Sailship Sonabia 2

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updated 2024 10 04

Sturdy, simple, rustic: an austral expedition sailship without compromises.

 

Impact resistant hull (60mm thick),  lifting keel made of massive steel, lifting rudders. Sonabia 2 can be grounded without risk.

 

• • Dimension 15m x  4.55m
  • Draft 2.90m to 1.40m (keel up)
  • Weight: empty 11.6 tons, loaded 14.5 tons
  • Engine 85 HP
  • Sails area 110m2 to 16m2 (heavy weather)
  • Fuel tanks 1160L
  • Autonomy under engine: 1900 nautical miles
  • Water tanks 700L + water maker 60L/h.
  • Capacity: 10 persons
  • Safety devices: floating survival suits, life jackets, 2 life rafts, emergency beacon (EPIRB), satellite links (3 different), 3 fire extinguishers, fire blanket, CO detector, first aid kit + pharmacy box.

 

 

Content

Design – construction

• One-off design
• Architect David Reard
• Built in Socoa, Basque Country, France
• Construction 2013-2021
• Certified norm 2013/53 UE (Europe), division 245 (France)
• Navigation zone: no limit
  • Category of construction A
  • Category of safety devices 1

 

Hull

• • Multilayer material
    • Thickness 46mm (top) – 60mm (below water)
    • Internal: sandwich plywood epoxy-glass 14mm
    • Middle: PVC foam, compartmentalized and reinforced with fiberglass
    • External: epoxy glass, thickness 4mm (top) – 12mm (bottom)
  • Bow and aft protection:
    • Outside: crash boxes (foam)
    • Inside watertight bunkers
  • Impact tests IBT method,
    • 20kg weight falling from 3m, 3 impacts without perforation

Keel and rudders

• Keel
  • Massive steel covered with epoxy fiberglass
  • Weight 3.4 tons
  • Lifting mechanism: electric winch
  • Draft: 2.90m – 1.40m

 

• Rudders
  • Wood (laminated) covered with fiberglass
  • Thickness 75mm.
  • Hanging at the stern
  • Lifting in case of shock or grounding
  • 2 lateral rudders
  • 1 auxiliary central rudder (for port maneuvers, engine, floating ice..)

Sails and rigging

 

• • Nanni 85 HP
    • 4 cylinders, 3L
    • Turbo charged
  • Mechanical gearbox Kanzaki
  • Shaft: 40mm diameter, stainless steel AISI316.
  • Propeller: 3 fixed blades, bronze
  • Tanks:
    • Main 2 x 540 L
    • Buffer 80L (gravity feeding)
  • Fuel consumption: average: 2.9 L/ H at 5 knots
  • Autonomy with engine 1900nm
  • Double control panel, inside and outside

Mooring

• • Main anchor: Rocna 33 kg. + 100 m chain, 10mm high resistance (grade 40).
  • Emergency anchor: 20 kg + 40 m chain, 10mm high resistance
  • Mooring lines:  3 x 100 m
  • Tender:
    • Inflatable tender, capacity 4 persons
    • Outboard Yamaha 4HP
    • Spare tender, inflatable, 3 persons

Energy

• • Solar panels 4 x 50W
  • Wind generator 300W
  • Alternators 2 x  100A
  • Service battery bank: 560AH (8x70AH)
  • Engine battery: 110AH

• • 12V plugs lighter type in cabins
  • 220v available in main room

Lights

• • Multiple portlights in each room for natural light
  • Roof lamps and reading lamps equipped with LEDs

Water

• • Fresh water tanks:  2 x 350L.
  • Water maker
    • 60 L/h (40L/h in the Antarctic).
    • Emergency water maker 5 L/h
  • Pressurized sea water
  • NO pressurized hot water
    • Good ol’ way: use a kettle to make hot water.

Steering

• • Exterior + interior
    • Cockpit: tiller
    • Pilot house: joystick.
  • Autopilot Furuno
    • Electric drive Raymarine type 2
    • Double control (cockpit + pilot table)
    • Spare parts and equipment

Instruments

• • GPS Furuno.
    • 2 additional GPS (always connected)
    • 1 handheld GPS
  • Radar Garmin
  • AIS class B Camino 108
  • Sensors
    • Wind, speed, depth, air pressure…
  • Other instruments:
    • Barometer, clinometer, clock

Interior

Cabins and berths

• • 2 rear cabins with double bed
  • 2 front cabins with superposed berths
    • Convertible into 1 single cabin with double bed
  • 2 berths in the pilot house (for crews)
  • Total: 10 beds

Front cabin, rear cabin, pilot house

 

Dining room

• • Central table, bar-like around the keel
  • 10 seats, stool type.

Resting zone

• • 4 bean bags in the main room to rest and/or sleep

Kitchen

• • In the main room, along a narrow pathway (prevents falls)
  • 2 large sinks (30L)
  • Pressurized fresh water + sea water
  • Grey water tank: 80L
  • Gas stove with 2 burners
    • Additional removable stove (“plancha”)

Bathrooms (x 2)

• • Sea toilet Lavac
  • Large wash basin (30L)
  • Seat for shower
  • Fresh water with shower spray gun and hose
  • Pressurized sea water
  • Manual pumps for WC and shower waste water
  • Black water tank: 75L in each bathroom
  • Gray water tank: 40L in each bathroom

• • Panoramic visibility
  • Instruments on front panel and roof panel
  • 2 berths for the crews

 

Safety

• • Anti slippery cover (sand + epoxy resin).
  • High stanchions (minimum 80cm above deck)
  • 3 stanchion lines, dyneema polyester
  • Deck lifelines centered and elevated to tie oneself short
  • Deep cockpit, protected against waves
  • Dyneema polyester handles around the cockpit and the pilot house

• • Survival floating suits SOLAS
  • Lifejackets with tethers
  • Safety belts

Emergency

• • 2 life rafts (4 + 6 persons)
  • Emergency beacon (EPIRB) with GPS
  • 2 Iridium satellite phones + inreach + starlink
  • Fire: extinguishers 3 x  2kg, anti fire cover, CO detector.
  • First aid kit
  • Flooding: 2 electric bilge pumps + 1 manual  bilge pump

Posts on Sonabia 2

2024 04 23 - Sonabia 2 has a lifting keel
2023 06 20 - Sonabia 2 has 3 rudders
2023 05 22 - Impact tests on hull materials - results
2023 05 20 - Destroying hull materials for Sonabia 2 
2023 05 13 - Sonabia 2: sustainable fuel consumption 
2023 05 06 - Sonabia 2: minimalist interior 
2023 04 29 - Sonabia 2: ventilation everywhere 
2023 04 23 - Sonabia 2: why she is grey 

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