My review of The Landing School

the Landing school



**** im sorry you feel that way I graduated from the design program in I think 96 and it was brilliant at the time. I did extensive research before hand and found it to be the best of it kind in the world. Class mates where great and we all worked very hard and so dig the staff but I do remember that two of the senior lecturers were retiring at the end of that year so I must have lucky.
:?:

Peter44 said:

**** im sorry you feel that way I graduated from the design program in I think 96 and it was brilliant at the time. I did extensive research before hand and found it to be the best of it kind in the world. Class mates where great and we all worked very hard and so dig the staff but I do remember that two of the senior lecturers were retiring at the end of that year so I must have lucky.
:?:

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The thread originator seems to have changed opinions on the quality of education at the Landing School since the first post -

http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/fi.../literature-tools-infos-22414.html#post204276

That thread was two years before this thread, so I'd assume the OP thought the school sounded great and then went there and it didn't live up to their expectations. This thread is also nearing two years old.

Well, long time no posting, who woulda thunk that learning to build boats was this time consuming?

For anyone who hasn't looked in a bit, there are 500 or so pictures in my photobucket album from the wood composite boatbuilding course. Ive got the first few hundred captioned and labeled pretty well so you can understand what is going on in them or what I was trying to show you. Our boats are looking quite a bit different than they were now. We've gotten all of the conduit, fuel tank, etc sorted out and the soles are in, we are in the process of building the fore and aft lockers and are beginning to get the decking ready to install. We will be painting the interior on Monday and have been doing structural and cosmetic filleting, fairing, sanding and getting everything inside ready for paint... I'm getting pretty excited to see this boat as a completed vessel, but am also aware of this nagging feeling in the back of my mind thats going to be sad to see it all end. I say again, I couldn't disagree with the guy who posted this thread originally more. This school teaches everything it can to people in the 10 months the program lasts, and I have personally seen people (like me) that never really had any woodworking tools in their hands learn to not only use them, but to use them well. And I have seen others in my course and the small craft/wooden boats class do some amazing and beautiful things never having done any of this before. I've got some pics of the wood construction class in this album also even though it's not the class I'm in.

http://photobucket.com/dercribbenlandingschool2012

The last few pics in that album are showing the fitting the first layers of the deck and the hinge beds for the locker that I am working on, I routed out a area about 1/8 of an inch deeper and wider around the perimeter than the hinges required, and then after it cured I routed out a space for the hinges about a 64th too big on all sides into the eopy, point being that the hinge will set into an epoxy bed as opposed to plain wood to eliminate the possibility of water sitting between the hinge and the wood of the locker lids to significantly reduce the possibility of rot occurring there. I wish I had the time to list every one of these little gems of wisdom I've gotten from my instructor Rick but they are countless. Needless to say (even know I keep doing it) having the opportunity to work with people that have been doing this for decades showing you the ropes for a year in this place is priceless.

In some slightly unrelated news, a group of us went down to visit Gannon and Benjamin in the Vineyard on Monday and spent a solid 5 hours or so with Ross gannon and all I can say is that guy is one of the most incredible welcoming people I have ever met, not a pretentious bone in his body. You'd never guess a guy that's had countless articles, a couple books, and a movie done on him, his partner Nat and their shop would be so generous with his time to a group of boatbuilding students. That album is here: http://photobucket.com/2012LBSGANDBTRIP there's quite a few less pics in that album but there are a couple neat shots of their incredible shop.

Til next time...DC

Peter44 said:

**** im sorry you feel that way I graduated from the design program in I think 96 and it was brilliant at the time. I did extensive research before hand and found it to be the best of it kind in the world. Class mates where great and we all worked very hard and so dig the staff but I do remember that two of the senior lecturers were retiring at the end of that year so I must have lucky.
:?:

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Oh yeah, and Peter44, the guy who wrote this was actually raving about the design and systems classes, he was just severely (and unfairly) critical of the boatbuilding courses...

Its good that some positive news has been included, with notable successes.

Mind you, where there is a complaint, it may be worth investigating at an individual level.

I have been on some excellent courses, that others found were just a waste of time. The individual student may not be at "the place" required by the instructor.

An extreme example comes from my wife, who often recounts how they thought Australian Aboriginal students at High School were generally considered 'dumb'.

What they, and a lot of the Teachers failed to comprehend in those un-enlightened days 40 years ago, is that English was not even their third language, and they could speak several languages more than any of the brightest English students.

On a more relevant level to this thread, it is very easy for competent trades-people to fail to recognize an individual having learning trouble. I have seen how a supposed 'clash of personality' can develop because the teacher thinks the student "isn't trying", or "cant understand the obvious". Meantime, the student just isn't 'getting it' for a wide range of reasons.

It takes a trained educator to detect that situation, and a dedicated and perceptive instructor to turn the situation around.

I am a graduate of The Landing School's design program. I found the program excellent and being a graduate created opportunities for me after graduation.

From my observation of the other courses they are all excellent at preparing graduates with what they need to enter their chosen fields upon completion.

My company now regularly employs graduates of The Landing School as you get people who are well trained and eager to learn more.

Britt Colombo
Carbon Ocean Yachts
www.carbonoceanyachts.com

eathena said:

I was very disappointed with the quality of The Landing School and most of the student in my program feel the same way. The main issues include:
1. The education you will receive in each program is much less than what is advertised.
2. There is a continuous conflict within the staff that makes the learning experience terrible.
3. Complete lack of a professional atmosphere. There was not one minute that you didn't listen to people swearing, cussing, and making very vulgar remarks.
4. The staff could care less about your complaints. They simply say that they will address it next year which I know they don't. One of the students returned for a second year in another program and confirmed with me that noting has changed.

My advice: GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. I have learned more working at a composite shop for 4 months than I ever did in the 10 month boat building program. This is soo ironic. I pay 15K for an educational program and get much more in half the time without the headaches and I'm getting paid now.

The only programs worth attending are the Design and Marine Systems. The other programs are a complete waste of time. The school has the potential to be very good but they need to restructure and restaff for that to happen.

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Sorry you had a bad experience there. Mine was not the same but then again, I was in systems "pre Ken's Composites"... Systems was a breakneck pace, I think composites and others have a hard time matching simply because of drying time. But then again, most of us (and I had a key) were there 7 days a week. So I ask you this, if you want a good school, fine. The Landing School (and the small craft/boatbuilders that came to systems year two) can be a great school. However if you expect to be "learned" well tough. In my systems class 95% passed electric, 75% passed diesel propulsion and 33% passed AC&R... those like me became master techs even if we did not feel like we were. However, I still use the knowledge even as my body has failed. Not to many places can say that.