Anyone heard of West Lawn Yacht Design Diploma? Is this school any good?

My nephew is a student of theirs. He started the course and changed jobs.
He now works in the boating industry. His employer has agreed to pay the
tuition for him to complete the course, so that must say something about how
the industry views the course.

If you intend to get into the industry, it is important, in my opinion, to
evaluate just how many boat designers are actually needed. Many
manufacturers hire designers that have an established reputation, on a
project by project basis so they don't have to carry an expensive employee
on their payrolls yet only use them when there is a major design change or a
new project.

If the education is for your personal interest, then get all of it you can
afford, they are not cheap.

If you have an employer in mind, get their opinion of the school, and
perhaps if they want to partially fund your education.

Don Dando


"Enzo Hung" wrote in message
...
Anyone heard of West Lawn Yacht Design Diploma? Is this school any good?

Thanks for your comments. I think I'll have to evaluate before any decision
is made.

"Don Dando" wrote in message
om...
My nephew is a student of theirs. He started the course and changed jobs.
He now works in the boating industry. His employer has agreed to pay the
tuition for him to complete the course, so that must say something about
how
the industry views the course.

If you intend to get into the industry, it is important, in my opinion, to
evaluate just how many boat designers are actually needed. Many
manufacturers hire designers that have an established reputation, on a
project by project basis so they don't have to carry an expensive employee
on their payrolls yet only use them when there is a major design change or
a
new project.

If the education is for your personal interest, then get all of it you can
afford, they are not cheap.

If you have an employer in mind, get their opinion of the school, and
perhaps if they want to partially fund your education.

Don Dando


"Enzo Hung" wrote in message
...
Anyone heard of West Lawn Yacht Design Diploma? Is this school any
good?

Westlawn is pretty widely respected but don't expect to become a great naval
architect over night. You can count on several years of drudge work after
you finish. Many Westlawn graduates have worked for larger design firms and
eventually gone off to make names for themselves. Ted Brewer, Dudley Dix,
Bruce King, Gary Mull and Dave Gerr among the more promenent. The US Navy
Office of Naval Research has hired graduates in the small combat craft
division. Every major yacht manufacturer has some design and engineering
staff, many of whom are Westlawn grads. In fact Westlawn is probably one of
the major sources for their engeneering and design employees.

I would speculate that at least half of the recreational boats in
production were designed at least in part by Westlawn graduates.

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com

"Enzo Hung" wrote in message
...
Anyone heard of West Lawn Yacht Design Diploma? Is this school any good?

Glenn Ashmore wrote:
Westlawn is pretty widely respected but don't expect to become a great naval
architect over night. You can count on several years of drudge work after
you finish. Many Westlawn graduates have worked for larger design firms and
eventually gone off to make names for themselves. Ted Brewer, Dudley Dix,
Bruce King, Gary Mull and Dave Gerr among the more promenent.

Don't forget Doug Peterson.

"Enzo Hung" wrote in message
...
Anyone heard of West Lawn Yacht Design Diploma? Is this school any good?

It's pretty widely respected among boat builders/manufacturers. However if
you want to get a job designing yachts, a better way is an engineering
degree, either in Mechanical, Aero/Hydrodynamics, or Naval Architecture.

Read the "advice for students" here www.farrdesign.com to get a different
perspective.
(I used to work there) We had people with no formal training
(Bruce/Graham), people with limited technical backgrounds (Pat & Mick),
people like me with a Mech Eng degree and others with Masters or PHD's in
Aerodynamics or Naval Architecture. Recent hirings have all had a technical
background.

I think the schools with the best reputation for Naval Architecture programs
are (in no particular order) MIT, UC Berkley, Memorial University
Newfoundland, and Southampton. 20 or 10 years ago I would have said that
Westlawn was well regarded but I think that most yacht designers look for an
engineering background these days.


--
Evan Gatehouse
ceilydh **at** 3web **dot** net
---- rewrite my signature to send email

Right, but actually I am a Mechanical Engineer myself. I'm thinking of
taking that Westlawn Yacht design is because I want to get a better
understanding on design and building process for my current job. Do you
think it's worth the money to do that??? Since I won't have time to go to
school and West Lawn offer correspondence course which I don't have to
attend any classes. What do you think???

"Evan Gatehouse / Diane Selkirk" wrote in message
...

"Enzo Hung" wrote in message
...
Anyone heard of West Lawn Yacht Design Diploma? Is this school any
good?

It's pretty widely respected among boat builders/manufacturers. However
if
you want to get a job designing yachts, a better way is an engineering
degree, either in Mechanical, Aero/Hydrodynamics, or Naval Architecture.

Read the "advice for students" here www.farrdesign.com to get a different
perspective.
(I used to work there) We had people with no formal training
(Bruce/Graham), people with limited technical backgrounds (Pat & Mick),
people like me with a Mech Eng degree and others with Masters or PHD's in
Aerodynamics or Naval Architecture. Recent hirings have all had a
technical
background.

I think the schools with the best reputation for Naval Architecture
programs
are (in no particular order) MIT, UC Berkley, Memorial University
Newfoundland, and Southampton. 20 or 10 years ago I would have said that
Westlawn was well regarded but I think that most yacht designers look for
an
engineering background these days.


--
Evan Gatehouse
ceilydh **at** 3web **dot** net
---- rewrite my signature to send email

"Enzo Hung" wrote in message
...
Right, but actually I am a Mechanical Engineer myself. I'm thinking of
taking that Westlawn Yacht design is because I want to get a better
understanding on design and building process for my current job. Do you
think it's worth the money to do that??? Since I won't have time to go to
school and West Lawn offer correspondence course which I don't have to
attend any classes. What do you think???

It's hard to say - I took 6 N.A. courses as part of my M.E. degree. A fair
bit was applicable to large ships only. For the money and time I would say
Westlawn is overkill for an ME. A bunch of good books would go a long way
to gaining you all the understanding you need. Suggestions:

- Skene's Elements of Yacht Design (a classic that still contains a lot of
useful information
- Dave Gerr's propeller book (not the exact title - excellent for prop
design)
- Principles of Yacht Design - Lars Larsson, Rolf Eliasson ( a sort of
modern day update of Skenes)
- Understanding Boat Design - Ted Brewer ( a good first text)

these would be a good start but there's a lot you can get from a library.


--
Evan Gatehouse
ceilydh **at** 3web **dot** net
---- rewrite my signature to send email

Good list of books Evan but I would add Edmunds. "Designing for Power
and Sail".
http://www.boatplans-online.com/prod...hp?prod=BFP001
It's the only book that addresses the technical side with formulas.
Jacques from bateau.com

"Enzo Hung" wrote in news:cs5ojj$r0d1
@imsp212.netvigator.com:

Anyone heard of West Lawn Yacht Design Diploma? Is this school any good?



Cemetarys are giving diplomas? Oh, wait that was 'Forest' Lawn.

--

"Let bygones be bygones...send a concilliatory PRETZEL to the Whitehouse!"
"Against stupidity, the very gods themselves contend in vain." - Friedrich
von Schiller
"Ignorant voracity -- a wingless vulture -- can soar only into the depths
of ignominy." Patrick O'Brian