The Arrow 1500 Day Charter

Study Plans
Design Profile Arrow 1500 DC
Design Overview Arrow 1500 DC

LOA 15.00 Metres

BOA 8.00 Metres
DRAFT 0.500 Metres
Headroom (Throughout) Full Standing
MAST HEIGHT 19.00 Metres
SAIL AREA (Main+Headsail) 87+40 Sq Metres
PAYLOAD 2800 kg
DISPLACEMENT 8,500 kg
BRIDGEDECK CLEARANCE 0.800 Metres
PASSENGER CAPACITY 32 Guests
FUEL CAPACITY 350 Litres
WATER CAPACITY 500 Litres
MOTORS 2 x 20-40hp Diesels
SAILING SPEEDS 15—25 Knots +

Commercial designs are nothing out of the ordinary for the

Schionning Designs team, having completed a number of
custom design projects in survey including a number of
sailing catamarans, a 16 metre passenger ferry for throughout and comfortable boarding access via two skipper an uninterrupted view of the entire boat, including a
Vanuatu, and a number of smaller transfer vessels. The opening doors set into the transom sides. The bridgedeck glass panel in the cabin roof to keep an eye on the sails
demand is now increasing, in particular for a charter has been kept clear and open-plan for just this reason, with when underway. The track runs behind this with winches set
catamaran that can not only accommodate as many comfortable seating set around the perimeter, large opening strategically within arm’s reach and all ropes running neatly
guests as possible but also perform adequately when windows for ventilation and a 360 degree view. At the to the helm to avoid them becoming a hazard for guests.
under sail without having to motor-sail. This lead to the transom is a large turning circle allowing all passengers to
creation of the Arrow 1500 Day Charter (DC). have a chance to skipper the boat. A bar and serving Access below is via two sets of stairs from the bridgedeck,
counter is positioned in front of the centralised helm station, covered by a hinging seat bottom to maximise sitting space
The design was initially commissioned by a French family with a sink and an abundance of storage for glassware, and hatch doors allow or restrict guest access as
that runs charter tours on the west coast of France. One crockery, food and drinks. Alternatively this area can be necessary. The layout features four double sized cabins
major requirement is the ability to be wheelchair- used to house bar fridges or other desired appliances. The afore intended for use by the owners and crew, meaning the
accessible, with the bridgedeck floor kept at one level helm station itself is full-width and spacious, allowing the boat can be lived aboard while running charter operations.
Design Overview Arrow 1500 DC

forward cockpit is a real feature of this design, sunken

down to match the bridgedeck level, it can be accessed
from either inside the cabin or from the fore-deck.
Comfortable cushioned seating will keep guests relaxed as
they take in the fresh air and beautiful views, all while
safely out of the way of any sail controls or ropes. Large
opening panels blend the forward cockpit with the open
plan bridgedeck and provide much needed ventilation in
warmer climates.

The Arrow 1500 Day Charter joins our growing range of

In the port hull is the head complete with basin, separated commercial designs, including the Prowler 1040 Dive Cat,
from the shower beside it. Access to the forward cabin is the Euro 1460 bi-rig and the Prowler 1100 Water Taxi.
through the shower making it easy to divide this and keep
the area private from guests. The spacious cabins have
both a queen sized bunk and additional single bunk
situated forward giving the ability to comfortably sleep six
adults. Aft in the port hull is a workshop/storage area, or
this could be used as a private changing room for those
aboard.

Descending the steps into the starboard hull you will find a
large and practical galley with stove-top, oven, double
sink, dishwasher and a generous amount of bench space
for food preparation. The galley area runs all the way aft
giving enough space for two people to work comfortably,
and all available space has been utilised for storage.
Moving forward is the second queen cabin, again
separated with a door or privacy screen.

The Arrow 1500DC sports wide, flat side decks for access
to the spacious foredeck that is kept as clear and
uncluttered as possible to maximise the usable area. The
cabin roof has grab-rails running around the perimeter to
give guests a secure hand-hold when moving around the
boat and secure safety-railing runs down each hull to
avoid any guests disembarking unintentionally. The Arrow 1200
Design Layout Arrow 1500 DC
Design Layout (Cont) Arrow 1500 DC
Design Layout (Cont) Arrow 1500 DC
CAD Images Arrow 1500 DC
CAD Images (Cont…) Arrow 1500 DC
CAD Images (Cont…) Arrow 1500 DC
CAD Images (Cont…) Arrow 1500 DC
CAD Images (Cont…) Arrow 1500 DC
CAD Images (Cont…) Arrow 1500 DC
CAD Images (Cont…) Arrow 1500 DC
Material Overview Arrow 1500 DC

Our designs are based on cored composite construction a very light laminate. It will be very stiff and very resilient to
techniques using West System epoxy resin and knitted fatigue.
fabrics. But given the range of today's composite
technologies, which solution works best for catamarans and There are many boats sailing that are built from foam so even
why? with its poorer values it works well. Initially one would expect
this cat shell to be lighter as it is ½ the weight of Balsa. We do
Resin Choices have to compensate for its weaknesses and will then add at
We use West System epoxys for their high strength and least double the reinforcement on the outside to spread that
adhesive values. It also fully protects the boat against water compression load over more core and need a triaxial type
absorption and it can not develop the dreaded Osmosis. weave to compensate for the veneer content that runs fore and
We choose ATL Composite's resin systems for their superior aft on the Durakore. Secondly, we need to increase the Core
quality, reliability and value for money. Having worked thickness to compensate for the shear value, usually
closely with the ATL Composites team and their products for metre) in compression. Foam is stronger than honeycomb type neutralizing the weight advantage. Thirdly, foam absorbs a lot
many years, we know we can stand by their material cores, both the paper and the plastic. more resin into the open surface cells than timber and so
solutions, and rely on great service should something increases weight. Fourth, foam is an inert type material tending
unexpected happen. Balsa is also far better than foam or honeycomb in sheer. This to follow the surface and not naturally stay fair, fairing usually
is when the core sample is held flat between your hands, one uses more bog and again adds weight. Fifth, because of the
Cloths hand slid one way and the other slid the opposite way, when inert characteristics, foam requires a much more complex
We prefer Colan brand cloths for their quality and low resin the core tears through the middle the core has failed in sheer. control mould, this takes a lot more time and is slightly
absorption, custom made for Schionning Marine at six (6) The amount of stretch you feel before the core shears is shear expensive.
stitches per square inch for easy wet-out and rounding stiffness. To compensate for sheer weakness the core is made
corners. This may not seem important but when working with thicker. So 13mm Balsa may be equal in sheer to 19mm Foam. The end result using Foam in my experience is always a
a material for an extended period of time, the small things heavier shell with less stiffness. Professional builders can
make all the difference. Paper Honeycomb (50kg/cubic metre) is very efficient and achieve a good result but usually use vacuum bagging and
lighter than the other core choices. This can be used for very good molds to achieve this. The Wilderness 1230 has a
CORES - Which one to use? external use but needs extreme care to prevent water foam option. It weighs 200kg less than the Balsa version.
The core choice is usually quite confusing. Cores have penetration. Ideally it is used for all internal furniture and small-
different capabilities and properties, and their benefits I feel er bulkheads. Should water get into the core you lose 50% of Honeycomb needs to be much thicker and needs much
are utilized fully in our catamaran designs. A quick look at its values. It can be suction dried and restored back to full heavier laminates which makes it a silly choice for cat shells.
their abilities: strength, though this can be a long process. Paper Honeycomb (Nomex excluded)
has similar strength and sheer ability in the vein lines and
Balsa end grain (150 kg/cubic metre) has exceptional about 80% across the veins compared to Foam. Western Red Cedar has all the advantages of strip Durakore,
qualities including very high compression strength, but has a real weight penalty because of its higher core weight.
extremely good sheer capabilities and fantastic sheer Our hull skin thickness is quite thin, we therefore find the core
stiffness. Compressive strength is the resistance to col- works harder and it's stiffness is noticed in the finished These are the reasons we prefer Durakore and Duflex
lapsing when pressure is applied perpendicular to the sur- structure (sheer stiffness). Generally a balsa or WRC shell is Panels for our home built designs.
face as when pushing directly onto the material with the point noticeably stiffer than a foam boat using equivalent laminates.
of your finger. Balsa is far stronger than Foam (80kg/cubic Balsa has very good values and we can produce a shell using
Arrow Kit Overview Arrow 1500 DC

The Arrow 1500 is built using a Pre-Cut Duflex if you get stuck with anything or want to be sure.
Panel kit which can be supplied from Australia or
Germany. Shed size needs to be 2-3m wider than the boat, 4m
longer and ideally, the height should be 2.5m plus the
Duflex panels are 1200mm x 2400mm and come with boat height.
scarf joins on the long edges. The panels are made
with either foam or end grain balsa cores, and 1 x For more information on construction and
600gm Biaxial cloth with epoxy resin on each. After kits, see our web site
removing the peel ply and resin sealer coating has
www.schionningdesigns.com.au and look
been applied, you glue the scarfs together in the re-
quired order. When glued, you’ll see the full size boat for “Our Kits” tab.
parts are cut but left in place in the panels held by over bulkheads which are set in place on a strongback.
tags which when cut release all the parts which are The strongback material is not supplied in the kit. www.catbuildingblog.com is the site by
now ready for assembly. Christian Loehr showing his Arrow 1200
Once the hulls are joined and fully taped and any construction in Germany.
The two hulls are built separately and upside down additional glassing underwater is done, the hull
bottoms are faired and then turned. You then align and
level the hulls before fitting the major cross bulkheads,  
bridgedeck and forward beam, voilá a catamaran! Well “Our  kit  is  coming  along  very 
not quite but you’re well on your way. After this
furniture, cockpit and cabin continue the construction well  and  I'm  glad  to  say  we 
until the shell is complete. The cabin is also built with have all the port side bulkheads 
Duflex and is assembled separately over temporary
frames which are supplied in the kit, then fitted on the up and 5 side panels are all dry 
boat.
fi ed and will be glued in place 
Construction plans are detailed and we supply a build- in  the  next  few  days.  The  kit  is 
ing manual that although has been written around our
original Wilderness design kits, it has all the infor- fi ng together very well”. 
mation you need from basic how to use the materials,  
what tools you need to tips on fairing, fittings, doors,
D. Moore, Arrow 1200 (Malaysia) 
everything and with loads of photo’s too. As well as
this, we are available via email or skype/phone support
Arrow Kit Construction Arrow 1500 DC

Arrow 1200 Shown

A Note From The Designer Arrow 1500 DC

The success of our designs I feel, stems from the practical in our designs. We work with some of the best Aerospace SAILING ABILITY AND PERFORMANCE
common sense approach of a boat builder, coupled with engineers in the composite industries to achieve this.
many years of live aboard experience and over 100,000 Power to weight ratios show how well a cat will sail in light
nautical miles in some of the worst conditions in the world. Flat Decks The flatter deck lines have a number of conditions. As wind strength increases, one reefs the power
This experience makes one aware of the power of the sea advantages. Secure footing while reefing, anchoring and in to stay at safe acceptable speeds (this is different for
and the need for a boat to be able to survive these rough conditions. Life lines should be at a sensible different people).
conditions, protect her crew physically and psychologically protective height instead of set down a level. A flat deck is
as well as being a fast comfortable vehicle for all the good great for socializing, sunbathing or as a kids playground too. The Bruce Number is a commonly used value and very
times. I am sure you will find our designs reflect our sailing useful in comparing cats, displacement is not always relia-
and live-aboard experience and will give you the offshore Buoyancy Buoyancy distribution is the placement of ble and will vary with load. A Bruce Number = 1 is very slow,
confidence to sail safely anywhere in the world. Multihulls buoyancy in the hulls. Our designs have between 50 and 60 1.3 – 1.4 is a good cruising value, 1.5 – 1.9 reflects a very
are ‘beautiful, safe, cruising boats’. We hope you find them separate sealed buoyancy tanks built into every shell so fast cat. Boats like the French 60’ Tri’s and “Club Med” are
as exciting as we do. they are almost unsinkable. Most old designs hobbyhorse running to extremes like 2.3.
(rock fore and aft), this makes them uncomfortable and
inefficient. Modern designs have the buoyancy pushed A light and efficient cat can often sail out of trouble and
WHAT MAKES A GOOD MULTIHULL? towards the hull ends damping down the hobby-horsing outrun severe weather patterns, shorten passage times and
Choosing a design can be difficult so we hope that this tendencies and giving a lot more safety downwind where avoid bad weather by getting there in the existing weather
introduction helps clear the way a little. the buoyant hulls stop nose-diving. Coupled with a lot of window. Most good designs will tack through 90 degrees at
reserve buoyancy higher up in the forward hulls this adds an a speed of 8 – 10 knots while reaching at 10 - 13 knots
Cat design is not just a matter of two hulls floating a cabin enormous amount of safety and gives you confidence when comfortably with Main and No. 1 in 15 knots of wind.
above the water. Only in fairly recent years have the basic sailing off the wind.
elements of design and an understanding of their effect on Daggerboards are efficient and allow very shallow draft for
the use and performance of the finished boat been A soft ‘V’d entry, quickly picking up reserve buoyancy with beaching. With a strong reinforced bottom and with kick up
properly understood. lots of reserve higher up is an ideal combination. rudders, it’s easy to beach our cats. Should you want shal-
low keels to protect inboard motors, then a combination of
The basic principles of good design should ALL be Good Bridgedeck Clearance High Bridgedeck Clearance shallow keels and fixed rudders are a good option, dagger-
present in the boat you’re considering building or buying. is essential. A short cabin length with long hull overhangs is boards would still be fitted as usual.
These will blend together to produce an excellent and safe a good safety feature. Good clearance on a cruising cat is
multihull. 600mm – 800mm, a Performance cat 700mm – 900mm and Low Drag is a good characteristic. Slim hulls reduce drag
a Racing cat 800mm – 1000mm. Chamfer panels add high and are efficient. A good cruising cat would have a Waterline
THE BASICS ELEMENTS OF A GOOD DESIGN: reserve buoyancy and need less clearance than a similar beam to length ratio of 11.5 to 12.5:1. A performance cruis-
cat without them. They also reduce wave slamming and add ing cat 12.5 to 14:1 and a racing cat 14 to 20:1.
Good Engineering Our boats are well proven. With over strength.
400 Schionning cats on the water, and many performing It is important to note that ALL these elements must be
under extreme stress whilst racing, we proudly claim we present in a design to make any of them valid. For
have never had a structural engineering failure of any sort example, a design can be really good looking, have high
bridge-deck clearance,
A Note From The Designer Arrow 1500 DC

a powerful rig and sail plan and be built reasonably light CAN I AFFORD TO BUILD?
and show a fair displacement, but then have an 8:1 Beam One of the first steps in changing your dream into reality is
to Length ratio. She’ll be a good looking, powerful boat but figuring out whether you can afford the boat (or more likely,
it will be impossible to go forward, except slowly! how much money you ‘don’t’ have!). Two realities here are,
firstly, two similar sized boats with similar displacement, built
There is no reason why a good modern design does not of similar materials, will cost much the same to build. De-
have all of these features. If you find some of these lacking signers’ estimates of materials are often inaccurate and
it is usually for the wrong reasons. A lot of cats have very sometimes minimized to lead one to believe their design will
little bridge-deck clearance because the designer is con- be cheaper to build. This is definitely not the case, similar
centrating on a low profile cat which looks good or being boat, similar price! Your choice should therefore be to-
dictated by interior accommodation and ignoring the fact wards the boat that suits you best and is a good investment.
that the boat will pound badly at sea. This is not only noisy Secondly, we know a lot of people who could not afford their
and uncomfortable but can well be the cause of structural boat at the onset so don’t be discouraged. Once you start
problems. Our designs have been developed around these building it is surprising how you focus your interest, spare
practical elements of good design and then we time and money into your new project. With our new owner-
accommodate personal comforts and lifestyle choices. builders we suggest they start with the smaller items which
can be built in the garage, carport, (lounge?) etc. These
WHICH DESIGN... initial items use very little material and money but use a lot
We have many different design ranges. All incorporate the of time, so at the early stages you can get a lot done while
elements of good design discussed above so choosing a you wait for your old boat or car or house etc. to sell. These
style, size and layout comes next. Layouts and some items are; dagger-boards and cases, motor pod, forward
things like steering position can often easily be changed beam and catwalk, cabin roof, rudders, dinghy etc. The ex-
so don’t be put off if you really like a particular design but perience and confidence gained building these bits speeds
find a few small elements you don’t like, talk to us and we’ll up the second stage of larger items and gets the whole pro-
see if we can incorporate your choices. ject finished much sooner.

We’ve taken particular care with the balance of

construction methods in our designs, making them light Good luck with your research and project, don’t hesitate
and strong yet easy to build in small sections, most of
which are manageable by a group of friends when they to contact us should you need further information or a
need turning over and moving. The blend of strip planking chat about our designs.
and light flat panels kept in single plane form, makes
building easy and quick and produces a finished cat-
amaran of classic good looks which will not date quickly,
giving you very good investment security. Jeff Schionning
Wilderness 1340X
Plans and Ordering Arrow 1500 DC

PAYMENT: WE ACCEPT: Bank cheques or direct deposit

into our bank account. Please email
[email protected] for our account details.
Credit cards are not accepted for plan purchases.

PLAN DELIVERY: Plans are delivered electronically via a

private and secure download link. The plans consist of A1
and A3 plan sheets and the A4 boat building manual, all in
PDF format. Other delivery options can be arranged if
required.

Building a boat is definitely a challenge but with good plans,

our helpful friendly support and the modern materials
available, it's never been easier. The investment of time and
Advice is readily available to help with your design choice money is very worthwhile, offering a rich life experience, fun
and various options available. reward when you launch her and financially you can
certainly stand to gain substantially.

COST OF PLANS: We look forward to hearing from you again and wish
The Arrow 1500DC plan price is AUD$21,000.00. The PDF you the very best with your project.
plans are delivered via a secure private download link.

UNLIMITED BACK UP SERVICE: Our back-up service is

unlimited, our professional boat builder (Jeff Schionning)
will be here to guide you through any problems throughout
your entire project. Email and phone support is available
during business hours Monday to Friday. [email protected]
+61 0431 523 955
HOW TO ORDER PLANS: We require a signed and
faxed or mailed PLAN ORDER FORM with every plan PO Box 55
order. This form explains the terms and conditions and Tea Gardens, NSW
plans will not be mailed until a signed order form is
received.
2324 - AUSTRALIA