LEARN YACHT DESIGN
Westlawn's mission.
The Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology operates around one central goal:
Enabling our students and alumni to achieve their dreams of becoming successful yacht designers.
Westlawn Opens Doors
Over the years, Westlawn has produced more practicing small-craft designers than any other institution in the world.
Westlawn graduates have established careers throughout the marine industry, with leading builders and design firms. Many have launched their own independent design firms.
The Westlawn Diploma in Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering, and Yacht Design demonstrates the graduate’s mastery of concept and design skills. Equally important to prospective clients and employers, it offers proof of superior self-discipline and dedication, for a powerful competitive advantage in the global marine industry.
Many Westlawn graduates report that their portfolios of design projects from the Westlawn course have been a primary factor in securing employment with leading boatbuilders and design firms. Employers add that Westlawn students’ learning is practical, relevant and up-to-date, allowing them to begin contributing immediately as productive team members.
Many Westlawn students have completed their studies after being hired as designers in many industries.
Who Should Consider Westlawn
Recent high school graduates choose Westlawn as the next step in their education, leading directly to a yacht and boat design career.
College and university students earning degrees in naval architecture and marine engineering find that Westlawn provides skills in boat design not covered in university courses, as well as training in conceptualization and aesthetics.
Many Westlawn students have already established careers in other disciplines, and seek to change their professional direction. Others, already working as designers in the marine industry, select Westlawn as a path to professional development and career enhancement.
So if you have an interest in boats and a desire to flex your creative muscle in marine design, the Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology is for you.
A Westlawn Education Is Effective, Convenient, And Affordable
To help you achieve your professional dreams, we’ve made it easier than ever to complete your Westlawn education.
Your monthly student fee covers your student membership in the two professional organizations that will be very important to your career as a yacht designer: RINA, the Royal Institution of Naval Architects, and SNAME, the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers. These two organizations provide you with periodicals and access to an enormous library of valuable reference materials.
Because tuition and enrollment fees include all text materials, software tools, assignment review and evaluation, testing, grading and consultation with faculty, the cost of a Westlawn education represents a superior value.
Practical, Project Based Learning
Our courses are online, and have always been based on “Project Based Learning” which is widely recognized as the most effective way to learn: As a Westlawn student you will learn knowledge and skills, and immediately apply your skills on practical yacht designs.
Project Based Learning enables you to internalize and retain the knowledge and skills, as you use the tools and processes used in professional yacht design firms.
Select Westlawn students also have the opportunity to collaborate on Superyacht designs at Art Center College of Design, in Pasadena California.
By the time you graduate, your portfolio of professional quality design work will include nine designs of yachts engineered in aluminum, fiberglass, and wood, both sail and power.
This realistic and practical education means you will have the confident ability to design yachts for clients upon graduation.
The Yacht Design and Naval Architecture Course
A comprehensive four-module professional education, the Westlawn Yacht Design & Naval Architecture course enables you to master the principles of yacht design using industry standard tools, including Rhino3d and AutoCAD.
During this course, you will prepare plans, computations, specifications and all the details for nine different boat designs. You will design both powerboats and sailboats. You will follow the practices of successful yacht design firms.
Your nine different designs will be critiqued by the Westlawn faculty of professional yacht designers, and will provide you with a portfolio of your own designs to help you start your career.
Module 1: Principles of Yacht Design
Introduction to design process; Fundamentals of statics and dynamics and their influence on design.
Module 2: Aesthetics and Layouts
Elements of exterior and interior design of powerboats, monohull sailboats and multihulls, using Rhino and Autodesk tools such as AutoCAD.
Module 3: Construction Methods
A detailed study of manufacturing technologies, materials and processes for wood, fiberglass and aluminum production.
Module 4: Systems and Equipment
Design considerations and issues relating to engine installations, propulsion, electrical, navigation, plumbing, fuel and environmental systems.
When you satisfactorily complete all four modules, you will graduate and be awarded the Diploma in Yacht Design, Naval Architecture, and Marine Engineering.
Admission Requirements
The Yacht Design & Naval Architecture course is a comprehensive and rigorous course. You should be prepared and mature enough for a college education. There are no specific prerequisites, other than self motivation and discipline.
You need a Mac or PC with internet access and email to enroll and to do the coursework.
Work at your own pace
You may start the Westlawn course at any time.
The entire Yacht Design & Naval Architecture course requires about 3,200 hours of study and assignment preparation, or about 1 to 3 hours a day to complete the course in 4 years.
Westlawn is a work-at-your-own-pace school. Some complete in as little as two years, others may take a decade. It is common for our students to obtain gainful employment as designers of yachts, cars, airplanes, products, and interiors early in their education at Westlawn.
Tuition and Fees
$4600 per module for tuition, and $100 enrollment fee per month. Therefore, the total 4 module course will cost about $23,200 if completed in 4 years.
Everything is Included
Your tuition and enrollment fees includes all books and full versions of all software from Autodesk, including AutoCAD, Alias, Maya, Inventor. Deep discounts on Rhino and Orca3d are also available to our students.
Making waves for 90 years
Since 1930, Westlawn has set the standard for yacht design education. Over the years, our alumni continue to lead the marine industry in setting the tone for style throughout the industry, including sailing and power yachts and commercial vessels.
For example, alumnus Jack Hargrave gave us the now pervasive style of sport fishing boats with long fordecks and wide and low cockpits.
Alumni Andrej Justin, Tom Fexas, Bruce King, Gerry Douglas, Roger Martin, Dudley Dix, John Swarbrick, Doug Zurn, Rod Johnstone, and many others have designed large numbers of beautiful and influencial custom and production yachts including many America’s Cup racers.
Eos, the 320’ three masted schooner built by Lurssen, was designed by Westlawn graduate and Senior Partner of Langan Design, Antonio Ferrer.
Recent graduates include Adam Voorhees, Superyacht design award winner, and Adriana Monk, a Chief Designer for Wally Yachts of Monaco.
What Alumni Have to Say about Westlawn
It was a wonderful day for me personally to be able to present a second diploma to a Westlawn graduate since taking over the Hargrave company. I want to thank Westlawn for making all this possible not only for Greg Boyko, but for the entire Hargrave family. We take great pride in our company’s long history with Westlawn, and the list of honored recipients to receive a Westlawn diploma who not only played an important role in our company, but in the yachting industry overall is impressive indeed. Keep up the great work!
. . . I am currently a NAMS surveyor in Annapolis and have had my own successful business for over 16 years. I have been employed by two yacht yards and the US Navy. I spent three years on the drawing board primarily working for the Navy but doing some independent smaller design projects. In the last 20 years I have traveled to 40 countries surveying all manner of vessels from ocean going tugs and floating dry docks to yachts and high speed patrol boats. Many thanks for helping me establish a rewarding and wonderful career.
I am a Westlawn grad who has worked in the industry for over 17 years and am now presently holding the position of Sr. Development Engineer at Pursuit Boats (a division of S2 Yachts, Inc.). I have had several colleagues of mine inquire about the Westlawn program and I am always eager to provide a wonderful appraisal of my studies at Westlawn. It was exciting when ABYC decided to adopt the course and I was also pleased to hear that Norman Nudelman was once again part of the faculty. Keep up the good work and good luck with your future endeavors.
For those of us whose school notebooks were embroidered with boat sketches, the practice of yacht design is just being paid for doing what we like best. Training, such as the Westlawn course, is essential to make this possible. It did this for me.
If you are the kind of person that seeks rewards beyond the monetary boundaries, there is nothing so gratifying as seeing your design take shape and finally sail away. The Westlawn School of Yacht Design course can extract those talents from our creative genes.
I recommend Westlawn to anyone desiring to become a yacht designer or commercial boat designer.
. . . the quality of its graduates, including Bruce King, Bill Shaw, and Ted Brewer remains a constant.
Westlawn is a 501(c)3 non-profit public charity. Therefore, all revenues and funds are used only for the education of Westlawn students. Over the past 90 years, Westlawn has educated thousands of practicing yacht designers. Westlawn provides students with all books and software tools required to complete the course.
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The History of the Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology
- By Jay Coyle
- Updated: April 20, 2011
Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology
Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology celebrated its 80th anniversary recently, and yachting enthusiasts of all stripes owe the design school a tip of the hat. If you are a boat owner, there’s a good chance that a Westlawn graduate had something to do with your boat’s design. The list of alumni reads like a who’s who of yacht design. Graduates of this home study course have played a major role in shaping the sport, and some very dedicated designers have played an important role in shaping Westlawn.
Boat designers Gerald Taylor White and E.S. Nelson dreamed of a correspondence school that could serve those who shared their passion for small-craft design. They founded Westlawn in 1930, naming it after White’s Montville, New Jersey, farm. At the time, the U.S. population of recreational boating enthusiasts was estimated at 1.5 million and growing. Inspired by Henry Ford, boatbuilders had begun standardizing production, so the creation of a school to standardize design practices and train designers was timely. By 1968 the population of recreational boaters had surged to 8.4 million, and hundreds of Westlawn graduates and enlightened students were serving the industry.
While there are many outstanding examples of students who made good, 80-year-old Dave Martin’s 55-year career as a yacht designer is one of the more compelling. Growing up on the Jersey shore in Atlantic City, Martin loved boats and managed to land a job on the planking crew at the Egg Harbor Boat Co. fresh out of high school. “I walked my dog back and forth in front of Russell Post’s [a company partner in Egg Harbor] house until I cornered him one morning and begged him for a job,” Martin said. Martin arrived for work and was given a broom, but he eventually wound up on the planking crew. “A fella called Peckerhead Armour was in charge, and I figured I should know at least as much as Peckerhead did about boat design and construction,” Martin said. After seeing ads for Westlawn in the back of Yachting he signed up for the course in June 1948.
Martin moved from Egg Harbor to Pacemaker Yachts and then quit work to devote all his effort to completing his Westlawn studies. “I locked myself in my bedroom and worked full time until I ran out of money,” Martin said. With half the course under his belt, Martin felt confident enough to apply for a job at Sparkman & Stephens in New York. “I was interviewed by a human resources guy retired from the phone company — he didn’t know a damn thing about boat design,” Martin said. “Things got a bit loud and Gil Wyland [S&S’s chief engineer] came out of his office to see what was going on.” Wyland looked at Martin’s work and hired him as an ink tracer. “I was working at Sparkman & Stephens and my old boss was driving boats — Capt. Peckerhead,” Martin said with a chuckle.
After replenishing his bank account, Martin took a leave of absence and completed Westlawn in March 1953. He returned to Sparkman & Stephens as a draftsman and began moonlighting on the side — a practice Olin Stephens frowned on, Martin admits. “Several of my peers managed to design an oil tanker on the side, and Olin was pretty sore — I was only working on a 30-footer!” Martin was paid $750 for the design, and he quickly calculated that given 10 commissions a year he could make more money as a designer than as a draftsman. Martin returned to South Jersey and hung up his shingle. “I figured it was far enough away from S&S that I wouldn’t be tempted to give up and go back,” he said, laughing. Over the last five decades Martin has built an impressive portfolio of custom designs, both power and sail, and penned production designs for Egg Harbor, Pacemaker, Ocean Yachts and others. Martin’s secret to success is a love for his work and boating. He’s still designing boats and enjoys sailing aboard a 28-foot catboat he designed in 1980.
Over the years Westlawn has persistently tweaked its program in an effort to keep pace with new technology. The school was purchased by the National Association of Engine and Boat Manufacturers (NAEBM) in 1968 and led by designer Jules Fleder. At the time the school taught only design in wood. Designer and alum Bruce King had to get special permission to do a fiberglass vessel for his final exam. Textbooks on fiberglass and aluminum construction were added to the syllabus, and the course went through a major upgrade under the leadership of alum Norman Nudelman. A textbook on multihull design written by alumnus Bob Harris was added, as was a new volume on sailboat design by alum John Ammerman and Halsey Herreshoff.
Westlawn is now owned by the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) and is headquartered at The Boat School in Eastport, Maine. Alum Dave Gerr is currently at the helm. Gerr finished Westlawn while serving as a naval architect at MacLear & Harris. He established his own firm in 1983 and has penned a number of books and a broad portfolio of designs. Under Gerr’s leadership Westlawn has been further refined with the addition of a technical reference manual written by Gerr and a text on yacht interiors by Lisa Hix. Gerr said the Internet has enhanced the program as well. “Thanks to the virtual office the Web allows, we have been able to assemble a great team of instructors and advisors,” Gerr said. “On the other end, students typically have more immediate access.”
Westlawn’s full program, Yacht and Boat Design, includes four modules: introduction to small-craft design, intermediate boat and yacht design, construction methods and systems, and equipment. Study materials include 34 textbooks that cover a wide range of subjects including hydrostatics, stability, performance, hull forms (power and sail), systems and construction methods. To graduate, students pass 38 lessons including a final thesis with two complete boat designs. A condensed version of the program, Elements of Technical Boat Design, was developed specifically for captains, surveyors, marine writers and others who need or want a basic working knowledge of boat design. Should those who complete the basic course want to pursue the full program, they receive credit for their studies and investment.
Westlawn serves both those interested in yacht design and those who want to focus on commercial small-craft design. There are few accredited schools that offer programs in either. Students have 12 months to complete a module and can make arrangements for extra time if necessary. Lessons that are not graded 75 percent or above are returned marked “preliminary,” and students can resubmit them until they pass. Westlawn averages about 28 graduates annually, and it typically takes a student four to five years to complete the full course. While 80 percent of those who start it never finish, Gerr points out that this number is misleading. “Many students get far enough along to find a job or design a boat and simply never bother finishing.”
Like Dave Martin, I was drawn to Westlawn by an ad in Yachting and managed to graduate in 1980. Since I had drooled over Martin’s book Naval Architect’s Notebook , he was on my short list when I circulated my resume. Like Martin, I too had suffered humiliation at Sparkman & Stephens when, during my interview, it was discovered I was more a stinkpotter than a windblown Corinthian. I found a warmer reception elsewhere, and I still have Martin’s kind letter of encouragement. Although he had no openings at the time, Westlawn alums Jack Hargrave and Tom Fexas did. I signed on with Fexas for five years before hanging up my own shingle in 1986.
I owe Westlawn a tip of the hat for teaching me how to make a buck doing what I love — and Martin feels the same way. “I knew Jerry White personally, and he really cared about helping young folks,” Martin said. “He not only taught them boat design, he taught them how to get a job! That’s something they don’t teach in college.” Happy anniversary!
Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology, 207-853-6600; www.westlawn.edu
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6 of the best yacht design courses to kick-start your career
Yacht design and production beng.
Although many of the world’s top superyacht designers had no formal training, taking a yacht design course can be a great way to kick-start your career and make vital industry connections. We round up five of the best.
Southampton Solent University’s Yacht Design and Production Course has an international reputation and for good reason, as it features guest lectures from BMT Nigel Gee and work experience placements at Sunseeker International . Students on this three-year course study the engineering science behind great yacht design as well as the fundamental principles of naval architecture. A foundation year is available, as well as opportunities to study abroad. Notable successes include the class of 2014, who built the foiling catamaran Solent Whisper (pictured above).
Yacht Design Diploma
Based in the American town of Arundel, Maine, the Landing School offers a wide range of courses in marine technology. Its Yacht Design Diploma boasts a 100% employment rate for former students and bursaries are available via the Women in the Marine Industry scholarship. Alumni have gone on to work for the America’s Cup team Artemis Racing (pictured above).
Yacht Design 1st Level Masters
Offered as a postgraduate course, the Yacht Design 1st Level Masters at Milan’s ISAD design school is intended for students who have a degree in architecture, engineering or design. Taught in both English and Italian, this one-year course culminates in an industry placement, and guest speakers include Mario Pedol (who designed the 180 metre Azzam — pictured), and Andrea Vallicelli .
Yacht and Boat Design Diploma
The Westlawn Institute has been teaching yacht design for more than 80 years, and currently offers an online distance-learning programme. The Yacht and Boat Design course is taught by tutors based in the USA and Australia, and is accredited by the Royal Institute of Naval Architects in London. This one-year diploma features modules on construction, engineering and CAD. Famous alumni include Douglas Zurn , Tom Fexas and Geoffrey Van Aller , who is responsible for the design of many of the top 50 largest US-built yachts , such as the 73 metre Cocoa Bean (pictured above).
Automotive and Transport Design MDes/BA
A slightly left field option perhaps, but automotive design is one of the key fields that influences yacht design . This three to four-year undergraduate course at Coventry University is held in particularly high regard for its strong industry connections. Former students who have gone on to make a name for themselves in the superyacht world include Jonny Horsfield (whose H2 Yacht Design studio created the exteriors for the 123 metre Project Jupiter — pictured above), and Steve Gresham.
Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering MEng
In recent years, there has been a trend towards students using naval architecture courses as a route into yacht design, as James Roy from BMT Nigel Gee explains: "It used to be that if you attended a traditional naval architecture degree then you would spend most of your time learning things about big merchant ships, but that is not the case anymore.
"Most university degrees are now geared to provide modular approaches, and the naval architecture and engineering of smaller and specialist vessels, such as yachts, are included."
This four-year course at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow is a case in point — providing a broad basis for understanding how a wide variety of vessels work, from luxury yachts to commercial ships. The faculty also owns a 10 metre sailing yacht called Catalina (pictured above), which students can hire for as little as £30 per day.
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Online and Correspondence Courses for Boat & Yacht Design
- Categories : Life at sea
- Tags : Marine engineering
There are a lot of schools available for people interested in studying yacht and boat building and design. However most of them entail courses on campus, a fact that can be costly and time-consuming for many students. The good news is that there are still a few available options of attending correspondence or on-line boat design courses.
Graduates of these distance education programs may be also employed as professional designers by marine industries and design companies, or work as self-employed yacht designers with their own design shops and offices. Some programs only offer Continuing Education Units for professionals that need to improve their qualifications.
Boat/Yacht Design and Building Schools in USA
Macnaughtongroup Design Schools: The Macnaughtongroup School offers a diploma in Naval Architecture with a Specialty in Yacht and Small Craft Design through a distance learning program of 24 lessons. There is also a wooden boat building program. The courses can be completed in 2-4 years depending on the studying hours and the school will send all necessary materials and books as soon as enrollment is completed. There are no specific requirements to become a student and fees can be refunded under certain circumstances. Fees are approximately $5000.
Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology : The Westlawn Institute’s correspondence courses for boat building consist of 38 lessons divided into four modules. Courses can start any time of the year. Each module requires at least six months of full time studying, although part time studying is also acceptable. In case of part time studying, the institute allows a six-month extension for each module at no extra charge. After enrollment, Westlawn will send all the necessary text books and study plans required at the beginning of each module and instructors will guide the student throughout the courses. The school is accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). They accept US ($2,800 fee) and International students ($2,990 fee).
Online Boat Design Courses
Online boat building courses are available through ProBoat E-Training . There courses deal with boat design, engineering and repairing and they may last from two to six weeks. Each course includes a 24-hour discussion board, live classes, home assignments and downloadable material.
The price varies from $175-$390 depending on the requirements of the class a student will choose. The student attending the program receives a Continuing Education Unit (CEU) for every ten hours of participation. This is not a college credit but it is sometimes necessary for some professionals in order to maintain their certification.
Alternative Options
A cheaper and faster solution for those who are not interested in acquiring a diploma may be provided by textbook guides that are available online. These may also include wooden boat and canoe traditional building and can be found on online markets. Their prices typically range from $10-$15.
Other correspondence courses are available by MPI Group in UK for Yacht, Marine Industry and Engineering Surveying and Aries Institute of Marine Technology in India for Naval Architecture - Ocean Engineering and Marine Drafting.
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Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology explained
| Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology | |
| Streetaddress: | 243 Washington Street |
| Zipcode: | 04530 |
| Country: | United States |
| Coordinates: | |
The Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology is a distance learning school of yacht design in Bath, Maine , United States, established in 1930. Graduates of the school receive the Westlawn Diploma in Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering and Yacht Design.
The 320' three-masted schooner Eos was designed by Westlawn graduate Antonio Ferrer. [1]
Westlawn was founded in 1930 by boat designers E. S. Nelson and Gerald Taylor White. They named it Westlawn after the farm of White's in Montville, New Jersey . [2]
The school was purchased in December 2014 by David Smyth, [3] a Westlawn alumnus. It was formerly owned by the American Boat and Yacht Council . [4]
Notable alumni
- Al Spalding [5]
Notes and References
- Web site: Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology . 2022-08-11 . www.westlawn.edu.
- Web site: 2011-04-21 . The History of the Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology . 2022-08-11 . Yachting Mag . en-US.
- Web site: Staff Westlawn . 2022-08-11 . www.westlawn.edu.
- Web site: Westlawn's Dwindling Graduation - Professional BoatBuilder Magazine . 2022-08-11 . www.proboat.com.
- Web site: Eliot Spalding Obituary - Portland, ME . 2022-08-04 . Dignity Memorial . en.
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License . It uses material from the Wikipedia article " Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology ".
Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy .
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Since 1930, Westlawn Institute has trained more practicing boat designers than any other institution in the world. Westlawn Institute is an internationally accredited school, with students from every corner of the globe. All courses are 100% distance learning. Students study from their homes. Our instructors are available to help you through every step of the way. Instructor support, study guides, books, and other materials are all available via the Internet and mail. Depending on the focus of your study and your individual pace, courses can be completed in a matter of months or years. Tuition is low, so Westlawn students graduate debt free.
Yacht & Boat Design Course
Take our Yacht & Boat Design Course, consisting of four modules for training professional yacht and boat designers. This is an intensive course that covers all aspects of yacht and boat design. Graduates of the Yacht & Boat Design course have gone on to become some of the most prominent designers in the marine industry.
Overview of Naval Architecture for Marine Professionals
Take our concise, 6-month distance-learning course to gain an overall understanding of naval architecture, including improving your knowledge of boatbuilding and design, to enhance your marine-industry career. This course is also ideal to train your employees and improve their skills. Learn about hydrostatics, stability, resistance, speed and powering, fiberglass boat construction, and production boatbuilding methods. – – –
Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology c/o Maine Maritime Museum 243 Washington Street Bath, Maine 04530 USA Toll Free: 1-800-832-7430 Telephone: (207) 747-0088 Fax Line: (207) 747-0084 Website: www.westlawn.edu Email: info#westlawn.edu
Professional BoatBuilder Magazine
Westlawn students chime in.
By Dan Spurr , Apr 5, 2019
Prominent Alumni like Dave Martin helped Westlawn earn a solid reputation in the yacht design community.
In the December/January issue, No. 176, we invited Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology students past and present to share their experiences with and opinions about the 89-year-old distance-learning school specializing in boat design—this after the sale of the school by the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) to David Smyth, in 2015. Problem was, in recent decades at least, it lost money and required subsidy, first by NMMA (National Marine Manufacturers Association) and then by ABYC, which eventually lost patience with the school’s inability to be self-sustaining. Since the transfer, some noticeable changes to the school caught our notice, to wit: an end to RINA accreditation, disappearance of The Masthead newsletter, and apparent lack of visible activity on the part of the administration and the sole remaining instructor. We asked Smyth what was going on and reported the challenges he cited, specifically the high cost of upgrading “learning systems,” low graduation rates, and never having received financial records from ABYC. Next, we asked the students. Here’s a summary of what they told us:
Student critique
- A student in Europe was three-quarters through the program but had to give up his dream of becoming a boat designer because tuition was raised too high. Westlawn claims to have educated more boat designers than any other institution in the world (which could very well be true), and many are from outside the U.S. With personal income in some of these countries much lower than here, the tuition increase makes it especially difficult to continue. Smyth points to the old installment payment plans as contributing to low graduation rates.
- Course materials and the student guide need updating. So does the school’s web presence, which is, in the words of a current student, “laughable.” It is true that many of the materials have changed little over the years, and while past director Dave Gerr rewrote and added to the printed coursework, the task is formidable. Who, if anyone now, is capable of taking on this job?
- “Little useful guidance” especially in terms of software and hardware, wrote one student. Dave Gerr is “sorely missed by the remaining student body,” wrote another current student. The Forum has suffered as a result of his absence. While lone instructor Mark Bowditch received generally high marks, it seems clear that students want more designer chat time.
- A recipient of a certificate for completing Elements of Yacht Design says he “couldn’t be happier.” David Smyth, he wrote, is “a great guy” who has helped him expand his “cognitive database.”
- “David Smyth cannot do this alone,” wrote another Westlawn graduate. “NMMA and ABYC should still support the school. How can an industry survive without qualified naval architects?”
- A number of respondents, including Tom MacNaughton, who runs the Yacht Design School in Eastport, Maine, offered to assist Smyth and Westlawn.
- “Mark Bowditch is an awesome instructor,” wrote a student, adding, “He knows how the industry does things now vs. when some of the textbooks were written.”
- The lack of CAD and computer modeling instruction is seen as a major shortcoming of the school. A Southampton graduate who saw our call for comments suggested offering DELFTship software, which he said is free for its basic modules, adding that Rhino modeling software is available significantly discounted for students. All well and good, but again, who is going to teach how to use them?
- “We are not having any problems continuing to operate,” wrote David Smyth. “Our enrollment is 250% of what it was when we took over. We get new enrollments steadily, and the rate of progress of our students is substantially higher than it once was. I am only frustrated by the rate we can improve the school. Our plan for raising money is purely for capital investment into the school. There is no need for fund raising or capital for any operations. There is absolutely zero chance of Westlawn going away.”
Distance learning focused on design
The uniqueness of Westlawn has always been twofold: distance learning, so that anyone in the world could enroll; and narrow focus on only boat design. Other brick-and-mortar institutions offer degrees in naval architecture, and a few worldwide have loosened their emphasis on ship study, notably Southampton’s three-year program in the U.K. The Landing School in Arundel, Maine, offers a two-semester program in yacht design, but residency is required, and if one finds Westlawn’s tuition prohibitive, he or she will find little relief at either of these well-regarded schools.
The bottom line appears to be this: Westlawn is apparently here for the long term, and its traditional offering is of good quality; that’s the good news. But to stay abreast of developments in a rapidly changing world, and to meet consumer expectations in an increasingly digital world where service is measured almost instantly after every purchase, Westlawn has work to do.
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The Westlawn Diploma in Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering, and Yacht Design demonstrates the graduate's mastery of concept and design skills. Equally important to prospective clients and employers, it offers proof of superior self-discipline and dedication, for a powerful competitive advantage in the global marine industry.
The Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology is a distance learning school of yacht design in Bath, Maine, United States, established in 1930. Graduates of the school receive the Westlawn Diploma in Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering and Yacht Design.
Westlawn graduates have established careers throughout the marine industry, with leading builders and design firms. A significant portion of the world's small-craft designers are Westlawn trained. A Westlawn diploma demonstrates the graduate's mastery of concept and design skills. Equally important to prospective employers, it offers proof of superior self-discipline and dedication, for a ...
Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology celebrated its 80th anniversary recently, and yachting enthusiasts of all stripes owe the design school a tip of the hat. If you are a boat owner, there's a good chance that a Westlawn graduate had something to do with your boat's design. The list of alumni reads like a who's who of yacht design. Graduates of this home study course have played a ...
In 1930, I enrolled as a student with the Westlawn School of Yacht Design and gained my Diploma in Advanced Yacht Design on 15th June 1939, signed by Gerald Taylor White [co-founder of Westlawn].
The Westlawn Institute has been teaching yacht design for more than 80 years, and currently offers an online distance-learning programme. The Yacht and Boat Design course is taught by tutors based in the USA and Australia, and is accredited by the Royal Institute of Naval Architects in London. This one-year diploma features modules on construction, engineering and CAD. Famous alumni include ...
Nationally accredited, internationally recognized school offering professional courses in yacht design and related marine technology subjects through distance study. The not-for-profit educational affiliate of the National Marine Manufacturers Association.
Only a few distance education programs for boat design are available today. Three of the schools that offer such courses are described in the article. The Macnaughtongroup School that offers a diploma in Yacht and Small Craft Design, the Westlawn Institute that offers a similar diploma for US and International students and the ProBoat E-Training that offers online courses for CEUs. Fees and ...
Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology, Bath, Maine. 626 likes · 1 was here. Westlawn Yacht Design Institute is a not-for-profit online school famous...
The Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology is a distance learning school of yacht design in Bath, Maine, United States, established in 1930. Graduates of the school receive the Westlawn Diploma in Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering and Yacht Design. The 320' three-masted schooner Eos was designed by Westlawn graduate Antonio Ferrer. History
Yacht & Boat Design Course Take our Yacht & Boat Design Course, consisting of four modules for training professional yacht and boat designers. This is an intensive course that covers all aspects of yacht and boat design. Graduates of the Yacht & Boat Design course have gone on to become some of the most prominent designers in the marine industry.
In the December/January issue, No. 176, we invited Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology students past and present to share their experiences with and opinions about the 89-year-old distance-learning school specializing in boat design—this after the sale of the school by the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) to David Smyth, in 2015. Problem was, in recent decades at least, it lost money ...
Westlawn Institute Of Marine Technology Nationally accredited, internationally recognized school offering professional courses in yacht design and related marine technology subjects through distance study. The not-for-profit educational affiliate of the National Marine Manufacturers Association.
Westlawn is an affiliate (non-profit) of the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC), and is the only distance-learning school of yacht and boat design that is state certified and nationally accredited. Westlawn has produced some of the most successful designers in the industry, and more practicing small-craft designers than most of the other ...
Izhevsk Izhevsk is the capital of the Republic of Udmurtia and located almost midway between Kazan and Perm. The city began its history as the location of an ironworks founded in 1760 and today remains an industrial city. The most famous item to be produced here is the Kalashnikov AK-47 automatic rifle and its creator, Mikhail Kalashnikov, spent most of his life in the city.
About the Udmurt Republic. Udmurtia is a Russian republic located in European Russia about 1300km east of Moscow and west of the Ural mountains. There are around 1.6 million people living in Udmurtia. The republic was created in the area natively inhabited by th Udmurt people. Today the predominate ethnic group is Russian but there are still almost 500,000 Udmurts living in the republic. The ...
The basic garment of the north Udmurt costume is, as usual, the chemise, of which nothing shows when the entire costume is worn, except the sleeves, and often the lower hem. The cut of the chemise is very typical. You will notice the appliqued strips of red cloth, which is quite popular in this costume and also among the neighboring Chuvash.
Institute of Marine Technology 733 Summer Street Stamford, CT 06901 Ph: 203.359.0500 Fax: 203.359.2466 Email: [email protected] Web: www.westlawn.org
Votkinsk, like its neighbour Izhevsk, was founded in the mid-18th century as the location of an ironworks. It remains an industrial city today, but its main claim to fame now is the fact that Russia's most famous composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky was born in the city at an estate granted to his father as director of the Votkinsk Ironworks.
Westlawn Institute Of Marine Technology Nationally accredited, internationally recognized school offering professional courses in yacht design and related marine technology subjects through distance study. The not-for-profit educational affiliate of the National Marine Manufacturers Association.