The Landing School in Arundel recently won a marine industry award for its “outstanding contribution to the boatyard and repair industry.”
In late January the American Boat Builders and Repairers Association (ABBRA) presented the 2007 Dennis Snow Award to The Landing School for both the education and training provided at the school’s Arundel campus and its continuing education courses across the country.
One of those continuing education sites recently opened in Thomaston, where The Landing School has been offering a group of courses for employees of boatyards and other marine-related businesses in the Academy building on Main Street, former site of a satellite campus of the University of Maine in Augusta.
Several educational entities will offer classes at the new facility, called the Marine Systems Training Center, a combined effort of the Knox-Waldo Regional Economic Council, the Department of Labor, the Maine Marine Trades Center and local groups. It will have an official opening in May.
The Landing School approached its 30th year as one of the country’s top schools for boatbuilding, design and marine systems by opening a new, $2 million, 21,000 square-foot building last September. The building also houses a brand-new course — the Composite Program — as well as administrative offices and a new library.
“The Composite Program has only six students, all working on an F-82R trimaran,” said Nicole Jacques, who joined the staff as marketing director last September. The 27-foot performance racing boat is built on spec and sold when completed.
The Composite Program joins four existing programs: Cruising Boats; Small Boats; Marine Systems and Yacht Design. Enrollment has expanded with the 6-student composite program, reaching 82 for this year.
“We receive more than a couple of hundred applications. We accept 130, enroll around 80 or 85 and start wait-listing rest of those who were accepted,” said Jacques. “Some will get in this September because a few won’t show up for the class they’ve been accepted for. Others on the wait list are automatically accepted for the next year. Most come.”
Cruising Boats class has 14 students. The class divides in half to build two 27-foot Arundel power boats designed by their in-house yacht designer, Steve Dalzell. from England. He has designed a new 30-foot sailboat that will replace his Arundel 27 next year.
“It’s tentatively called the LS 30, but we may come up with a more fun name” before launch in April next year,” said Jacques. “It will be a high performance vessel good for PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) racing, with a bulb keel.” There are around 30 boats of different types racing in this class throughout New England.
Small Boats class usually has between 14 and 16 students who divide into teams to build three Beach Peas, designed by Doug Hylan as an update of the peapod dory. They build either the 13-ft or 15-foot version during the first half of the year.
For the second half of the year, the Small Boats class builds three Haven 12.5 ft vessels, originally Herreshoff designs but updated by Joel White of Brooklin Boatyard, explained Jacques.
The Marine Systems program has around 20 students, who study marine electronics, hydraulics and engines and other systems. “These students are actually taking apart engines and things,” said Jacques.
This year, the Yacht Design program has 22 students. First quarter, students work with a lot of theory and learn about boat design. Second quarter, they focus on an existing sailboat design. Third quarter, they study power boats , including the mechanical and other systems. Fourth quarter, they design their own boat.
“It’s a very popular course, but very difficult to get through,” said Jacques. Like all the programs, it’s a 40-hour, intense, combination classroom and hands-on program that runs from September to June.
“They’re fitting the equivalent of two years’ work into one year,” Jacques said. During the first two weeks of the fourth quarter, design students go to internships around the country. Students come from around the world, including India, England and Canada.
“We can say that once these guys graduate if the want a job in this industry, they’ll get one,” said Jacques. “At the April 4 Job Fair, companies will come from all over the US, and many students will get jobs before graduation.”