Boat Building Education

[char]

Hello all.

I am seeking a website, publication, anecdotes, etc to help me decide where to apply to school. There seem to be many schools which have programs (community colleges, technical institutes, private intitutions) but there doesn't seem to be anyway to rank them.

I am willing to travel ouside of the US to study.

I've been wanting to learn how to build boats since I was 12. My first experience building a boat was at age 13 or so. My father and I built a 8 foot flatbottomed boat that I used for fishing on a local lake. I am currently a sophmore at the University of Washington studying environmental science. After 2 years in college I have decided that I want to study boat building. I would probably return to Seattle to finish my degree and work in a local shop.

So, after all of that, does anyone have any recommendations, links etc?

Thanks.

[mmd]

Hi, Char. I believe that there was a rather good discussion on the topic of boatbuilding courses on the BoatDesign Net, in the "Education" thread. Check it out at http://boatdesign.net/forums/

[Venchka]

Char,

I've thought about this, too. For post-retirement not at the beginning of my life.

Personally, I would visit schools. Face to face and personal investigation is probablly the best way. You live close to several schools in Washington and up the coast in British Columbia. Go talk to them. Find out what they teach, the type of boats they build.

Next, you could enroll in the Fundamentals class at our spnosor's school in Maine. I'm sure you could make good contacts there and after the class you could visit some New England schools. From what I have seen, Penobscot Bay, Maine is the center of the wooden boat building Universe. A few weeks there would be time well spent. I'm not saying that Pugent Sound doesn't have the same level of activity, I just haven't been there yet.

I have a little personal experience with The Apprentice Shop in Rockland, ME. Very nice people. Nice shop and they build a variety of boats from strictly traditional to more modern designs for oar, sail or power.

One other point. Nova Scotia is crying for people with good boat building skills. There is an apprentice system either in place or about to happen.

Good luck!

[TomRobb]

How about Seattle Community College's 2 year program? You can live at home and commute (hell, you could ride yer bike from U Dub) and might be eligable for financial aid.
Or PT's Port Townsend School of Wooden Boatbuilding - a longish commute for you.
Going away - Right Coast or overseas sounds cool, but just because it's far away doesn't mean it's better.

[ 04-11-2003, 01:46 PM: Message edited by: TomRobb ]

[char]

Just to clarify. I have visited several schools around the country (The Landing School, Seattle Central, PT Wooden Boat School). The problem is that I don't really have a way to rank them against each other. Is the Seattle Central program any good? (I'm currently on the waiting list but I don't know if I will attend.) The Landing School is well known but is rather expensive. Are there good programs in other countries? (This would allow me to travel and to study.)

I would like to recieve the best education for my money as I would like to make a career out of it.

The education section at boatdesign.net is good but seems to be directed at yacht designers not builders. I'll post something there anyways.

[Venchka]

You might want to talk to graduates who have actually found work. The schools might provide you with the names of graduates. You didn't mention visiting any of the schools in British Columbia. Your list seems a bit short, or have you carefully narrowed the search already?

Variety of vessel types and variety of skills taught should make a big difference. While we would all love to while away the hours building gorgeous little clinker boats, life supporting income comes from working on larger and more complex boats. Interior joinery would seem to be a particularly good skill to have. Boat wiring & plumbing comes to mind as well.

The Internet is nice for research-phone numbers, mailing addresses, etc. I doubt that there is a magic list on some web page somewhere listing schools from top to bottom. You need to talk to a lot of folks and arrive at your own conclusions.

If you haven't talked to The Apprenticeshop, I would suggest them. They might give you some clues on just how "employable" boat building school graduates are.

One other thing. It seems that schools are a relatively recent way of learning what is essentially a craft. Apprenticeship and practice practice practice is the traditional way. Perhaps you could combine the two-school and actual work experience in a boat shop. Or, find one of the major historical reproduction projects close to a school and volunteer while you go to school.

Any school is only as good as you make it. You won't find your answers on the Internet.

[Venchka]

Originally posted by char:
Is the Seattle Central program any good? (I'm currently on the waiting list but I don't know if I will attend.)I just realized what you said about the Seattle Central program.

If there is a waiting list to get in, doesn't that tell you something about their program?

What is the difference in cost between the least and most expensive schools? How could you put that difference to good use getting practical experience? Invest the difference in building a boat to display your skills at various shows? A 3-D resume might just land you a good job. Or your first commission.

Good luck! I really wish I had done what you are contemplating more years ago than I care to admit.

[char]

Here (http://www.boatbuilding.com/Resources/Courses/) is a list of schools, etc.

I hadn't thought of an apprenticeship. I will look into it.

As for the schools I have visited. I just haven't been putting very much effort into this recently. Travel costs money and I'm a little short right now.

As for the SCC program, well I think they allow 14 people in a quarter so it doesn't really tell me anything. I imagine that most schools have a waiting list.

After looking at the Apprenticeshops program it's going on my list.

[Venchka]

Char,

Michael Newmeyer at The Apprenticeshop is very easy to talk to. I'm sure you could find out a lot from Mike on the phone and save a trip east.

I have no idea what other schools charge, but $7,500 for two years tuition seems reasonable. I know I paid a lot more for my daughter's education 10 years ago. The living arrangement is reasonable too considering what real estate goes for in that part of the world.

If you haven't been to the Rockland-Rockport-Camden area the wooden boat construction-renovation-maintenance activity will take your breath away.

[Dave Fleming]

Go on over to the Shipwrights Hall in Seattle and ask about an apprentice program. I was in it in the 1960's. We schooled at Gompers now the SCC.

[Jamie Hascall]

I think Dave's suggestion is a great one. I stopped by at the Seattle Central Wood Tech Center the other day to see the progress of the burned motor yacht Glory Be (Amazing!), and was truly impressed with the level of work being done there in both restoration and new construction. I imagine there might be a better program somewhere, but I can't imagine you going wrong by enrolling in theirs. Glory Be is fully replanked and they're working on the interior and deck. There was also a lovely old style motor launch hull being built that was truly a thing of beauty.

Good luck in your quest,
Jamie

[mark ward]

I think I've heard very good things about the
Arques school in Marin county, CA. I think pretty pricey though.

[JeffH]

If you're completely serious about boatbuilding as a career, and have properly lost all romantic notions about it (trying an entry-level position for a while, to see if it's something you ACTUALLY like doing, is a good move), I would recommend looking long and hard at schools that have an established track record of graduates going on to professional careers. The Landing School would be the best example I could think of, but then I live near it and am not familiar with any others like it. They place a large percentage of their graduate, something in the neighborhood of 95%, in professional positions and thus, over the years, have developed a large pool of contacts and insiders, which is, from my own personal experience, absolutely invaluable. They have a full time placement office, something that you can access any time after graduation. A bit pricey, yes, but then given a little ambition and drive on your part, that is something that can be made up later.

As a side note, there are a lot of yards around where I live (mid-coast Maine), and I know a lot of boatbuilders, who between them know most of the rest, and I haven't heard of a single one who graduated from an apprenticeship program. Just an observation. No offense meant to Dave, of course ;)

Of course, as with any education, what you get out is in direct proportion to what you put in. A comunity school may be perfectly adequate for someone with the proper enthusiasm.

Disclaimer: I have no connections to any boatbuilding schools or programs of any kind (other than the one of hard knocks).
(I have the bruises to prove it)

Jeff

[ 04-11-2003, 08:25 PM: Message edited by: JeffH ]