Although every Shannon appeals to traditionalists from the waterline up, the timeless classic look is complimented by a yacht designed and built with the latest technology and material. As an example, Shannon has been using isophthalic gel coat since 1978, long before the "blistering" problems of production boats became public. Shannon pioneered composite core linear foam and biaxial laminate construction in 1981 to increase strength while reducing weight. Solid stainless steel rod rigging replaced conventional wire in 1979 to avoid swedge failures. Shannon removed all balsa wood coring on decks in 1984 and replaced balsa with closed-cell cross linked PVC foam to prevent delamination and rot from potential water migration. In 1986 Shannon began to use vinylester resin and epoxy undercoating for additional hull protection. Since 1993, Shannon hulls have been reinforced with Kevlar hybrid laminates in areas subject to excessive impact in grounding situations. The innovative Shannon Scutter and Sketch rigs were developed in 1994 to improve performance while reducing the work load. These examples are just a few of the real and concrete reasons why marine surveyors, other boat builders, and marine industry experts consider Shannon the benchmark for innovative quality construction.