Testimonials
What our alumni have
to say about Westlawn
“So
I got the results of my lesson 38 final exam/design thesis, and they were good.
Funny how with one click on my e-mail inbox, I suddenly find out that I'm no
longer a student, but now a graduate. I think it's going to take a while for it
all to sink in . . .
It's
been a long slog. A lot of hours, a lot of head scratching, a lot of tedious
calculations, a lot of work learning CAD, which I had never used before. It's
been a long slog, sure, but a manageable one. Take it incrementally, and it
goes a lot easier. This stuff takes time. Not many schools of this caliber are
self-paced, and give their students the luxury of taking as much time as they
need to properly complete a lesson. So take your time . . . don't sweat it . .
. and enjoy the learning process along the way.
. .
. quite possibly the single most indispensible book, the one you cannot
possibly complete the course without, is the Student Guide 2nd Edition
[a technical reference manual for Westlawn students]. Over the duration of the
course, I’ve been through the SG2 cover-to-cover no fewer than two dozen
times. Probably more. Yet I can pick that book up today, flip to a random page,
and learn something that I’ve never known before. Imagine all the knowledge
inside Dave Gerr’s cranium, spilled out into a few hundred very
information-dense pages. So read it once, read it three more times, read it a
dozen more times after that. Then sleep with it if you must. The SG2
answered more of my questions than any other single source over the duration of
the course . . .
About
CAD . . .
I
had no experience with CAD in any form when I enrolled in Westlawn. My computer
experience was limited to Microsoft’s Office Suite, and a few oddball
proprietary programs we used at the power plant where I worked. I consulted the
Frey and Omura books mentioned in the SG2, as well as AutoCAD
Professional Tips and Techniques, by Allen & Onstott, which I think I
touted in another post. I used ProSurf for hull design and fairing, and that
was a bit more onerous and time-consuming to get a handle on. But I just set
aside the time to sit down with the owner’s manual and play around with it
until I felt confident enough to submit a lesson with it.
I
was able to get a good handle on CAD, and my point to the new students starting
out, who might feel a little overwhelmed or daunted by the prospect of tackling
CAD: if I can do it, then ANYBODY can. But it does take time and patience . . .
and some old-fashioned stick-to-it-iveness. Take it incrementally . . .
One
final thought:
Can
anyone tell me of a better deal than the Westlawn course?
When
I add up the cost of tuition, even including extensions, and consider what I
got in return . . . . I think I just received the deal of a lifetime. I got to
stay at home, keep my day job, correspond with fellow students and like-minded
people from all over the globe . . . . all while learning from some of the
world’s leading experts, at my own pace, a new craft that I love in a way only
you people can understand.
Westlawn
could triple or quadruple the cost of tuition, and it would still be by far the
best deal around.”
Click
here to read Chris O'Connor’s complete comments on Westlawn.
Christopher
L. O'Connor
Port
Towsend, WA – July 2009
Chris O’Connor graduated
from Westlawn Institute with honors, attaining the highest grade on his design thesis
awarded in the last eight years.
“I could have saved the Gov.
money if I'd only had [Westlawn course] TT 500 [Metal Corrosion in Boats]
years ago!”
Roger Mays – June 2009
Small Boat Manager/Captain
National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
www.noaa.gov
“Westlawn has made the entry
into yacht design effortless. Even now, 17 years after graduation, I still
refer to the old text books. We get more than 10 enquiries for job placements
every month from all over the world, and the first advice I give them,
regardless of whether they are doing a naval architectural degree from a university,
is to enroll in Westlawn on the side. It will give them a better grounding for
that art and science than university degrees give.”
Kevin Dibley – February
2009
Design Director
www.dibleymarine.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 – July 2007
CEO Hargrave Custom Yachts
Hargrave Custom Yachts
In addition, Hargrave Custom
Yachts carries on the distinguished tradition of the famous naval architect
Jack Hargrave, who himself was a Westlawn graduate, see below.
“I was offered a job at a
fairly up & coming boatyard as overall projects manager (I
supervise the individual project managers.) I also have quite a lot of input
with product development and alterations including a new 65-ft. Ron Holland
design. Coupled with a few hundred thousand sailing miles, it should be
mentioned that it was the Westlawn schooling—helping me formalize
any expertise I may have gathered over the years—that played a key part in
helping me secure the job!!”
Cal Tomlinson – February
2007
Overall Project Manager
Discovery Yachts Limited
Southampton, England
www.discoveryyachts.co.uk
“Thank you for my
final lesson report. I am definitively happy with the result. It was a long
ride. I enjoyed it. It feels good to graduate and I can tell you that the
knowledge acquired has helped me a lot already. Westlawn’s no-nonsense,
practical engineering approach suited me well, especially as a part of my
post-graduate studies. I reckon Westlawn has an important edge here over other
courses in the field. The SG2 [Westlawn’s technical-reference manual for
students] and the rest of documentation are a wealth of information which
would have taken me years to gather and compile.”
Liviu Armeanu –
January 2007
Design Engineer
Kelsall Catamarans
Ltd.
Waihi, New Zealand
www.kelsall.com
“Westlawn
gave me the training, background and confidence to make the jump from a yacht
carpenter to a yacht designer. I have worked as Chief Engineer at Mako Marine,
designing flats boats to cabin cruisers, as the Designer and Prototype Manager
for Pursuit, and have been at Jamestown Metal Marine Sales for the past 10
years.
I
started in the marine industry 30 years ago, as a carpenter building
plank-on-frame sport fishing yachts in South Florida. Today, I am a Project
Engineer for a major outfitting company. Some of my projects include the SBX,
part of our missile defense system, the DDG program at Bath, the new Woods Hole
Ferry under construction at Halter, polar tankers constructed at Avondale, articulated
tug barges under construction at Bender.
As a
Project Engineer I supervise a staff of designers who have attended various
institutions. None match the background and depth I got from Westlawn. I would
like to find Westlawn students interested in ship interiors, outfitting, and/or
HVAC to employ here at Jamestown.
The
training I received Westlawn has been responsible for my career, not only the
knowledge in vessel design, but also the work habits of self motivation and
extra effort.
Has
my Westlawn training been useful?
Yes,
worth every penny, every hour of extra effort.”
Click here
to read D.C. Reiher’s complete comments on Westlawn.
D.
C. Reiher – November 2006
Project
Engineer
Jamestown Metal Marine
Sales, Inc.
Boca Raton, Florida
www.jamestownmetal.com
“Occasionally someone will
ask, "How did you get into yacht design?” It's not an easy question to
answer to the layman as I'm sure your story and others are as detailed as
mine. One thing is sure, Westlawn provided me with the advanced knowledge and
inspiration I needed to pursue career interests. In hindsight, without the
technical yacht design experience Westlawn taught me it would have difficult at
best to even get a foot in the door. This industry, especially then, is
tight-nit and requires very specialized trades to participate. Westlawn uses a
practical approach to teaching and this is reflected in the course material. It
is a great tool for designing because of its practicality. I use it quite
often in my designs as there is no one resource that has as much information
and tools available for that specific purpose. The bonus is the historic
designs and designers that are often referred to in the material. All of these
things are reasons why it is a valued yacht design reference.”
Geoff van Aller - February
2006
Chief Designer
Trinity Yachts
Gulfport, MS
www.trinityyachts.com
“I wanted to let you know
that I accepted Steve Van Dam's offer last Friday and have pretty much started
working for Van Dam Marine. (Today when I opened the Van Dam Web Site and saw
my name under designer it really sunk in). I say "pretty much" because
it will still take a month or so for me to get up there on-site, but I have
started off site from my office here. (As you may know I also received an offer
from Glacier Bay Catamarans at the same time.)
So what can I say except I
couldn't have done it without you, Stu and the rest of the gang back at
Westlawn. I'm very excited about what the future holds, and hopefully this is a
testimonial to other students that all the hard work and long nights pays off,
if you stick with it.
I can't thank you enough and—as
I always have said in the past—I won't forget you, and Westlawn and I hope I'm
called on whenever you or the school needs my help. I will always be there for
Westlawn.”
Harvey Kulka – November 2005
Yacht Designer
Van Dam Woodcraft
Boyne City, MI
www.vandamboats.com
“Since I have added Yacht
Design Lite* to my resume I have had several job offers from different
companies and even a promotion with the company I am employed with now. If any
one is wondering if it would be beneficial to complete the program, I would say
YES.”
*[The Yacht Design Lite
course is now called Elements of Technical Boat Design]
Charles Bursk – November
2005
Tiara Yachts
Holland Michigan
www.tiarayachts.com
“My initial contact with
Team Shosholoza [the South-African America's Cup team] came about with the help
of Westlawn. The head of the campaign, Salvatore Sarno, is a former Westlawn
student. As a Westlawn student myself, I contacted Westlawn and through this
Sarno. I flew down to South Africa and got the job on the design team. During
the spring of 2005, I resigned from the full-time design-engineer position with
Team Shosholoza, and am now independent consultant engineer and designer, based
out of Bielefeld Germany.”
Alexander Friess – August
2005
Bielefeld, Germany
www.teamshosholoza.com
“I have enjoyed the Westlawn
course enormously. It’s an excellent program that I know you are working hard
to make even better. When I look back and think about how little I know about
yacht design when I started, I am astounded at how much I’ve learned and at how
much fun if has been.”
Robert W. Buck – May 2005
Swampscott, MA
“Concerning the Westlawn
Institute of Marine Technology, I am proud of my diploma, and I have it on the
wall. I must say ‘thanks Westlawn.’ I love the American mentality because I
have learned to share my knowledge with other Architects. In France or even in
Italy this is impossible....only secrets!
The School has been very
important for me because I have learned to design craft from the hull lines to
electricity, from the weight to speed estimation..... Once again I'm really
proud to have my diploma.”
Otto Ranchi – May 2005
Ranchi Design
Trieste, Italy
Otto
Ranchi Design Gallery
Otto Ranchi is the developer
if the Arrow System Design (ASD) high-speed hull from used on patrol boats and
offshore racers.
“Just thought I'd drop you a
note to congratulate you on your 75th anniversary. While I never did graduate,
I did study the Westlawn course for six years. It was a great foundation for my
career!
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 –
November, 2004
Annapolis, MD
“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.”
Earl G. Alfaro – October,
2004
Sr. Development Engineer
Pursuit Boats
Ft. Pierce, FL
www.pursuitboats.com
“It has been interesting for
me to look at your [Westlawn’s] 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 –
July, 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.
“I completed your Yacht
Design program in '98. I wanted to thank you for posting the info regarding the
Bluewater Sailing Magazine design competition. I was recently contacted by the
editor and informed that my design was chosen as the winner. Thank you
Westlawn. I would have never noticed this completion without your website, and
certainly would not have been capable of developing the design without the
know-how your course provided. Thanks again.”
Doug M. Frolich – March,
2004
Marshall Yacht Design
Larkspur, CA
www.marshallyachtdesign.com
“I am aware of the
transitional changes that Westlawn is going through, and I wish you the very
best in keeping it together. I am glad that you have been chosen as the new
Director of Westlawn, and you have my 100 percent support. In these last years,
I proved to myself, that Westlawn is really a very practical and valuable
school. Design theory from the Westlawn books proved to be very accurate in
reality, and always on the safe side.”
Ivan Erdevicki – February,
2004
Naval Architecture &
Yacht Design
Vancouver, BC
www.ivanerdevicki.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. Now that I graduated Westlawn, I will be
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. Then, when David Martin decides to
retire, I will become the second generation Westlawn graduate to design for
Ocean Yachts. – Not to bad for the clean-up man. – Thank you Westlawn and
staff.”
Michael E. Hartline – May,
2001
Engineering Supervisor,
Ocean Yachts
Egg Harbor City, NJ
www.oceanyachtsinc.com
“Hard work coupled with the
program’s direction has proven to me that success and professional fulfillment
are not only possible, but probable. The yachting community has consistently
responded to my Westlawn experience with encouragement and respect. We can do
this!”
George Rodzon – 1999
Project Engineer and
Designer
Tom Fexas Yacht Design
Stuart, FL
www.tomfexas.com
“I believe that continuing
education is needed to remain competitive in my field. The Westlawn course
provided me with a way to increase my knowledge of small craft design while
continuing to work in the marine industry. While the course requires a large
investment of time and effort, it is enjoyable. Feedback from instructors is
prompt and the whole staff is friendly and supportive. Westlawn has helped me
become part of the design group I currently work with.”
Livingston Brooks –1999
Associate Design Engineer
Hatteras Yachts
New Bern, NC
www.hatterasyachts.com
“The most gratifying part of
my Westlawn studies was to be taught how to apply my years on the water into a
sound design. At Westlawn, the instructors coached me and my fantasies into
real yachts. Of course, there was plenty of hard work - detail by detail.”
William C. Frank – 1999
Offshore Yacht Design
Rowayton, CT
“As an engineer with a life
long passion to become a yacht designer, the Westlawn School of Yacht Design
was key to my career transition. Westlawn’s rigorous yacht design education
helped me develop skills needed for employment with such renowned firms as
Sparkman and Stephens, Paola D. Smith and Broward Marine, participate in yacht
design not competitions and recently open my own yacht design office. A young
boy’s dream come true!”
Richard S. Brooke, PEng -
1999
Brooke Design Limited
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Richard Brooke won the 1994
Yachting Magazine Sailboat Design Contest, Professional Class, while still a
student at Westlawn.
“After completing Unit One
of the Westlawn Course, I returned to New Zealand to find a crippled economy
and our boat building business with no work. Within one year, however, I
secured a job as a part time boat builder and part time designer at Dickson
Marine in Nelson. During that time I won the Cruising World Magazine design
competition and, with the help and encouragement of Malcolm Dickson, I produced
my first powerboat design; a 45 foot sport boat with twin Cat V8s and Levi
Drives.”
Richard McBride – 1999
Principle Designer
McBride Boat Design
Nelson, New Zealand
www.mcbridedesign.co.nz
“The Westlawn Yacht Design
program as provided me with invaluable training for the marine industry. It is
a very comprehensive curriculum to serve a diverse industry.”
Daniel L. Chamberlain – 1999
Luhrs/Mainship
St. Augustine, FL
www.luhrs.com
www.mainship.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. I recently 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 – April,
1996
Naval Architect
Brigantine, NJ
www.oceanyachtsinc.com
“The price of success is
taking responsibility for setting goals and working persistently to achieve
them. The Westlawn course helped me to achieve mine.”
David Napier – March, 1994
Naval Architect
Bertram Yachts
Miami, FL
www.bertram.com
“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
“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 -
January, 1993
Naval Architect
Florida
Jay-Coyle
Designs
“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.