Phil Curran

Phil Curran is a Western Australian naval architect. He was born in 1946 in Albany where his family operated commercial fishing trawlers. Curran became an electrician and was involved in ocean racing out of Fremantle.

He began designing boats with a commission for a 15 metre long steel cruising yacht for colleague’s friend. In 1978 he designed a production powerboat the Deepwater 28, followed by a series of gamefishing cruisers for WA builder Precision Marine. In 1986 and 1988 two of his designs for Precision Marine were named ‘Australian Powerboat of the Year’ by the leading Australian magazine Modern Boating.

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Curran developed a strong international reputation through his collaboration with Australian designer Jon Bannenerg and Oceanfast Marine. Curran provided the hull design while Bannenberg created the styling and interior. Their first joint design NEVER SAY NEVER (1985) was considered the world’s first high-speed luxury motoryacht and the forerunner of the many superyachts that have become a major industry worldwide

Curran’s naval architecture firm was Curran Design Marine Consultants and they continued through the 1990s and 2000s developing designs for high speed luxury craft and commercial craft that have been built and operated throughout the world..

They also created Computer Design Marine which developed a range of aluminium powerboat designs for professional and amateur builders, available as precision cut kits, ready for assembly.

Amongst a number of sailing yacht designs was the 13.5 metre long ocean racing yacht CHALLENGER in 1979. Renamed PARRY ENDEAVOUR it was used by Jon Sanders for his record breaking triple circumnavigation in 1986-1988.

Phil Curran Design has received a number of awards including the Prince Phillip- Duke of Edinburgh Design Award, four Australian design Awards, and Showboat International's Most Innovative Naval Architecture Award.