help for up and coming boat designer

[wathen]

Hi there
I am planning on studing Yacht Production and Surveying or Yacht and powercraft design at Southampton Solent University, or Marine Sports Technology and Plymouth University. I was wondering if anyone new of any companies that could possible help me out in getting a preview of the industry before i go to uni, maybe just show me how it all works or otherwise. I am taking a gap year next year before I go, starting in June, and i want to learn as much as i can during that time about how it works.
Thanks a lot Harry

[Ad Hoc]

Try writing to all the designers/design houses around you, there are plenty. Just offer yourself up as a dog's body for a year and suck it all in...

[Ilan Voyager]

Ad Hoc gives you the best advice.

Look for the NA of a place (the Solent has a big concentration of these curious animals, endemic in this place), be not exclusive, sometimes a small firm that looks like a humble fishing boat NA is a gold mine.

Write, phone, and go to see them. I took students as helpers because they were persuasive, and seemed to be a potential good fellow. Difficult to judge someone without seeing him.

Be ready to clean the office, make the coffee, and other humble works. LOOK, OBSERVE, TRY TO UNDERSTAND the logics behind the work (it's the apprentice way) and LEARN. You'll be surprised how much it will be helpful later.

Go also in the shipyards, that gives substance to the theory. You'll find a lot of people proud of their work and ready to give a lot of explanations, be not afraid to look naive. A simple welder can teach you a lot.

I wish you the best of lucks.

[Ad Hoc]

After i graduated i couldn't get a job because i had no experience. I couldn't get experience without a job, catch22!

So i offered to work for free, i was snapped up quickly with that offer, only lasted 2 weeks. After 2 weeks they employed me and back paided me too!...and never looked back.

[wathen]

Thanks a lot for the help.
Do you know of any potenital companies that could possibly do that or would the best think be to just look for any company in the area.

[Ad Hoc]

wathen

There are literally loads of them. However, if you send me your email, either in public or private mail, i can forward your details to a mate of mine who runs the DO at Palmer Johnson over in Hythe. They may take you....they may not...but no harm in asking.

[wathen]

Ad Hoc
thanks very much for your help, that would be really good of you.
My email is harrywathen@btinternet.com
If there is anything else that you need just send me an email.
Thanks

[Ad Hoc]

wathern

Just had an email back. they don't have the funds to take on any additional staff, newbies or otherwise right now :(
Sorry about that, but always worth asking!

Try BMT (NGA)...but they are laying off people.
VT, if you like big ships
Halmatic (part of VT)
Ed Dubois
Bill Dixon
RNLI
South Boats
Sunseeker...etc etc....try them all.

[wathen]

no worries about that company.
But i will definitely have a look through that list so thanks for doing it, it is really helpful
thank harry