Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology

Contact: Caroline Chetelat at ABYC

(410) 990-4460, x22

Westlawn Holds Second Successful “Mystic Meet”

Distance-learning institute’s faculty and students interact in person

August 21, 2007, Annapolis, MD: The Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology held its second “Mystic Meet” July 28-29, 2007 in Mystic, Connecticut. Westlawn, the world’s only accredited distance-learning institution teaching boat design and related subjects, hosts this annual event to allow students and teachers the opportunity to interact face-to-face at the Westlawn home office situated on the campus of the historic Mystic Seaport Museum. Attending were 58 students, faculty and staff from the United States and abroad, an increase of over 80% from the previous year. Based on the positive feedback from the past two years, Westlawn plans on making this an annual event.

Library Director, Paul O’Pecko, describes the vast library.

There were many activities, including a get-acquainted coffee get-together and guided tours of the G.W. Blunt White Library and the Daniel S. Gregory Ships Plans Library, in the Collections Research Center. The G.W. Blunt White Library is a specialized library with a collection of 70,000 volumes and periodicals, and 1,000,000 manuscript pieces and other holdings dedicated to maritime history. The Ships Plans library houses approximately 100,000 naval architectural drawings of boats, yachts and other watercraft.

Gerr discusses drawings with students at the Ship’s Plans library.

The group was treated to a ‘behind the scenes’ tour of the Museum’s extensive Boat Hall and Engine Collection, which includes a vast array of boats, engines, and gear not on public display. After a busy morning, students joined their instructors for a lunch and then a presentation at the Westlawn office by Jack Hornor, a Westlawn graduate, long-time marine surveyor and boat designer. Jack’s talk was followed by one-on-one critiques and review of student drawings, followed by a question and answer period where students were invited to try to stump the faculty.

Westlawn’s Director, Dave Gerr, said, “This year’s Mystic Meet was a great success! We thoroughly enjoy being able to meet in person with our students. For those students who were not able to attend, we hope to see them here at Mystic next year. And for those that can make it, Westlawn will be in Miami this October with a booth at IBEX, where students can stop by to meet Westlawn Director Dave Gerr and Westlawn Instructor Stu Waring.”

Click here for more photos from the second annual “Mystic Meet.

Mystic Seaport – The Museum of America and the Sea – is the nation’s leading maritime museum presenting the American experience from a maritime perspective. Located along the banks of the historic Mystic River in Mystic, Connecticut, the Museum houses extensive collections representing the material culture of maritime America and offers educational programs from preschool to post-graduate. For more information, call (888) 973-2767 or visit www.mysticseaport.org.

Founded in 1930, the Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology is the only nationally accredited and state-certified distance-learning school of small-craft design in the United States. As the not-for-profit educational affiliate of the American Boat and Yacht Council, the mission of the Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology is threefold:

■ To provide our students with the skills and knowledge required to build a rewarding career in the profession of yacht and small-craft naval architecture.

■ To support continued growth of the recreational and small-craft marine community through the development of well-trained, safety-oriented, boat designers developing better products for the benefit of the boating public.

■ To provide continuing education to marine-industry professionals.

To learn more about Westlawn, please call (860) 572-7900 or visit the Westlawn website at: www.westlawn.edu.