Testimonials
What our alumni have
to say about Westlawn
“I
am so thrilled that I completed the course. It is very satisfying to achieve a
goal that one sets oneself! I learned so much and I met some wonderful people
along the way. Thank you to the whole Westlawn team.”
Adriana
Monk – 2012
Director
monkDESIGN
www.monk-design.com
Former
chief designer Wally Yachts
www.wally.com
“As
always, joining Westlawn was the best thing I ever did, work wise anyway. You
should know I always thought it was crazy cheap to study at Westlawn.”
Ole
Nielsen - 2014
Destino
Yachts
www.destinoyachts.com
“For
three years now I am doing engineering/drafting work on (mostly) Aluminium
yachts (Heesen, Feadship). Originally being and aeronautical engineer (bachelor
degree) and enthusiastic sailor, the Westlawn lessons I’ve completed so far
have given me the knowledge and skills I needed to get to my current job at the
SeaLevel Yacht Design office.”
Dennis
Nederhof – 2013
Sea
Level Yacht Design
www.sealevel.nl/en
“You
probably don't remember me, but I graduated from Westlawn in the early 80s . .
. I really enjoyed the course - it was the right type of learning at the right
time - and especially liked your helping me through some parts I had trouble
with. It took a while but I eventually opened my design office in 2001 in Nova
Scotia near the historic town of Annapolis Royal (not far from Digby). I did a
lot of things between completing the course and opening the office and am glad
that happened as I feel it was time well spent learning about different aspects
of design (in general), and how to build things . . .
I've
been downloading The Masthead for a few years now, and like Professional
Boatbuilder magazine I really enjoy the variety of topics touched on, and always
read them cover-to-cover. It
was while reading the Dec. 2011 issue, especially the article "Four From
Westlawn Contribute Notable Designs to Woodenboat's Design Challenge
III" that I realized it was time to contact you. Michael Schacht's and my
Evergreen makes that five! We had fun designing this cat together, and
are in the construction drawing phase, though both of us are so busy that's
it's hard to see when we'll be able to complete the design.
It
sounds funny as I write this, but after completing the course I was worried
about getting stuck in the habits of other designers by working in other
offices, so I dabbled in design while working mostly in carpentry,
boatbuilding, sailing, and Sea Urchin diving (5 years in the Fundy tides, in
the winter!) This turned out to be very helpful after all, as I do pretty much
every bit of the design process now: modeling, drafting, stability work
(including stability booklets for commercial fishing vessels), electrical,
powering, rig design, tank testing, etc... And by working out of the home I've
been able to be active in the community, and with my wife, spend a lot of time
with our 10 year-old son as he's growing up: we take off exploring when he gets
home from school, and we even canoe to school at times. These are things a “regular”
job often doesn’t allow time for. Maybe a good article could be on how boat
designing can give you freedom to do things many people are waiting to do after
retirement. Actually, I realized I was retired a few years ago—if you define
retirement as finally being able to do what you really love to do - while
counting your pennies :-)
That's
all. Back to work: a penance of fishing boat construction drawings for
Transport Canada at this time.”
Laurie
McGowan – 2012
McGowan
Marine Design
www.mcgowanmarinedesign.com
“I would recommend Westlawn
to anyone, it's so practical and so convenient to be able to work at the same
time (I've learned just as much over the last few years with E.Y.E. Marine
Consultants as I've learned through Westlawn). Thanks for everything.”
Christa Specht - 2012
E.Y.E. Marine Consultants
www.eyemarine.com
“I
was hired as production planner [at Morris Yachts].
Without
question Westlawn helped me get this position. I actually first saw the posting
for the job I had applied for over last winter on Westlawn's website. When I
was in the interview, being able to show examples of the homework I had turned
in with the content, the spreadsheets and word documents created, proved I had
a handle on those programs, and had been learning the fundamentals of boat
design.
I am
looking at a big challenge, but diving in head first.”
Ace
Eastman - 2011
Morris
Yachts
www.morrisyachts.com
Webb Institute graduate Carl
Persak, works with his partner and Westlawn alumnus, Jermy Wurmfeld, at their
design firm Persak & Wurmfeld. In Carl's recent article on their firm's
management of the 281-foot Cakewalk V project, Carl
had this to say about Westlawn . . .
“Time and time again, it was
proven that the best equipped person to do the job was someone who could speak
for the vessel as a whole, and no single decision was made without first
considering stability, structural integrity, performance, or functionality. A
naval architect with a background similar to the curriculum of the Westlawn
program proved to be ideal . . .
Our parting point of wisdom
that no mater how large how large or complex the yacht situation, use your
skills taught at Westlawn to address the situation and you will overcome the
challenge.”
Carl Persak - 2011
Persak & Wurmfeld
www.persakwurmfeld.com
Click HERE
to read the full article by Carl Persak
“Thank you, I really enjoyed
the course [BC 401 Fiberglass Boat Design & Construction]. From a boat
building perspective, and being in the industry for 30+ years, I thought that
the curriculum was well written and covered some very important topics. Thanks
again for everything.”
Charlie Reeves - 2011
Director, Lamination Quality
& Processes
Brunswick Recreational Boat
Group
Knoxville, TN
www.brunswick.com
“July, 1948, one month after
graduating from high school, I enrolled in the Westlawn School of Yacht Design.
After completing about 65% of the course, I landed a job at Sparkman and
Stephens, Inc., Naval Architects, the most prestigious yacht design firm in the
world at the time. The chief engineer was impressed by the samples of my
designs done for the tests in the Westlawn course. I left the job in Sept. 1952
to complete the course, graduated April 1953, and returned to Sparkman and
Stephens as a design draftsman.
Feb. 1955 I started my own
design practice and am still busy designing boats.
Westlawn teaches its
students to do the work that a Naval Architect does and has to do to earn a
living in the profession.
Westlawn still does an
outstanding job. Some time ago graduated from the Computer-Aided Yacht Design
and Construction course. The instructors were always available by phone to talk
me through any problems I had. I learned how to design a boat by computer,
convert the design to a DXF file on disk which can drive a cutting machine to
configure a hull plug for fiberglass mold. Plans are in the works for just such
a project.
About 15 years ago, the head
of the New York State Dept. of Education became very interested in Westlawn
education methods.
A high percentage of boats
built today are designed by Westlawn-trained designers. Examples include Jack
Hargrave, Tom Fexas, myself, and many others.
I recommend Westlawn to
anyone desiring to become a yacht designer or commercial boat designer.”
David P. Martin – 2011
Brigantine, NJ
Dave Martin
Design Gallery
“Last
Friday we did the stability test of our recently launched 43-meter motoryacht
(I am working in the study office in JFA Shipyard, France). I am glad that for
the first time I was directly involved in the process and could understand all
of it easily. Before that I had just a rough idea of what was going on . . . and
this is just one of the numerous examples of the applications of ETD [Elements
of Technical Boat Design] in my work since I started so I am really glad to
follow it!”
Guillaume
Bihet-LeRouzic – 2011
JFA
Shipyard
Concarneau,
France
www.jfa-yachts.com
Click
HERE
to see photos and details of the 43-meter motoryacht.
“The skills that I learned
as a Westlawn student enabled me to obtain a good position as a yacht designer
in a well known design office soon after completing the course. After several
years there, I was able to open my own office.”
Alfred J. (Jay) Coyle - 2011
Naval Architect
Florida
Jay-Coyle
Designs
“I enrolled in Westlawn in
1968 while still in the Navy, completing my lessons at sea in the chart room of
the ship. I continued studying until August of 1974 when I had a design
published in "Motor Boating & Sailing."
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.”
John Howell NAMS CMS – 2011
Annapolis, MD
“Westlawn was a real turning
point for me. I did a couple years of Mechanical Engineering, and mixed that in
with boatbuilding, sailmaking and chandlery, but nothing really clicked until I
started Westlawn. It is the real world of yacht design where they mix science
with art which is as it should be. I know fellow designers that have taken both
NA degrees as well as Westlawn, and they have all said that Westlawn was the
thing that rounded out everything.
Worth it? Yes, definitely.
Their [Westlawn] Instructors
are real-world designers that have been there, done that. When I took the
course, it was all done longhand with no computers. Since then they have almost
gone 180-degrees and CAD and computers are a huge part of it.”
Kevin Dibley – 2011
Design Director
www.dibleymarine.com
“Westlawn certainly pays,
we've just signed 3 new contracts and 1 still pending for 4 new designs:
1) Working with Tommy
Ericsson (general manager of Aluminium Boats Australia) we're working on a new
31 ft Aluminium centre-console for a Hong Kong client to go into production.
2) A 27 ft strip plank
composite Carolina style dentre console for Kelvin from Sydney, a member of the
Game Fishing Association, where they chase Marlin and the like up to 40nm
offshore.
3) A 24 ft strip plank
composite Carolina style offshore cruising design for Charlie- Tasmania.
(pending - custom production)
4) A 16 ft plywood offshore
design similar in nature to the RipTide CX457.
So keep working at your
exams and with a bit of hard work afterwards, it will pay.
I LOVE THIS JOB.”
Mark Bowdidge - 2011
Bowdidge Marine Design
Moorland QLD, Australia
www.bowdidgemarinedesigns.com
“I started working for Ocean
Yacht part time as the clean-up man, sweeping floors and cleaning the
bathrooms. Then, I landed a full-time position in the rough-woodworking crew
and was able to work my way up to finish-woodworker. From there, I got a
position in research and development. The week I enrolled into Westlawn I was
made lead man of R&D. Two year later I was promoted to foreman of R&D
and production engineering. When I got to the advanced level of Westlawn, my
title became engineering supervisor. When I graduated Westlawn, I started
working part time with naval architect David P. Martin (designer of Ocean Yachts
[also a Westlawn graduate]) while keeping my full-time position as engineering
supervisor with Ocean Yachts. Not to bad for the clean-up man.
I moved on from my position
at Ocean Yachts in 2007, with the 37 Billfish being my final design
project. With 20 some years at Ocean, it was time to see what other
opportunities were out there for me. I received a position at CABO yachts as
new product development and lamination technical manager. After a approximately
10 months, I was promoted to head of engineering and chief of design. We
designed new models such as 36 Express, 38 Flybridge and 52 Flybridge.
Currently CABO has moved to the East Coast and me and my family with it. I currently
enjoy designing new product and manage integrating this product through a new
facility. Whoever thought my Westlawn diploma would take me and my family from
one coast to the other and back again... Can't wait to see where it takes me
next. – Thank you Westlawn and staff.”
Michael Hartline - 2011
Cabo Yachts
New Bern, NC
www.caboyachts.com
From an Employer:
“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!”
Michael Joyce – 2011
CEO Hargrave Custom Yachts
Hargrave Custom Yachts
“There was a big resurgence
in interest in mahogany runabouts . . ., and Paul Jacques, the owner of Dutch
Wharf, decided to build a 25-footer and wanted me involved. That was a
‘downtime’ project, but there was never much downtime so it took four years to
complete. I became even more interested in constructing boats, so I started the
Yacht & Boat Design course at the Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology.
I’ve completed the first two modules, and it’s the best thing I ever did.”
Ole Nielsen - 2011
www.destinoyachts.com
The runabout Ole later
designed and built entirely on his own, Destino, was selected as
the best powerboat at the 2011 Newport International Boat Show.
“I could have saved the Gov.
money if I'd only had [Westlawn course] TT 500 [Metal Corrosion in Boats]
years ago!”
Roger Mays – 2011
Small Boat Manager/Captain
National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
www.noaa.gov
Historical Testimonials
“It has been interesting for
me to look at your [Westlawn] Web Site and to know that after over 70 years,
the Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology, as it is now named, is still
operating. 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]. It was the start of the Second
World War, and I was seconded into essential industry where I was the
Draughtsman Designer with Shipbuilders Ltd. This firm was engaged in the
building of Minesweepers and Fairmile Patrol Boats for the N.Z. Navy. Then,
when the U.S. entered the war after the attack on Pearl Harbour, we were
building 114 foot Powered Lighters for the U.S. Army and the Navy. At the age
of 92, I would probably be the oldest living past student of Westlawn.
Fairmiles that were built
here in Auckland, NZ were 112 feet in length and I think had about an 18 foot
beam. There were twelve built for the NZ Navy and they were designed in
Britain. The frames were laminated and they were shipped to us from India .We
built the boats with Kauri timber, a very good native timber often used here
for boat building. The boats were powered with three 600 H.P. triple screw Hall
Scott gas engines each.”
Thomas C. (Tim) Windsor – 2004
New Zealand
www.westlawn.edu/oldestStudent
After the war, Tim continued
his design career with his first commission of a 27-foot patrol launch for the
New Zealand Coast Guard, and then with may sailing and power boats.
“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.”
J.B. Hargrave – January,
1993
Naval Architect
West Palm Beach, FL
Jack Hargrave Biography
Hargrave Custom Yachts
“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.”
William H. (Bill) Shaw -
1991
Executive Vice President
Pearson Yachts
Rhode Island
Good Old Boat –
Pearson History
“All of us in education
know, of course, that learning is dependent not so much on what a student is
told, but upon what he does in the process. I had never taken a correspondence
course before, but my experience with NAEBM-Westlawn thoroughly sustains this
concept.”
John J. Theobald, Ph.D.
New York, NY – 1972
Westlawn graduate, Dr.
Theobald was President of Queens College, Deputy Mayor of New York City,
Superintendent of Schools in New York City, and Executive Vice President of New
York Institute of Technology.
CLICK
HERE to read still more, older archived
testimonials