Chris Fritot
Hi I am new to Sonata sailing and the Sonata Association, I have “Rondo” hull No 121 which is based in Jersey, I am slowly getting her back up to scratch and would be very interested if anyone could give me information with regards to the original spinnaker chute system, any information, good or bad, plans and/or photo’s would be very much appreciated as I would like to get her back as far as possible to her original specification.Looking forward to your comments/helpChris Fritot
peterbooth
Hi Chris,
Sorry about my previous attempt to answer I got called away. The spinnaker chute originally supplied with the Sonata was found to be not very efficient but more importantly there were a number of cases of a very considerable amount of water getting down the hole and into the cabin and whilst I am not aware of any sinkings as a result of it some came very close. I know that some insurance companies have insisted in the hole being glassed over. I hope this helps.
Peter Booth
Chris Fritot
Hi Chris,Sorry about my previous attempt to answer I got called away. The spinnaker chute originally supplied with the Sonata was found to be not very efficient but more importantly there were a number of cases of a very considerable amount of water getting down the hole and into the cabin and whilst I am not aware of any sinkings as a result of it some came very close. I know that some insurance companies have insisted in the hole being glassed over. I hope this helps.Peter Booth
Hi PeterThanks for your reply, “glassing over” maybe what I will end up doing, I just dont see such a brilliant yacht designer getting something like that wrong.I would still be intertested in finding out his original design’s if anyone can help.Best regardsChris
Tom White
Hi Peter,
The original concept was to have a chute which ran through the cabin. The end was attached to a strap eye or similar on the inner face of the port hand side of the companion way. The Chute then ran fwd. and had a removable webbing strop suspended as it passed through the main bulkhead into the forepeak. this stoped it sagging too much as it passed throught the cabin. Stiched into the chute was a large rubber ring (the sort that you see dog lovers throwing round parks at their best friends) This sat on the fwd face of the bow well and was held in place by the other end of the chute being tightened. The Spinnakers had a central retreiving point to which a retreiving line was attached. Crew could pull the kite back into it’s chute from the cockpit. Halyard, Sheets and Guys ran up and out of the bow well & then through the hoop on the pullpit and off to their normal positions from there.
The concept was an ok one but in practice the whole thing was not very good. There was loads of friction in the system and it had the risk factor of letting in gallons of water in the right conditions as has been described before.
My advice is not to bother restoring that bit. If your insurers do not insist in the hole being glassed over I suggest a twist type plastic inspection hatch cover be used. This can be taken out when not sailing to aid ventilation.
Yours aye
TOM WHITE
Pizzicato
Hamble
Chris Fritot
Hi Peter,The original concept was to have a chute which ran through the cabin. The end was attached to a strap eye or similar on the inner face of the port hand side of the companion way. The Chute then ran fwd. and had a removable webbing strop suspended as it passed through the main bulkhead into the forepeak. this stoped it sagging too much as it passed throught the cabin. Stiched into the chute was a large rubber ring (the sort that you see dog lovers throwing round parks at their best friends) This sat on the fwd face of the bow well and was held in place by the other end of the chute being tightened. The Spinnakers had a central retreiving point to which a retreiving line was attached. Crew could pull the kite back into it’s chute from the cockpit. Halyard, Sheets and Guys ran up and out of the bow well & then through the hoop on the pullpit and off to their normal positions from there.
The concept was an ok one but in practice the whole thing was not very good. There was loads of friction in the system and it had the risk factor of letting in gallons of water in the right conditions as has been described before.
My advice is not to bother restoring that bit. If your insurers do not insist in the hole being glassed over I suggest a twist type plastic inspection hatch cover be used. This can be taken out when not sailing to aid ventilation.
Yours aye
TOM WHITE
Pizzicato
Hamble
Chris Fritot
Hi Tom
Many thanks for all that background information, I think I am slowly getting the message!!
Best regards
Chris
peterbooth