WOODEN BOATBUILDING & MARITIME TRAINING

The lyrics to a traditional Newfoundland folk song begins; “I’s the b’y that builds the boat, And I’s the b’y that sails her.”

Whether you want to be ‘the person that builds the boat’ and/or ‘the person that sails her’, Washington has a maritime training course to enhance your skills.

Located in the heart of more than 100 maritime businesses on Port Townsend Bay, the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding (NWSWB) was founded 35 years ago to teach craftsmanship through boatbuilding. Today, the school continues to fuel the maritime trades and professions serving the wooden boat community throughout the country.

While you are cruising, stop by and enjoy a school tour at 3:30pm on the first Friday of each month. Adjacent to the school is a small dock for transient moorage that is managed by the Port of Port Townsend.

The school offers a 12-month Associate of Occupational Studies degree in three specialty areas: Traditional Large Craft, Traditional Small Craft, and Contemporary Wood Composites. Students have access to on-the-water programs and non-credit maritime workshops such as sail-making, rigging, carving, and boat design.

Graduates establish themselves in a host of marine trades and related careers. These include careers in wooden boat repair and restoration, yacht construction, maritime museums, and fine furniture making.

Do you know someone who wants to become a boatbuilder? Do you want to commission the construction of a wooden boat? Do you know a boatyard looking to hire trained boatbuilders? Contact the school at info@nwswb.edu. Make a living, craft a life.

Compass Courses Maritime Training is providing professional and recreational maritime training in Edmonds. They are a registered Vocational School with the State of Washington, and located only 20 minutes from Seattle. Compass Courses offers numerous Coast Guard approved curricula ranging from Firefighting to Personal Survival to Navigation to Rules of the Road.

The Captain’s Licensing program is a great course for anyone who owns a boat or makes a living on the water. Compass Courses is committed to helping you navigate the complicated waters of Coast Guard regulations and interpretations. Since its inception in 2001, they have trained over 9000 students in their new quarters with three large classrooms, fullsized lifeboat, gravity davit plus a RADAR simulator lab and galley.

Owner Julie Keim founded Compass Courses in 2001. She sailed on her licence in the small passenger vessel industry, just long enough to recognize her passion for safety and desire to help mariners navigate the abyss of regulations impacting their maritime careers. Whether you are new to the industry or a seasoned professional, Compass Courses offers affordable and quality training to meet your needs.