Boat designing careers!!! Highschool student needs help!

[tedbuckley]

Hello, first off im new to this website so forgive me for any mistakes. I am a highschool student now but i love boats and i love architecture and designing.

I would love to have a career in the boating industry... i would love to design boats from custom megayachts to center consoles...

Please, tell me what to do to someday become a boat designer. What schools must i attend? What companies must i become involved in? What skills will i need? What are some salaries i could make?

Right now im located in the boston and Cape Cod area.

Please help me, and thank you very much!

[the1much]

westlawn is just down the road from ya,,,,,,but my advice,,and what I THINK should be your very first step,,,,is go work at a shop,,,look for an apprentice program in ya school,,,go to a boat yard and make em a deal ta let ya work there after school,,sometimes schools will let ya have certain days off to go to work,,and ya get GRADED on it.,,but anyways,,what ever you decide,,,i dont think ANYONE can be a TRUE designer,,architect,,or any of them careers,,without KNOWING from EXPERIENCE,,(even a little bit helps) how everything works,,,,,,cause with enough drawing,,and enough math,,,anyone can make something "work" on paper,,,,till us "crumbs" at the bottom put it together and SHOW them that it DOESNT work,,,hehe

[miloman]

Sign up for Westlawn, its a pretty comprehensive program in small boat design (boats up to 120 or so feet). I'm doing the Yacht Design Lite program now, and it seems to be a pretty good course.

You might look into an engineering degree for college since that should hopefully enable you to do the complex structural, and other work that is needed on many designs. try reading this

http://www.sponbergyachtdesign.com/ArticlesDesigner.htm

pax

[tinhorn]

Math. Lotsa math. They use equations and formulas and other secret codes.

[netjaws]

I agree with longliner on the experience bit. Join the Navy for a few years, or see if any commercial touring or fishing boats in your area could use an extra hand. Hell, if you're rich - and depending on your interests - just get a Laser and go race on the weekends!

but also x2 on the math bit. If you follow the [typical] career path, your first few years you won't be designing anything at all - you'll be doing all the calculations to get a uscg-approval stamp for the stuff your BOSS designs.

That's where I am now. Everything from crazy geometry-type puzzles that take days, to ridiculous systems of differential equations that consume the kitchen table over long stretches of sleepless nights. And I use Excel for everything except brushing my teeth.

But I haven't forgotten how to draw boats and my day will come ; )