Hunter Sonata

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The Hunter Sonata 7 is a 7 m (23 ft) small racer-cruiser yacht built in Britain from 1976 to 1990 by Hunter Boats Limited (now British Hunter). The twin-keeled version is known as the Hunter Duette.

The Sonata was designed by David Thomas, and is a One-Design, Cruiser-Racer Class. It has a glass-fibre hull, with a low-profile glass-fibre deck, a Bermuda rigged aluminium mast, and an iron keel (or keels). It has a relatively large sail area and the rig is a fractional one. When fitted for cruising it has four berths, with two further occasional bunks. Mechanical power is provided by a demountable outboard motor mounted on a sliding bracket on the port side of the transom.

The Sonata was built in several forms, with a fin keel, a lifting keel, and as a bilge keeler (with twin keels), when it was called the Hunter Duette. The Duette was fitted out for cruising rather than racing. The Duette was also available with a lifting keel. The same hull was used later with different deck mouldings for other models, including the Hunter Horizon 23. The 6 m (20 ft) Hunter Medina is a scaled-down trailer sailer version of the Sonata design.

Key dimensions[edit]

  • Length (LOA): 6.90 m
  • Length on waterline: 5.60 m
  • Beam: 2.60 m
  • Sail area: 19.5 m²
  • Draught: 1.37m (fin keel)
  • Weight: 1115 kg

Racing[edit]

The Sonata is a National class in the United Kingdom and is raced across the country. The class is governed by the National Sonata Association in conjunction with the Royal Yachting Association.

Fleets[edit]

There are at least 17 fleets in the world, 15 of which are in the United Kingdom[1]

  • Abersoch
  • Brixham
  • Burnham-on-Crouch
  • Christchurch Sailing Club
  • Loch Lomond Sailing Club
  • Clyde
  • Cowes
  • Dublin
  • Hong Kong
  • Isle of Man
  • Itchenor
  • Medway
  • Moray Firth
  • Poole
  • Scarborough
  • South Coast (Hamble & Solent)
  • Strangford Lough Yacht Club
  • Sunderland
  • Tay
  • West Mersea
  • Windermere
  • Whitby

UK National Champions[edit]

Year Championship Location Owner Boat
1999 Dabchicks S.C, West Mersea Steve Goacher Eric the Boat
2000 Strangford Lough Y.C, Killinchy Steve Goacher Eric the Boat
2001 Medway Y.C, Rochester Steve Goacher Eric the Boat
2002 Royal Tay Y.C, Dundee Steve Goacher Eric the Boat
2003 Royal Southern Yacht Club, Solent Tom White Pizzicato
2004 Strangford Lough Y.C., Killinchy Steve Goacher Eric the Boat
2005 Abersoch, Wales Steve Goacher Eric the Boat
2006 Dabchicks S.C., West Mersea Steve Goacher Eric the Boat
2007 Sunderland Y.C. Steve Goacher Eric the Boat
2008 Strangford Lough Y.C., Killinchy Dave Boatman Blue Tack
2009 Poole Y.C., Poole Dave Boatman Blue Tack
2010 Helensburgh, Clyde Steve Goacher Eric the Boat
2011 Dabchicks S.C., West Mersea Simon Farren & Marc Purdie Camel Toe
2012 Medway Y.C., Rochester Joe Cross Presto
2013 Strangford Lough Y.C., Killinchy Andy Tunnicliffe Eric the Boat
2014 Brixham Y.C., Brixham Steve Goacher Eric the Boat
2015 Helensburgh, Clyde Steve Goacher Eric the Boat
2016 Poole Y.C., Poole Steve Goacher Eric the Boat
2017 Strangford Lough Y.C, Co. Down Steve Goacher Eric the Boat
2018 Medway Y.C., Rochester Joe Cross Exposition
2019 Helensborough S.C, Clyde Steve Goacher Eric the Boat
2020 COVID19 NOT HELD
2021 Island S.C, Cowes Max Richardson Little Scarlet
2022 Colne Y.C, Brightlingsea Jonny Hewat/Lucian Stone White Noise
2023 Parkstone Y.C, Poole Tony Woods Frankie The Rhino
2024 Medway Y.C, Rochester
2025 Castle Cove S.C, Weymouth

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Sonata Fleets | Sonata Sailing".

External links[edit]