Bill's Log: Hunter Sonata

November 2014

November 2011

I note that the same Sonata that was featured in Part 1* is still at Rice and Cole. One thing of which I was unaware is that David Thomas who designed her, deliberately shaped her aft sections to bring the transom just above the waterline to prevent her from planing. As she was meant to be used for racing and cruising, he did not want, in his own words, “to frighten family crews and granny.” His emphasis was on windward performance, not downwind sailing; hence she is not as stable and predictable before the wind as a boat with a planing hull, i.e., one having a flat and beamy transom, the lower edge of which is at or close to the water's surface.

For more information and photos see my first article.*

Statistics
LOA	6.9m	22' 7"
LWL	5.6m	18' 5"
Beam	2.6m	8' 6"
Draught	1.4m	4' 6"
Displacement	1115kg	2460lbs
Sail Area	19.2sq.m	207sq.ft
Designer		David Thomas
Builder		Hunter Boats