Hunter Sonata 22

Description

The Hunter Sonata 22 is a British one-design racer/cruiser designed by David Thomas and built by Hunter Boats (UK) from 1977 to 1990, with over 400 hulls produced. At 22 feet 6 inches LOA with a narrow 8-foot beam and a very light displacement of just 2,250 lbs (1,000 lbs in a fin keel drawing 4 feet 5 inches), it was conceived as an affordable, high-performance quarter-tonner for the burgeoning IOR Level Rating scene in the late 1970s. The fractional sloop rig carries a compact but efficient 215 sq ft upwind (fully battened main + 100–110% blade jib) and a large symmetrical spinnaker on a short pole, giving it sparkling acceleration and excellent heavy-air stability for its size. Below decks it is decidedly minimalist—two settee berths, two short quarter berths, a small forepeak, and a portable head—prioritizing speed and low rating over comfort. Fast, twitchy, and demanding in a breeze yet surprisingly well-mannered when sailed conservatively, the Sonata quickly became one of the most successful British one-design classes of the 1980s, with large active fleets in the Solent, Clyde, and Ireland. Though production ended decades ago, the UK class association remains strong, national championships are fiercely contested every year, and the Sonata is still regarded as one of the best-value, pure-sailing 22-foot keelboats ever built. (Note: this is the original British boat; it is completely unrelated to any American Hunter Marine 22-foot models despite the shared brand name before Hunter Boats was sold in the 1990s.)