Extracts from McConaghy's website:
McConaghy boats was founded by John McConaghy in 1967, building 12, 16, and 18 foot skiffs, Tornado and A - class catamarans, Moths and other high performance dinghies. Early boats were built of plywood, but shortly after McConaghy began engineering and perfecting the vacuum formed foam sandwich, fibreglass/ Kevlar construction method, which proved an immediate success.
As the companies reputation grew, so did McConaghy's research and development into pre-preg composite construction techniques earning them a reputation as best in the business making the McConaghy name synonymous with light, strong and stiff laminated structures. McConaghy's inevitable expansion led the move to its current site in Mona Vale in Sydney in 1989, enabling the production of very competitive large yachts, masts, steering systems and foils for yachts in the very competitive America's Cup, Kenwood Cup, Maxi Worlds, Admirals cup, Whitbread /Volvo and around the world record breaking Multihull races.
In the year 2000, Jon Morris and Mark Evans embraced the opportunity to take over the company from founder John McConaghy and long time business partner Steve (Moxy) Moxham. Since that time the company has continued to pursue a very conservative financial strategy while also diversifying to extend its revenue base, a strategy that has seen it triple in size in the past decade. Armed with a detailed understanding of composite construction, McConaghy now develop and supply light weight composite solutions to not only the Marine Industry but to the Architectural, Medical and Automotive industries as well.
Mark Evans
Evidence of Mark Evans’ business acumen and instinct for enterprise emerged early and it was no accident it all revolved around his passion for boats. As a teenager growing on Pittwater in Sydney, he raced dinghies and ran a successful sideline business building, buying and repairing then selling boats.
He formalised his qualifications completing his boat building apprenticeship before travelling overseas in 1991 to expand his experience, working his way around several countries and international boat yards.
Back on Sydney’s Northern Beaches with international boat building experience in hand he then joined McConaghy as a shipwright in the mid- 1990s, progressing to foreman and head foreman a relatively short time later. In that capacity he worked closely with now-partner John (Jono) Morris on the Farr 40 production project, a close collaboration that was further strengthened when they bought the company in 2000.
Since then, the pair have capitalised on their complementary skills to manage the construction of some of the most successful builders of maxi yachts anywhere in the world. Since 2006 Mark Evans has been based principally in China and instrumental in the training and skills transfer processes that have underpinned the company’s successful expansion offshore. His direct involvement, along with other key Australian personnel, has ensured that the usual standard of quality control and attention to detail that is synonymous with the McConaghy name has been maintained. While running the Chinese operation Evans has overseen the production of more than 200 foiling moths including the Mach2, the worlds fastest moth, more than 100 production racing yachts and nine one-off racing yachts, including Americas Cup and Volvo 70 contenders.
Take a look at the McConaghy website - Click HERE
