For Immediate Release Sept. 15, 2005

Contact: Michael O’Farrell at Mystic Seaport

(860) 572-5317

michael.ofarrell@mysticseaport.org

Contact: Caroline Chetelat at ABYC

(410) 990-4460, x22

cchetelat@abycinc.org

 

 

Mystic Seaport Announces Affiliation with Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology

Westlawn Moves Connecticut Office to Mystic Seaport

 

September 15, 2005, Mystic, CT and Annapolis, MD: Mystic Seaport and the Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology have formed an affiliation to further maritime tradition through education.

 

As part of the affiliation, Westlawn has moved its Connecticut office to the Mystic Seaport campus and now has access to the Museum’s many resources – such as the ships plans library and small craft collection – to help enhance Westlawn’s curriculum.

 

 

“Mystic Seaport is looking enthusiastically toward the future of this initiative,” said Doug Teeson, president and director of the Museum. “This is a natural relationship that helps to ensure the connection between today’s students of boat design and the traditions of American boat design that Mystic Seaport is uniquely able to provide.”

 

“We at Westlawn are looking forward to being able to use the extraordinary resources of Mystic Seaport to enhance our program and offer new and exciting opportunities for our students and alumni, and to even better serve the boating industry,” said Westlawn Director Dave Gerr.

 

 

In addition to its relationship with Mystic Seaport, Westlawn is also the educational affiliate of the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC), which has been writing the safety standards for small-craft for more than 50 years. The new Westlawn/ABYC office at Mystic Seaport will strengthen the existing Mystic Seaport/ABYC connection, and offer more opportunities for marine education. Mystic Seaport has hosted ABYC educational programs for two consecutive years. A third year is currently scheduled.

 

Westlawn and Mystic Seaport have also joined together to form the North American Boat Designers’ Hall of Fame. Inaugural members Olin Stephens and Philip Rhodes were inducted in February, 2005. New members will be inducted annually. In addition to providing space at Mystic Seaport, the hope is for the Hall of Fame to have a significant web component which can be utilized by a much greater audience.

 

 

Founded in 1930, the Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology is the only nationally accredited and state certified distance-learning school of small-craft design in the United States. As the not-for-profit educational affiliate of the American Boat and Yacht Council, The mission of the Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology is threefold:

■ To provide our students with the skills knowledge required to build a rewarding career in the profession of yacht and small-craft naval architecture.

■ To support continued growth of the recreational and small-craft marine community through the development of well-trained, safety oriented, boat designers developing better products for the benefit of the boating public.

■ To provide continuing education to marine industry professionals.

To learn more about Westlawn, please call (860) 572-7900 or visit the Westlawn website at www.westlawn.edu.

 

Mystic Seaport – The Museum of America and the Sea – is the nation’s leading maritime museum presenting the American experience from a maritime perspective. Located along the banks of the historic Mystic River in Mystic, Connecticut, the Museum houses extensive collections representing the material culture of maritime America and offers educational programs from preschool to post-graduate. For more information, call (888) 973-2767 or visit www.mysticseaport.org.