The Schionning Muster is an event sponsored by and for the promotion of Schionning Designs and Schionning Marine but is more than that. The craft entered in the races are of any style, in fact the Schionning’s themselves have run in the event in their Crowther designed trimaran, “Areo”. This is an opportunity for someone considering a Schionning boat or any multihull craft at all, an opportunity to take a ride on someone’s personal craft and then decide, is this type of craft right for me? If so what particular design, size, etc. In my experience in being a nosy journo, I think that many people that are curious or interested in sailing in general and multihulls in particular, may dither into inaction because of a lack of enough information to make them confident with making such an important, costly move. For the people clever enough to discover the Muster their questions can be answered and their decisions made with hands on confidence, generally in favour of getting a boat and go. Do these clever people commit to a Schionning boat? Perhaps, but there are no rules and other makes of boat are there to observe and sail on.

Only an industry leader could afford to sponsor an event this generous in scope. Schionning have every right to assume that if people are investing in multihulls, their designs will sell well. Conversely, anyone considering getting into multihulls, that hasn’t looked carefully at Schionning, just haven't done their homework.

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 Friday was show day. I started out late just to be rebellious, after all this was my holiday. First stop was at the Lemon Tree Passage Marina where several of the boats were on display and available for inspection. These are not 'show boats' but family cruisers and liveaboards. But all the better for it as you can see real life use. “La Tigre” was up front and impressive. She is a big boat at 15 metre, but very cruisy and comfortable looking. The rig however, gives a hint as to the performance potential. That double diamond tapered mast seems to reach to the stratosphere and the gear on the bow, including a very substantial prodder indicates plenty of horsepower in the rig. “Christmas Beetle” (what's this Grainger doing here?) showed the classic and often plagiarised Grainger lines of 20 years gone. Still very attractive but with her keels and heavier construction (I assumed strip plank cedar and epoxy), surely no match for more modern materials and boards. I was proved to be wrong in that assessment.

“Wasabi” was also parked for perving and though she is a smaller vessel then much of the fleet I knew from recollection of last years event that she was capable of (to use the cliche) punching above her weight. It was fun looking through the craft and sizing up the odds as I figured them and since I consider myself a real smart arse I am proud to report I was only wrong most of the time! It could have been all the time!

The offices/chandellery of Schionning Marine was turned into an impromptu trade show with a sampling of the better names of gear on display and reps handy to tell all and write orders. Winches, navigation, paints, rafts, ets and etc…. but what I showed up for was Brett's boat building demo. Under a canopy out back, Brett had a composite crossbeam under construction to explain the techniques involved. Brett is no professional lecturer (sorry dude!) but it didn’t matter because it was just as obvious he knew how to work the materials and in the first few minutes I learned tips in fairing and general construction that I won't forget. I wasn't the only one. This was no bored gathering of time killers. I think even those who had no intention of hands on building wanted to know how the process went and how these craft were put together.

Saturday morning came in grey and cool. Today there are two races scheduled. The party barge is on duty to ferry all the crews and tag-a-longs. People have been assigned to the various craft. Some to participate in string pulling and some just to experience what a cat like these can do. My main mission is to shoot photos so I pick a ride on one of the Prowlers. These fantastic motor cats are the perfect platform for the job, fast and stable. The skipper was Andrew, I asked, your boat? Nah, he answered, I’m just the peasant who builds them! Well I guess that qualifies him to drive her. The fleet was gathering up by the start line in light conditions and at the signal the best positioned boats are off with a line of traffic following. Mango, the Oram 38, gets caught in the wrong place and wrong time, behind the fleet and in a hole to sit and wait for wind.

Due to insurance companies tightened requirements, there is not to be any spinnakers today, screechers only but when it comes to the downhill leg the little Crowther Shockwave “Gotcha Again” unfurls a big colourful thing that seems to get the prize for the most voluminous headsail in the fleet. More like a furling MPS.

Despite the apparently serious racing going on the passengers are worked around patiently. Besides the usual chaos of tacking and feeding sheets and sails through inner forestays and the like, it all goes pretty smooth until.... the last tack. “Power Zone” got caught in irons and had to regroup... Once, twice and then finally through the eye. There went that lead.

Lunch at the sailing club! And what a funky friendly place the sailing club is. Hot dogs, pies or whatever, and beers... of course.

Next race Mango has her act together and makes a better start. “Christmas Beetle” is running faster than I thought and the usual offenders of “La Tigre” and “Ocean Blue”, “Wasabi” and “Power Zone” are all mixing it up. The little Simpson, “Osy-Rivm” is not embarrassing herself and the Crowther Spindrift “Blondie IX” is looking very sharp, perhaps the nicest looking craft of her style I’ve ever seen. Conditions are light and a premium is placed on crew agility as sheets are sometimes hand held outboard to try for anything at all for breeze. That and luck seem to determine placings until someone makes a mistake anyway... And this time it was “La Tigre’s” turn. Light air and a little too close to the bouy leaves her in need of a 360 around the bouy again to compensate for running the poor little orange ball over!

Ah but that's racing! Or just cruising..racing can imply effort at the expense of fun but none of that in evidence today. I’ve always said that cruising sailors never race... unless there is another boat in sight! In that sense there was serious action out there but in a stricter sense, it was just a bunch of cruising sailors having a great time. ... as quickly as possible!

That evening tea was at the sailing club. The marquee was full and spirits high.. (Emphasis on spirits and high!) Contributions from various sponsors were handed out (lots of em too!) TCP added our own contro, a disc of the entire photo shoot for every boat, as has come to be customary for an event covered by TCP, and a copy of the new Alan Lucas book “Off Watch”.

The next day we had to shoot through before the final race, the leash was getting short. Duty called and the drive was ahead of us but first this one stop at the town of Nabiac NSW, location of the National Motorcycle Museum, WOW!