The Landing School

I am looking for some advice on the following....

I am 29 years old, went to the US Naval Academy for 2 years, left and have worked is sales in nyc since. I have done well financially, but do not gain any satisfaction from what I do.

I have always been both a competitive sailor as well as a cruiser and I would like to get into Boat Design work. I have heard a little about The Landing School (Design Program) in Maine. It is only one year long and I plan to go visit the school shortly.

Did anyone here go there? If so, what were your prospects for employment upon graduation?

Also, any suggestions as to other places I should be looking at would be appreciated.

Thank you for any input.

-Bobo

 

I graduated from the Landing School back in the 80's and have been working steadily since. After 16 years working for others, I struck out on my own almost 2 years ago. As far as work, that depends on what you want to do and how willing you are to move. The boat business is no place for the non-committed (most of us should probably be committed for staying in it! ). Jobs can be hard to find unless you are flexible. For instance, you may have more luck finding work in a production powerboat company than in a sailboat designers office.

The Landing School was good for me because I wanted to have a teacher in the same room, not over a phone line. Very few choices for yacht design schools other than mail order, like Westlawn. If you have a family and a high standard of living, you may find the pay scale in the boat business to be lacking. I can survive because we keep our living expenses very low, drive old cars (read "paid for") and don't get too far into debt. Good luck if you decide to go to the Landing!

 

Bobo,

I was on the Design Program Advisory Committee at the Landing School for about 7 years, and I was on the selection committee that recommended the hiring of the current instructor there, Steve Dalzell (pronounced day-EL). The Landing School is a superb program, and they have a job placement service that you may use at anytime after you graduate. The job placement rate has proven to be better than 95%. You get a lot of exposure to people and businesses in the industry, including talking one on one with people like Olin Stephens, Bruce King, etc. Good luck.

Eric

 

Hi there,

Just being brief -

I graduated from the design programme (spelling because I'm english!) last summer. I can HIGHLY reccomend the course for it's content and professionalism, however you have to be prepared and committed to working very hard.

As far as employment goes, I have been employed at Sunseeker powerboats in UK for 4 weeks now (I spent the previous 3 months working as a boat tester for a magazine) . Out of the 14 people that graduated, 11 people wanted to be employed straight away (the other 3 were doing another programme or something else) and out of those 11, 8 are now employed in design offices around the world. (2 in UK, 1 in S.Africa, 4 in USA, 1 in Canada) and you hvae to rememeber we only graduated at the end of June... So there's plenty of work out there, as long as you are prepared to look for it, work hard to sell yourself and be open to different locations and offices.

Good Luck.

 

Wao great thread!
I'm 24 years old since I was born my family has had boats and now I can say I have my own a JY 15 and a 18' Whaler under cosmetic repairs. Always loved the ocean and working on boats, I can thruthfully say that every day I think of what to do to the boats and every week I do some work on them and lots of research. Right now covering, fairing all the holes in the center console of my Whaler, getting ready for Interlux Two Part I bought today. Have worked on many boats (friends) and they call me every day for this and that.

My studies are in Business/Marketing and I will take my last course now in March to finish in May. Did my marketing practice from Feb,2004 to July,2004 and didn't like it. Don't see myself in that marketing thing as a career. My first years in college were in Mechanical Engineering (this was not my passion)...changed to Business (this is not my passion either but had to finish some degree and graduate)....

I wanted to go to ONU in New Orleans for the Naval Egineering or Architecture but seems to be too complicated and long.

Read in this thread that The Landing School is a one year program??? Please tell me more. I need something to get me up and running in the boating industry seriously, not by having resin, fiberglass and paint on my cut up hands every day as I have. Although this could be my hobbie.

Alex Higuera

 

The Design, Building, and Marine Systems programs are all one year long. Go to www.landingschool.org for more information.

Eric

 

Mr. Sponberg,

I am applying for the Landing School--application should be in this week or next. Thanks for your information.

Also, saw you in the recent edition of "Soundings" magazine....actually that issue also had 3 articles on The Landing School....

 

And another aside, I currently own (and live aboard from May-October) one of Bruce King's earlier designs, the 1969 Islander 37.....Great boat, extremely well balanced under sail and I am always getting complements on her great lines....