norway Jostein Stordahl Aleksander Wang-Hansen Per Eugen Kristiansen |
| 2007 Rochester, NY[38] | United States Rick Doerr Tim Angle Bill Donahue |
United States Paul Callahan Tom Brown Roger Cleworth |
Germany Jens Kroker Tobias Schuetz Sigi Mainka |
| 2009 Athens[39][40][41] | Germany Jens Kroker Robert Prem Siggy Mainka |
Israel Dror Cohen Arnon Efrati Ben Vexler |
 GreeceChristoforou Vasilis Notaroglou Argiris Aleksas Thodoris |
| 2010 Medemblik[42][43] | Netherlands Udo Hessels Marcel van de Veen Mischa Rossen |
Great Britain John Robertson Hannah Stodel Stephen Thomas |
Germany Jens Kroker Robert Prem Siegmund Mainka |
| 2011 Weymouth[44][45] | Israel Dror Cohen Benni Vexler Arnon Efrati |
Great Britain John Robertson Hannah Stodel Stephen Thomas |
Norway Aleksander Wang-Hansen Per Eugen Kristiansen Marie Solberg |
| 2012 Charlotte Harbor[46][47] | Norway Aleksander Wang-Hansen Per Eugen Kristiansen Marie Solberg |
 FranceBruno Jourdren Eric Flageul Nicolas Vimont-Vicary |
Great Britain John Robertson Hannah Stodel Stephen Thomas |
| 2013 Kinsale[48][49] | France Bruno Jourdren Eric Flageul Nicolas Vimont-Vicary |
Netherlands Udo Hessels Marcel van de Veen Mischa Rossen |
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} AustraliaColin Harrison Jonathan Harris Russell Boaden |
| 2014 Halifax[50] | France Bruno Jourdren Eric Flageul Nicolas Vimont-Vicary |
Canada Paul Tingley Logan Campbell Scott Lutes |
Australia Colin Harrison Jonathan Harris Russell Boaden |
| 2015 Melbourne AUS[51][52] | Great Britain John Robertson Hannah Stodel Stephen Thomas |
Australia Colin Harrison Jonathan Harris Russell Boaden |
Norway Aleksander Wang-Hansen Per Eugen Kristiansen Marie Solberg |
Paralympics
The Sonar has been the equipment used for the three person keelboat discipline at every Paralympic Sailing Competition.
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 Sydney | Australia Noel Robins Jamie Dunross Graeme Martinl |
Germany Jens Kroker Peter Muenter Peter Reichl |
Canada Davis Williams Paul Tingley Brian MacDonald |
| 2004 Athens | Israel Dror Cohen Arnon Efrati Benni Vexler |
Netherlands Udo Hessels Marcel van de Veen Mischa Rossen |
United States John Ross-Dugan Jean Paul Creignou Bradley Johnson |
| 2008 Beijing | Germany Jens Kroker Siegmund Mainka Robert Prem |
France Bruno Jourdren Eric Flageul Nicolas Vimont-Vicary |
Australia Colin Harrison Russel Boaden Rodney Angwin |
| 2012 London | 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
References
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
- Rondar Raceboats (2020). "Rondar Sonar - About". rondarboats.com. Archived from the original on 15 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- 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://www.yachtscoring.com/event_results_cumulative.cfm?eID=2760
- Sonar at World Sailing
- https://yachtscoring.com/event_results_cumulative.cfm?eid=2760
- https://www.rochesteryc.com/2019SonarWorlds
- https://yachtscoring.com/event_results_cumulative.cfm?eID=6051
- https://yachtscoring.com/event_results_cumulative.cfm?eID=6051
- Sonar at World Sailing
- Sonar at World Sailing
- Sonar at World Sailing
- Sonar at World Sailing
- Sonar at World Sailing
- Sonar at World Sailing
- www.2006ifdsworlds.com.au
- Sonar at World Sailing
- Sonar at World Sailing
- https://www.sailing.org/ifds-worlds-2009.php
- www.disabledworlds09.gr
- Sonar at World Sailing
- www.ifdsworlds2010.com/
- Sonar at World Sailing
- www.ifdsworlds2011.com
- Sonar at World Sailing
- www.IFDSWorlds2012.com
- Sonar at World Sailing
- www.ifdsworlds2013.com
- Sonar at World Sailing
- Sonar at World Sailing
- http://www.ifdsworlds2015.com
