Boat School of Maine transitions to new ownership
February 7, 2012
Filed under News, Top Stories
EASTPORT, Maine – The Boat School of Maine will graduate its last class from Husson College in May, as it transitions to being wholly owned and operated by the independent nonprofit corporation Friends of the Boat School.
The Boat School, which has provided classes in marine vocational education for 43 years out of its facility along the oceanfront in Eastport, Maine, began its partnership with the Husson College of Bangor, Maine, in 2007. With the help of Husson College, The Boat School grew its class size to 35 students.
However, following the passing of Husson College President William Beardsley, the college decided to refocus its efforts on its degree-granting programs and sever ties with the school.
The Friends of the Boat School, a 501(c)(3) charity, gained ownership of the The Boat School’s property in December, which included nine acres of oceanfront property, a 60-ton Travelift, advanced construction equipment and a working waterfront.
The Friends of the Boat School’s members include residents of Eastport and industry professionals, the school said in a release.
The Boat School said that during the transition, classes will be uninterrupted for students and registration has opened for the 2012-13 academic year. The school will continue to offer Wooden Boat Building and Composites Boat Building courses, and it will add a Marine Mechanics program to its curriculum for fall of 2013.
“We’re very pleased with how smoothly the transition with Husson has gone,” Bret Blanchard, director of Maine’s Marine Technology Center, said in a statement. “We appreciate Husson’s contribution to our program for the past few years, and we’re proud to move forward independently. The basic operations are unchanged, the quality of the curriculum remains high and the Eastport community is very supportive.”
