A Catamaran Dream Takes Shape in Port Denison
Naval architect Felix Spencer and his partner Onika, a marine electronics technician, are building a Schionning Arrow 1360—a 45-foot sailing catamaran—in Port Denison, Western Australia. Construction began in mid-2025, with an estimated completion time of three to five years.
The vessel is intended for cruising to the Great Barrier Reef and South Pacific. The couple selected the Schionning platform for its performance and the use of ATL Composites' DuFLEX panel system, described as cost-effective and easy to use.
The DuFLEX system is reported to have allowed quick assembly: the hull jig was built in two days, and hull panels were fitted, glassed, and ready for fairing in two weeks. Construction steps included joining 194 panels, cutting full-size components, building the cabin top, reinforcing bulkheads, building the forebeam, and applying primer to the hulls.
The build uses ATL-formulated epoxy systems including WEST SYSTEM and KINETIX products for bonding, filleting, fairing, laminating, and taping. Felix noted that the process is similar to working with an aluminium flatpack, and that the MDF build jigs were helpful.
"The process is similar to working with an aluminium flatpack."
The intended launch date is around 2030, subject to other life factors.