Westlawn Yacht Design Institute

What Westlawn Yacht Design Institute does

Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology, operating as Westlawn Yacht Design Institute, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1930 and headquartered in Bath, Maine (c/o Maine Maritime Museum). It delivers project-based, fully online, self-paced instruction in yacht design, naval architecture, and marine engineering, structured as a four-module curriculum totaling 3,200 study hours. The institution claims to have graduated more practicing small-craft designers than any other institution in the world, with alumni placing at firms including Lurssen, Pursuit Boats, and Wally Yachts.

The core product is a single four-module Yacht Design & Naval Architecture course supported by a curated curriculum of nine portfolio design projects. The platform includes bundled industry-standard software (Rhino, AutoCAD, Alias, Maya, Solidworks, Inventor) under an Autodesk partnership, plus student memberships in RINA and SNAME. The curriculum is delivered under the academic leadership of practicing professional yacht designers, including Curriculum Director Eric Holohan, whose work spans patents in Flettner rotors, autonomous drone tugs, and tidal turbines.

The business model is tuition-driven at $4,600 per module plus a $100/month enrollment fee, implying a total program cost of approximately $23,200 over a typical four-year completion. The course is also endorsed by the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC), and the institution has extended into advanced superyacht design through a partnership with Art Center College of Design. Westlawn was pulled back from insolvency in 2014 under the leadership of President David Smyth, who oversaw a complete technical overhaul and operational restructuring.

Name

Westlawn Yacht Design Institute

Legal name

Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology

Website

https://westlawn.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1930

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Westlawn Yacht Design Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1930 that delivers online, project-based courses in yacht design and naval architecture to individual students worldwide, anchored by a four-module curriculum and bundled industry-standard CAD software.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Design Education

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMAJAGAO

Project Management & Owner’s Engineering / Technical Consultancy (Spec Writing, Bid Support, Site Support)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Marine & Shipbuilding/Ship Design, Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering Services

Keywords

• Yacht design education
• Naval architecture training
• Marine engineering courses
• Online boat design
• Small craft design

Headquarters

HQ city

Bath

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Enrollment Fees: The primary revenue stream comes from tuition ($4,600 per module) and monthly enrollment fees ($100/month). Total cost for the 4-module course is approximately $23,200 if completed in 4 years. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, all revenues are used for education of students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Westlawn delivers an online, self-paced, project-based Yacht Design & Naval Architecture course consisting of four modules (Principles of Yacht Design; Aesthetics and Layouts; Construction Methods; Systems and Equipment). Students produce nine critiqued yacht designs using industry-standard software (Rhino3D, AutoCAD, Alias, Maya, Inventor, Solidworks) and, upon completion, earn a Diploma in Yacht Design, Naval Architecture, and Marine Engineering.

Product overview

Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology offers a single unified educational program centered on the Yacht Design & Naval Architecture Course. This comprehensive four-module professional education program enables students to master yacht design principles using industry-standard tools including Rhino3d and AutoCAD. The curriculum is structured as Module 1 (Principles of Yacht Design), Module 2 (Aesthetics and Layouts), Module 3 (Construction Methods), and Module 4 (Systems and Equipment), with students completing nine different boat designs spanning powerboats and sailboats in aluminum, fiberglass, and wood construction. The program is project-based and fully online, culminating in the Diploma in Yacht Design, Naval Architecture, and Marine Engineering. Select students may also collaborate on Superyacht designs at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Yacht Design & Naval Architecture Course

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates establish careers throughout the marine industry with leading builders and design firms
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RINA (Royal Institution of Naval Architects)coreOthersStudent membership in RINA is included with monthly enrollment fee. RINA provides periodicals and access to an enormous library of valuable reference materials that support Westlawn students' education and professional development.
• SNAME (Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers)coreOthersStudent membership in SNAME is included with monthly enrollment fee. SNAME provides periodicals and access to an enormous library of valuable reference materials that support Westlawn students' education and professional development.
• Art Center College of DesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelect Westlawn students have the opportunity to collaborate on Superyacht designs at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. This provides advanced students with additional hands-on design experience.
• Maine Maritime MuseumminorOthersWestlawn's mailing address is c/o Maine Maritime Museum at 243 Washington Street in Bath, Maine. Student Services Coordinator works from offices inside the museum.
• AutodeskcoreTechnology or IntegrationWestlawn provides students with full versions of all software from Autodesk, including AutoCAD, Alias, Maya, and Inventor, as part of tuition. This gives students access to industry-standard design tools throughout their education.
• ABYC (American Boat and Yacht Council)minorOthersABYC adopted the Westlawn course, indicating professional recognition of the curriculum. Westlawn graduate Eric Holohan holds ABYC Master Marine Technician certification with certifications in diesel, composite construction, and electrical.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Landing School: The Landing School in Arundel, Maine offers post-secondary programs in yacht design, boatbuilding, marine systems, and composites. It is the closest direct peer to Westlawn — both are career-focused marine education institutions with overlapping curriculum in yacht design and construction, though Landing School delivers hands-on, accelerated in-person programs while Westlawn runs self-paced online courses.
• International Yacht Restoration School (IYRS): IYRS in Newport, Rhode Island provides marine industry training in boatbuilding, restoration, composites, and marine systems. It is a direct peer to Westlawn as a small specialized marine trades school producing job-ready graduates for the boatbuilding and yacht services industries.
• Webb Institute: Webb Institute in Glen Cove, New York is a four-year private college awarding degrees in naval architecture and marine engineering. It is a direct peer to Westlawn in subject-matter focus on yacht/naval architecture credentials, though Webb delivers a traditional full-time undergraduate program versus Westlawn's diploma model.
• Maine Maritime Academy: Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, Maine is a public maritime college offering programs in marine engineering, marine transportation, and small craft operations. It is a direct peer to Westlawn as a Maine-based maritime education institution with overlapping student demographic and marine industry placement outcomes.

Regional players

• New England Institute of Technology: NEIT in East Greenwich, Rhode Island offers associate and bachelor's programs including marine technology and technical trades. It is a regional peer to Westlawn as a New England career-focused technical institution serving similar career-track students in marine and engineering fields.
• Solent University (Yacht Design): Solent University in Southampton, UK offers a specialist BA (Hons) in Yacht Design and a Master of Yacht Design. It is a regional peer to Westlawn — both focus on yacht design education, but Solent delivers a UK university degree on-campus rather than a self-paced online diploma.
• University of Michigan Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering: University of Michigan's NA&ME department in Ann Arbor offers BS, MS, and PhD programs in ship design and marine engineering. It is a regional peer to Westlawn as a leading educator of naval architects, though its traditional four-year degree path serves a different student profile than Westlawn's self-paced online diploma.
• University of Strathclyde (NAOME): The University of Strathclyde in Glasgow hosts a leading Department of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Marine Engineering. It is a regional peer to Westlawn in subject matter (naval architecture and marine engineering), but competes as a traditional UK research university with full degree programs rather than online vocational training.
• TU Delft (Maritime and Transport Technology): Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands hosts a Department of Maritime and Transport Technology covering ship design, marine engineering, and offshore engineering. It is a regional peer to Westlawn in naval architecture and marine engineering subject matter, but operates as a top-tier European research university with degree-based programs.

Emerging players

• Art Center College of Design: Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California is a leading private design school whose Transportation Design program covers automotive, motorcycle, and increasingly marine design. It is an emerging player peer and existing Westlawn partner — both schools' students collaborate on Superyacht design projects through Art Center's Pasadena campus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Westlawn Yacht Design Institute