Season’s Greetings, Friends and Family of The Landing School,

Today is the last day of the fall semester and students are (justifiably) looking forward to a well deserved break, and some Christmas pudding.  

As we wrap up the semester and say goodbye to 2022, I would like to congratulate all of our students for the fine work they have done both individually and together as a class. I'm sure as they look back at where they started and where they are now, they will feel a sense of pride in what they have accomplished. In a “learn by doing” environment, finishing a task is rewarding in itself.

I know the entire faculty and administration join me in thanking you for your support and wish you the happiest holiday cheer and best wishes for the year ahead. Happy Holidays to you and your family!

Sincerely,

We’re excited to report that over half of our students will be spending two weeks off campus during IPAP this year. To give you a flavor of the kinds of enriching experiences they have lined up, here’s a sample of where they will be during the first two weeks of January:

• Repairing propellers, shafts and other propulsion components at Accutech in Dover, NH
• Working on designing a custom 72 ft sailboat with Brooklin Boatyard’s design team
• Building out the interior of cruising powerboats (Hood 42 and a Hunt 36) at Lyman-Morse’s boatbuilding facility

Other students will be taking a short course on campus, in an area of the industry that’s new to them, through interesting projects and activities planned by our faculty. Whether they are staying on campus or headed off site, our students will be starting Spring semester with valuable new experience in the marine industry.

"One of my earliest experiences at the school involved one of the bulls from the farm next door. When I arrived at the school early one morning, the bull stood between me and the door to the yacht design shed. It became clear early on that waiving my arms and trying to shoe the bull away was not going to work. I called Charlie Bassett, the owner of the farm, for help. He walked into the yard with a 2 by 4 in his hand and the bull knew that it was time to leave!"

In 1995, Jim Cumiskey came to the Landing School to teach Yacht Design. By the early 2000's he had instructed classes in all four programs.

When the school was looking to expand and be updated, Jim designed and worked with the boat builders on a major repair of the roof structure. He also worked closely with John Burgess for the first "expansion" of the school which is currently known as the systems shop.

Throughout his years here, Jim has been tasked with maintaining the library. What was once an 8 by 6ft. storage room in 1995 known as the P. Whitin Library has evolved in the past 27 years to become the Patience Learning Resource Center, which holds more than 2,700 nautical publications.

Thank you Jim, for all you do, and continue to do, for the school and our students!

Wooden Boat Building

The Wooden Boat Building class of 2023 has had a busy semester! Our students are about half way through their build. They began by lofting their boats, then used those drawings to laminate the stem, frames, and sheer clamp. Next, they mounted the frames on the strongback and faired them using battens and hand tools. Then they were on to planking!

Cutting the first rolling bevel for the lapstrake planks was daunting, but by the time they got to the second or third plank, everyone was getting the hang of it. Both crews just hung the last plank on their Town Class sloops and celebrated the “whiskey plank” with some apple cider. Now it’s on to fairing—sanding, sanding, and more sanding. Shortly after everyone returns from the winter break, we’ll be flipping the boats over and beginning work on the decks and interiors. It may be cold and snowy outside, but spring will be here before we know it, and everyone is exited to get these boats done so they can sail them on Sebago Lake before graduation.

Marine Systems

Marine Systems students recently completed designing and building their DC panels. A fun and satisfying exercise at the end of the DC electrical course, that lets the students tap into the sum of the skills they've learned since arriving in September.



Work on the project boats has commenced, and systems and engines have been removed as needed. Parts are on order, and plumbing and wiring schematics are in progress so the students can hit the ground running when the spring semester begins. AC electrical, sailboat rigging, and marine plumbing are all on the docket for a fun and busy spring term!

Yacht Design

The first semester is ending in Yacht Design with many positives to report. Our students have come a long way since the beginning of school. 3D modeling, spreadsheets, and basic structural calculations are all things in which they now have achieved some level of proficiency.

After finishing their first powerboat design some weeks ago, the students are now deeply engaged in the first sailboat design. Lessons have been learned and the process has become more refined for this project. Everyone should have plenty of good samples of work to show to their families this holiday season. Cheers from Yacht Design!