Hello and thank you for showing interest in our multihull designs.
Firstly we would like to introduce our team whose valued contributions all combine to bring you designs and plans that we are very proud of.
PICTURED IN PHOTO FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Maurice Harland, Rob Shenn, Chris Turner, Laurel Turner, Kerrie Hall, Craig Schionning, Nathan Van Kerckhof.
Jeff and Lorraine Schionning:
Founded the company in 1987 and went on to build a very strong design company with a highly regarded reputation. Jeff is no longer involved in the company on a day to day basis. He still consults with the other designers and contributes design on a casual basis whilst dabbling with more 'hands on' type of things like building his own boats and cruising now and then.
Lorraine handles our marketing and web site and you'll most likely hear from her first if you email us.
Craig Schionning: Jeff's son shares a passion for design and Multihull's and is our General Manager and Senior Designer. You'll talk to Craig for back-up too.
Chris Turner: A wonderful CAD artist who also contributes design, our plans are a credit to Chris who also enjoys sailing.
Nathan Van Kerckhof: Is our trainee CAD darftsman working with Chris. Nathan is a very good 'Taipan' cat sailor whose learning about bigger boats since he's been racing our own boat the "Spudgun".
Laurel Turner: Office assistant and general helper to everyone. Laurel is our organiser, she knows where everything is and makes sure your plans and study plans get to you in good time.
Kerrie Hall: Our bookkeeper who has a great sense of humour and knows little about boats. Luckily she knows lots about accounts!
Rob Shenn: General Office Manager and partner is Schionning Supplies. Rob is on the phone a lot and will likely talk to you about designs. Rob knows lots about everything and especially about products, materials and the best price you'll find anywhere. Before you buy a thing for your boat, talk to Rob.
Maurice Harland: Talk to Maurice about shipping quotes and kit packages and prices or anything else you need for your project. Maurice also sails a Taipan and our 'Spudgun' racing cat.
Following is a bit of background on the Schionning family and how they came to design boats - written by Jeff.
I was born in South Africa in 1946. My father was from an engineering background and had a very competitive spirit. He raced motorcycles, power boats and finally designed and built racing dinghies which he and I both sailed competitively. So I grew up in a boat building environment from an early age and enjoyed working with boat design and building with my dad.
From school I trained as a land surveyor and enjoyed the combination of outdoor work, complex mathematics and high accuracy levels, whilst continuing to design, build and race yachts in my spare time. I was drawn back to serious boat building and started a yard (Lucky Bean Boat Yard - Knysna, S.Africa) specialising in cold moulded and composite yachts, building a number of boats between 20' - 45' feet. Having built some smaller cats and finding the concepts very exciting I bought and rebuilt an old 34' trimaran, adding new styling and engineering. I lived aboard her and sailed many thousands of miles up and down the South African coast and the Cape of Good Hope.
I specialised in multihull deliveries and repairs and looking to follow this interest and seek a more peaceful ocean and country, I emigrated to Australia in 1986 with my two sons Craig and Brett. Here I met my wife Lorraine who personally has made many ocean crossings and has years of live aboard experience. She adds that feminine touch often left out in yacht design. She also handles the business administrative and marketing side of things.
My sons Craig and Brett both completed their boatbuilding apprenticeships with me between 1988 and 1993. Together we built a lot of multihulls. We started off building a number of Aussie multihull designs, then designed and built my own, which led to the development of the design range you are now looking at.
I decided to specialise in design only so in 1994 I stopped building boats and both Craig and Brett continued building our multihull designs in Australia. Craig joined our design office in 2001 and is now general manager and designing more than me. Brett is still building our boats and travelling the world consulting and helping builders to get going.
The success of our designs I feel, stems from the practical commonsense approach of a boat builder, coupled with many years of live aboard experience and 50 - 60,000 sea miles in some of the worst conditions in the world. This experience makes you aware of the power of the sea and the need for a boat to be able to survive these conditions, protect her crew physically and psychologically as well as being a fast comfortable vehicle for all the good times.
I am sure you will find our designs reflect our sailing, building and live-aboard experience and will give you the offshore confidence to sail safely anywhere in the world. Multihulls are beautiful, safe, cruising boats. I hope you find them as exciting as we do.
Jeff Schionning.