NORTHWEST SCHOOL OF WOODEN BOAT BUILDING

The Boat School’s mission is “to teach and preserve boatbuilding and marine systems skills, while developing the individual as a craftsman.”

NWSWB PROVIDES QUALITY EDUCATION AND JOB READINESS. In an increasingly digital world we provide experiential education to teach time-honored skills to new generations of craftspeople, preparing them for real-world employment. Most students seeking employment at graduation find jobs using the skills they developed at NWSWB. Maritime employers from around the country contact us when they have job openings. While the technical Boatbuilding skills are taught in the context of new boat construction and repair, students gain broader skills of using tools, working with wood, reading plans, working in teams, project management practices, and problem-solving. This education equips students to go into a wide range of living-wage jobs, for example, working as a shipwright or in other jobs in the marine trades, working with composites, home construction, furniture making, or teaching boatbuilding and craftsmanship to others.

Marine Systems graduates become familiar with the tasks of a marine technician in areas of marine electrical, marine plumbing, outboard and diesel engines, steering, HVAC, corrosion, hydraulics, and propulsion. The school offers a 9-month Marine Systems diploma program for people entering the trade, and also one-week Marine Systems Intensives for people already working in boatyards or the marine trades who want to further develop their professional skills.

The Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding has a 43-year track record of educating graduates who become successfully employed. For example, graduates are co-owners at several of the big boatyards in Port Townsend, including Haven Boatworks and the Shipwright’s CO-OP. Others have started businesses, such as Edensaw, which supplies wood nationwide, or started businesses in the building trades, like Brent Davis Construction in Port Townsend. The Boat School is strongly positioned to continue filling a unique and important educational niche teaching boatbuilding and craftsmanship to people from around the world, while transforming individual students’ lives, and serving employers and the local community.

The Boat School’s educational programs are built on a solid foundation of 43 years’ experience from having taught more than 1,700 students. Retired instructors continue to provide support and mentorship. The Boat School consistently draws instructors who are deeply passionate about the trade and also about sharing their own knowledge and experiences. Student feedback regularly applauds the instructors for both their technical skills and humanity. The administrative staff is also fueled by a deep commitment to boats and students, and includes sailors, cruisers, and boatbuilders.

The School’s location provides a remarkable context because of its proximity to a vibrant waterfront filled with more than 100 maritime trades and businesses on Port Townsend Bay. The Northwest has an extremely active commercial boatyard with numerous companies working on boats of all sizes, companies building new boats and re-fitting old ones, sail-making, rigging, and many other associated trades. The proximity of these businesses provides relevance for the students and lets the School draw on the expertise of many top-flight professionals. Port Townsend Bay is also a center for recreational boaters, as well as a wooden boat mecca. Students are exposed to a wide variety of boats and have many different opportunities to get out on the water. The annual Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival in September draws nearly 30,000 people from around the world, giving the Boat School a unique opportunity to talk first-hand with graduates, employers, prospective students, and others passionate about wooden boats.

The Accrediting Commission for Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) reviews post-secondary educational programs throughout the United States and holds rigorous standards schools must meet to become and to remain accredited. NWSWB is accredited by ACCSC and in good standing. These standards cover all aspects of the School’s operations, ranging from curriculum to recruiting, from qualifications for instructors to financial management. The investment of time and focus is significant, but ensures that the School operates using best practices, ensuring the highest quality education for students. NWSWB 9-month and 12-month programs are also recognized by the Veterans Administration and Department of Education (Title IV School) which enables students to access federal financial assistance.

The one-year and nine-month programs are approved by the Veterans Administration and Department of Education (as a Title IV School) which enables students to access federal financial assistance. They are also accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Career Schools and Colleges.

NWSWB TEACHES AND PRESERVES CRAFTSMANSHIP. The Boat School is a living repository of knowledge that preserves time-honed boatbuilding skills through active practice. Students learn how to build a boat from scratch and then launch it. A talented and dedicated group of instructors keep the craft vital by leading the construction on many styles of boats, both traditional and composite. The boats built in the Boatbuilding program reflect strong craftsmanship – quality construction, efficient methods and effective project management practices. Students work in the Marine Systems program mirrors the same priorities -- high integrity work where safety is foremost, learning efficient techniques, and installing things in a way the next technician will be able to understand the system installation.

The Boat School contributes to the broader community knowledge by writing articles for publications, giving presentations at conferences, and partnering with other like-minded organizations.

NWSWB BRINGS VITALITY TO ITS LOCAL COMMUNITY. Port Townsend Bay is home to more than 100 active maritime trades businesses which build, maintain and repair a wide diversity of boat projects. The Boat School creates a pool of talent for these local employers to draw from and a high percentage of Port Townsend's boatbuilders trained at the Boat School. Other graduates choose to stay in the community and start related businesses or become involved in other types of woodworking or construction. The Boat School regularly draws young people to a rural area whose average age is the highest in the state. Boat School brings activities draw roughly $2 million annually to the local economy.