Around 1980, designer Bruce Kirby laid down the plans for an agile yet stable club racer known as the Sonar. This 23-foot day racer has a beautifully contoured spacious cockpit, sit-in safety and inherent stability and became popular many learn to sail and learn to race schools.

Early in the 1990’s members of the Nyack Boat Club formed Sonar Fleet 23 and a few years later announced plans for its first Sonar Class Tappan Zee Challenge Regatta. The event proved popular with local racers and enjoys a fine reputation for good racing and the hospitality extended by the host club. Racers routinely travel from New England as well as from all over the metropolitan area to participate. Included in those loyal participants were a dedicated group of sailors with disabilities. For you see, the Sonar was adopted years ago by the world's disabled sailors as their premier boat for national, world and Paralympic racing.