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W
estlawn alumni design and work on boats all over
the world. In fact, Westlawn Institute has trained
more practicing boat designers than any other
school. 2012 graduate Mark Bowdidge is a fine example. Not
only has he been highly successful since graduation, but—
like many Westlawn students—he has been working as a boat
designer long before he completed Westlawn. Here’s Mark’s
story in his own words:
Previously, we had a boatbuilding company building boats
for recreational and commercial up to 60 feet. However, as
one gets older, the appeal of it all began to wane. Wanting a
change of career, but not wanting to leave the marine industry,
I decided to get into designing and use my brain instead of my
hands, so I enrolled with Westlawn.
During my studies—not content with just reading the
textbooks—I studied anything I could get my hand on, even
staying up until after midnight in order to ring Dave Gerr and
Chinwag Boats. [Mark is based in Australia.] However, with
reading a ton of books, there is the danger of getting lost in
information and as the saying goes, not seeing the forest for
the trees. This is something I think students really need to keep
in check; otherwise you end up going in a direction that’s not
really relevant or required.
By Dave Gerr, Executive Director, Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology
How Education at Westlawn Pays Off
WANTING A CHANGE OF CAREER, BUT NOT
WANTING TO LEAVE THE MARINE INDUSTRY, I
DECIDED TO GET INTO DESIGNING AND USE MY
BRAIN INSTEAD OF MY HANDS, SO I ENROLLED
WITH WESTLAWN.
Mark Bowdidge designed Sea Strike 16
