Westlawn Institute of Technology, the non-profit educational affiliate of the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC), has lowered education costs to help boat design students follow their boating passion and attain their goals.

“Westlawn has trained more practicing boat designers than any other school in the world,” said Dave Gerr, Westlawn’s Director. “Our alumni and students are working throughout the industry, and we’re working hard to keep costs down to enable more students to study at Westlawn.”

A zero-interest tuition payment plan is offered for all four modules of the professional diploma program, Yacht & Boat Design, the short course Elements of Technical Boat Design, and for all continuing-education courses.  The goal is for students to complete their studies at affordable prices with no student-loan debt.

Westlawn student benefits include:
*   FREE Student AutoCAD, full version (saving $4,195)
*   Orca3D Hull Modeling and Rhino General 3D-Modeling Software at deep discounts, thanks to DRS C3 Advanced Technology Center
*   Orca3D Level 1 and 2 heavily discounted (saving more than $3,000)
*   FREE Scan&Solve FEA/Simulation Software by Intact Solutions (saving $995)

Orca Level 1 is one of the programs students can use to meet the minimum requirements to complete Westlawn studies, and Level 2 will help as students do more advanced work. The minimum suite of basic CAD software that is needed to complete the Yacht & Boat Design program is AutoCad plus Orca3D Level 1 & Rhino and is offered for less than $300, the lowest cost for minimum required software.

“These are huge cost savings,” said Gerr. “It allows our students to acquire and learn a full suite of critical marine-design software at incredibly low prices.”

ABYC members, excluding student members, receive a 20% discount on all Westlawn courses.  

Founded in 1930, Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology is the only nationally accredited distance-learning school of small-craft design in the United States. Westlawn is accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council in Washington DC, and is listed as an accredited school by the U.S. Department of Education and by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.  The mission of the Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology is to provide 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 and to provide continuing education to marine-industry professionals.

Interested students should visit www.westlawn.edu or call (207) 853-6600.