Know-How to Keep Your Vessel Ship-Shape!

Learn DIY techniques from the marine tech pros at SVC Cruiser’s College.

Classes & Workshops

Marina

What’s Happening Report:

Boat Show University, 2024 was a big hit!

Many of our instructors did presentations at the Seattle Boat show which is always a great venue.
Up in Anacortes at the Marine Technology Center we are super excited to be providing many great weekend courses at the Marine Technology Center.
We have a bunch of great courses coming up this spring in Anacortes, check them out and register soon. Our most popular, which are filling fast, are the two day “hands-on” courses that focus on getting participants out and into the labs.
Michael

Cruising Boat Electrical Basics Workshop

April  13/14, 2024  8:30-4:30

Through a blend of lecture and hands-on practice you will learn basic electrical system design, installation, troubleshooting, and maintenance. We’ll cover safety, specialized tool use, industry best practices, and more. You will learn how to identify boat electrical components, practice making seaworthy wire terminations, correctly install DC equipment, and how to use a multimeter to save yourself hours of frustration trying to track down “boat gremlins”. Your learning and skill development will culminate with the design, building, and testing of a basic electrical system of your own at the renowned Marine Technology Center lab.

 

Students looking at electrical
Cruiser's Collge Motorboat on calm water

Canvas: All about Bimini’s with Mike Reese

Saturday, April 20, 2024, 9am-4:00

 

Bimini Tops provide shade from the summer sun and shelter from those rainy spring and fall days. Bimini Tops are also the foundation for sailboat dodgers and boat enclosures. In bimini tops, we’ll review all the elements necessary in designing and constructing a well-fitted and durable bimini top. Proper panel orientation, how to scribe and construct zipper pockets, and making accommodations for enclosure curtains will be discussed.

Please note: Because of the limited time and depth of information to be covered, this class is structured as a lecture with demonstrations by the presenter. Attendees looking to apply the concepts covered in class are encouraged to sign up for the maker space held the next day.

 

Canvas Boot Camp March  2/3:

These have been a very popular course for us this season. We’ve sold out two in the fall and are planning to continue offing this weekend workshop. Having quality canvas aboard your boat helps to protect your investment and make your time on the water as safe and enjoyable as possible. Professionally made marine canvas can be expensive, and many canvas shops have long waiting lists.

If you are interested in making or repairing your boat’s canvas, join us for a 1½ day class aimed at orienting you on the tools and techniques needed to produce and repair quality marine canvas for your boat.

• Tools and equipment needed for boat canvas

• Fabric, hardware, and other materials used in marine canvas products

• Sewing machine setup and use

• Basics of measuring and pattering your project

• Construction techniques

• Repair and maintenance of your canvas

NOTE: Day two has two labs, register for the morning or afternoon, whichever fits your schedule

 

Professional Canvas Workshop

July 15-19 &  22-26, 2024  Daily 8:00-4:30

We are super excited about our latest canvas offering! Here is your opportunity to take your boat canvas skills to the next level. Join us for two weeks of boat canvas training aimed at those looking to pursue marine fabrication professionally. The marine industry needs more canvas professionals, many are 6+ months out and others a not accepting new clients. This is your opportunity to learn all about this wonderful industry and how you can possibly become part of it.

 

Students looking at electrical

DIY Diesel Engine Training with Matt Mardesich

Saturday & Sunday

April 27/28, 9am – 4pm

Having your Diesel engine fail while underway can ruin your day. Worse, it could put you and your crew in a dangerous position. In general, marine diesel engines are incredibly reliable. They seem just to need, air, fuel, and water for cooling. You could add electrical power for starting, and you have covered the range of needs for a diesel engine. Most engine problems are due to fuel issues or keeping the engine cool.

Using the Marine Tech Centers diesel engine lab, we will work with live diesel engines running where you can walk around the engine and see the different systems. You can look at the injectors and even learn to bleed the engine before starting.

 

Beemer & Resse

Women’s Only diesel engine:

Due to popular demand, we are offering this course for the third time this season!

Saturday/Sunday

April  13/14th 9:00 am – 4 pm

Margaret’s marine diesel engine classes for women are among our most popular. This course will help both sail and power boaters understand their diesel engine, common causes of problems, and basic trouble-shooting techniques.

This class won’t make you a diesel mechanic. But it WILL give you a solid, basic understanding of, and hands-on experience with, a marine diesel engine and related systems that you need to have to cruise the Pacific Northwest. This class will review marine diesel and drive train systems that are both the most likely to cause problems, as well as being the easiest to fix (or prevent failing). You’ll discover there’s a lot you can do for you diesel and drive train that doesn’t require lots of strength or using expensive tools.

Participants will spend a lot of time in the labs with hands-on activities and receive example checklists and tool lists to tailor for their own vessels.

 

Mahina Expeditions

Mahina 2025 Offshore Cruising Workshop​: John Neal and others

Saturday March 08, 2025, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
Sunday March 09, 2025, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm

The Mahina Offshore 2-day Cruising Seminar (174 presented since 1976 to 11,000 sailors) with Skagit Valley College’s Cruisers College is the event to attend if you have aspirations of sailing offshore. Learn about important topics including marine diesel engines and systems, marine electrical systems, plus sail repair, sewing, anchoring, storms, & costs of cruising. Included in the seminar cost of $595 per single or $995 per couple is one copy of the Offshore Cruising Companion, the 260-page textbook which retails for $60.

Cruisers College Picture of Marina

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