I have looked at previous postings in this newsgroup and although I
can find references to people looking to make similar changes, I can
find no postings from people that have actually done it, for good or
bad.

My question is this; I am in my mid 30's, in the UK, and looking to
have a change of career from engineering to boat building. I am
considering taking a year out to do a course, probably in traditional
boatbuilding and conservation. Is there anybody out there that has
made a similar change and if so what are your views on it now. What
salary could I expect to earn, what are the job prospects, what is job
security like etc.

Also if there is anybody in the industry reading this, what would your
views be on taking on an enthusiatic, educated and capable person but
one in their mid 30's and straight out of college.

Any replies will be greatly appreciated.

Hi Sean, I believe,( but I could be wrong) that Lowestoft college do courses
in traditional wooden boat building. If they don't then I am sure they ought
to be able to put you onto the right track. I have seen an article on local
BBC TV news within the last year or two and I think that was where the
course was being held.
Best of luck
Peter

"Sean C" wrote in message
om...
I have looked at previous postings in this newsgroup and although I
can find references to people looking to make similar changes, I can
find no postings from people that have actually done it, for good or
bad.

My question is this; I am in my mid 30's, in the UK, and looking to
have a change of career from engineering to boat building. I am
considering taking a year out to do a course, probably in traditional
boatbuilding and conservation. Is there anybody out there that has
made a similar change and if so what are your views on it now. What
salary could I expect to earn, what are the job prospects, what is job
security like etc.

Also if there is anybody in the industry reading this, what would your
views be on taking on an enthusiatic, educated and capable person but
one in their mid 30's and straight out of college.

Any replies will be greatly appreciated.

(Sean C) wrote in message . com...
I have looked at previous postings in this newsgroup and although I
can find references to people looking to make similar changes, I can
find no postings from people that have actually done it, for good or
bad.

My question is this; I am in my mid 30's, in the UK, and looking to
have a change of career from engineering to boat building. I am
considering taking a year out to do a course, probably in traditional
boatbuilding and conservation. Is there anybody out there that has
made a similar change and if so what are your views on it now. What
salary could I expect to earn, what are the job prospects, what is job
security like etc.

Also if there is anybody in the industry reading this, what would your
views be on taking on an enthusiatic, educated and capable person but
one in their mid 30's and straight out of college.

Any replies will be greatly appreciated.

Hi Sean,

Firstly, the very best of luck to you. I have often wished that I
could financially afford to make such a change of career, but up to
now I can't

Having been to Lyme Regis a few times, I can often be found looking
longingly into the Boat Building Academy
(http://www.boatbuildingacademy.com) down by the harbour where they
teach both traditional and modern methods. Their craft are beautiful
and I would love to take one of their courses - although not being mid
30's, I have a few spare years yet

Take a look at the FAQ which covers employment prospects and average
age of students.

Hope this helps,
Mark

Thanks to both posters for info on courses - I already have details on
this course and also the one at Falmouth. I was really after some
feedback from people that had done one of these courses, mid-life, or
had done something similar.

Thanks again

Sean.....





Firstly, the very best of luck to you. I have often wished that I
could financially afford to make such a change of career, but up to
now I can't

Having been to Lyme Regis a few times, I can often be found looking
longingly into the Boat Building Academy
(http://www.boatbuildingacademy.com) down by the harbour where they
teach both traditional and modern methods. Their craft are beautiful
and I would love to take one of their courses - although not being mid
30's, I have a few spare years yet

Take a look at the FAQ which covers employment prospects and average
age of students.

Hope this helps,
Mark

I have done it, but since my experience was in Massachusetts, in
1975-78, it is not completely relevant. From the experience, I
formulated Woodward's Law -- that careers that people enjoy --
theatre, photography, boatbuilding, radio and TV, writing, are very
difficult because there are many participants who are in it for the
love and don't care about money.

It was true then (and probably still now) that a top boatbuilder,
capable of fine woodwork of all kinds, made about half what a house
framer (those who do the rough work of putting up the frame of a
house) was paid. I had several people working for me who worked
summers on houses so that they could afford to work winters on boats.
There was a substantial surplus of skilled people -- I probably had
ten resumes for every job -- and this is still true.

The same factor also makes it a difficult business for the yards and
builders. Many, perhaps most, of the major, well known boatbuilders
world-wide have gone bankrupt one or more times in the last thirty
years. This obviously makes one wonder about job security.

Finally, in my string of negatives, I will say that while UK
boatbuilding labor is cheaper than the USA, it is more expensive than
most places (New Zealand and Canada to pick two that speak English)
and a lot more expensive than, say, Turkey, Spain, or Brazil. This is
one reason we chose to have major work done on Fintry in Portland
(Dorset, not over here). The recent uptick in the pound makes that
decision less obvious and as the world becomes more global, it will be
harder and harder for the USA and the UK to compete for boatbuilding
work.

So, it's financially difficult. If you have the support of your
spouse, or rich relatives, do it anyway as it can be wonderfully
rewarding.

It should be fairly easy to answer the specifics of your questions --
ask the schools and the yards. For a broad look at the industry, you
might go to the Mets show (Amsterdam, November 18-20
www.metstrade.com) and talk to people there. It's a professional show,
but you can register (free) as a student.

Jim Woodward
www.mvFintry.com



(Sean C) wrote in message . com...
I have looked at previous postings in this newsgroup and although I
can find references to people looking to make similar changes, I can
find no postings from people that have actually done it, for good or
bad.

My question is this; I am in my mid 30's, in the UK, and looking to
have a change of career from engineering to boat building. I am
considering taking a year out to do a course, probably in traditional
boatbuilding and conservation. Is there anybody out there that has
made a similar change and if so what are your views on it now. What
salary could I expect to earn, what are the job prospects, what is job
security like etc.

Also if there is anybody in the industry reading this, what would your
views be on taking on an enthusiatic, educated and capable person but
one in their mid 30's and straight out of college.

Any replies will be greatly appreciated.

Mark,
Please, please consider anything else, especially in the UK. There are many
reasons why you should not. First, there is no money to be made. There are
no customers that are willing to buy the labor that the endeavor requires at
a fair rate. Secondly, you work for money and play for fun. I cannot think
of a better way to trash a perfectly good past time or hobby than by making
it an occupation. Go sell shoes, write firmware for Korean refrigerators,
whatever, don't build boats for an occupation.
Steve
"Mark" wrote in message
om...
(Sean C) wrote in message
. com...
I have looked at previous postings in this newsgroup and although I
can find references to people looking to make similar changes, I can
find no postings from people that have actually done it, for good or
bad.

My question is this; I am in my mid 30's, in the UK, and looking to
have a change of career from engineering to boat building. I am
considering taking a year out to do a course, probably in traditional
boatbuilding and conservation. Is there anybody out there that has
made a similar change and if so what are your views on it now. What
salary could I expect to earn, what are the job prospects, what is job
security like etc.

Also if there is anybody in the industry reading this, what would your
views be on taking on an enthusiatic, educated and capable person but
one in their mid 30's and straight out of college.

Any replies will be greatly appreciated.

Hi Sean,

Firstly, the very best of luck to you. I have often wished that I
could financially afford to make such a change of career, but up to
now I can't

Having been to Lyme Regis a few times, I can often be found looking
longingly into the Boat Building Academy
(http://www.boatbuildingacademy.com) down by the harbour where they
teach both traditional and modern methods. Their craft are beautiful
and I would love to take one of their courses - although not being mid
30's, I have a few spare years yet

Take a look at the FAQ which covers employment prospects and average
age of students.

Hope this helps,
Mark

On 31 Oct 2003 02:15:38 -0800, (Sean C)
wrote:

looking to
have a change of career from engineering to boat building.

While I do have friends who make a reasonable living in the marine
industry, I have a whole bunch more who stopped because they were
bored with abject poverty. The two who I can think of who seem to make
a reasonable living are both right up at the sharp end - one
specialises in rig engineering for big boats, and the other builds
compents for Olympic sailors.

If you have made huge amounts of dosh in the city and have a personal
pension fund to retire on I can think of few more rewarding careers to
take up, but if you have to feed kids and pay off a mortgage its quite
possible you'll find it a struggle.

The other thing to consider is that the market for traditional wood
boats si shrinking all the time, the price of wood gets dearer and
dearer, but there are now more schools teaching it than ever.

Jim C
http://www.surreyweb.org.uk/ibrsc/docs/jcmail.htm can be used to email me.

I am about to attempt this as a bit of a love and money spinner,I am 24.
I have been looking at this group for the last two weeks after I bought
20liters of fiberglass for a small project,then bought another 44 gallons
for the fun of it..lol.
First project will be expensive due to the buying all the products retail
however I will enjoy it I think.
Just got to get the basic's and boat design and how to make a good and fast
floating design and I will be making my first fiber glass boat from a mould.
I will post back if it sinks.

I think you can't go wrong if you set a budget even if small and are
prepared to loose on it,however you must like what you are doing from my
point of view,no idea about wage however for example making a Yatch has to
be the best money maker for cost.

No Yatchs for me.

"Sean C" wrote in message
om...
I have looked at previous postings in this newsgroup and although I
can find references to people looking to make similar changes, I can
find no postings from people that have actually done it, for good or
bad.

My question is this; I am in my mid 30's, in the UK, and looking to
have a change of career from engineering to boat building. I am
considering taking a year out to do a course, probably in traditional
boatbuilding and conservation. Is there anybody out there that has
made a similar change and if so what are your views on it now. What
salary could I expect to earn, what are the job prospects, what is job
security like etc.

Also if there is anybody in the industry reading this, what would your
views be on taking on an enthusiatic, educated and capable person but
one in their mid 30's and straight out of college.

Any replies will be greatly appreciated.