Northcoast Marine Canvas workshop

[cthomps]

Hi all.  I was wondering if anyone knows anything about, or has taken the canvas workshops offered by Northcoast Marine in Port Clinton Ohio.  They are offered around 5 days at 1100.  It would be quite an investment for me with time and dollars, but I really want to learn how to do canvas well.  Please let me know what you think.

http://www.canvastrainingworkshop.com/EmploymentOpportunities.htm

Still trying to break away from the party dresses!  Thank you.  Carol

[Eric]

Yes, I have taken a number of their classes. The do a decent job of teaching, support after is fairly good, although 4 to 5  years down the road not so much.
Eric

[cthomps]

Thanks Eric.  It would be about a 12 hour drive for me, plus lodging.  I have taken some bummer classes in my life, and I just want to know if it is worth while.  I appreciate your response.

[Geech]

I second the recommendation for North Coast.  If you'd like more details, keep reading... if you're short on time, the first sentence sums it up!

Having never touched a sewing machine before in my life other than a failed attempt at a Jr. High home economics class gym bag, it was a big chunk of change to invest in my opinion too. I was looking to change careers and get out of a cubicle life and into the sunshine, and by all means it did just that for me.

Given your sewing experience don't let my above experience frighten you away from thinking it is for folks like me and not folks like yourself with experience.  Aside from what may be a half hour of boring "how to use a sewing machine" education that you likely don't need, it's full steam ahead from then on.  You'll leave at the end of the week with a handful of useful techniques that allow you to quickly take on repairs above and beyond the topic of the course which is your basic cockpit cover.  You'll also take home an example of everything you've learned, including a scaled down version of a full cockpit cover, and your examples will sit in your work area for years to come providing a visual refresher that all the photos and notes sometimes can't provide!

I'd venture to say that while it isn't a "insert $1100 and turn the key to own a canvas shop" but I imagine it's about as close as you can get to that class in 5 days in my opinion.  I want to say I left the first class on 5/16/08, returned a week later to purchase a machine and some supplies from them, received my official "open for business" tax id from PA a few weeks later, and delivered my first paying job July 4th after spending a week practicing on my own boat once my shop was setup in my garage.  One last note about Northcoast, their help doesn't end when the class is over.  I believe it's been 2 years since I last attended a course there yet if I ran into a problem tomorrow I know I'd get the answer I need from them. 

Honestly I'd say two things have led to my survival up to this point; the training I attended at Northcoast (went 3 separate times for the different canvas courses, taking on a new one after mastering the first which was a convenience some don't have but I did given my 3-4 distance from them), and the folks on this message board.  I sincerely can't say enough kind words about the folks here who have offered technical support, decades of experience in business and the field, and last but not least - support when sanity was running low.  Some if not all of my biggest mistakes were the result of not following some of their advice!

Feel free to PM me for my contact info if you'd like to talk on the phone for further details so I don't waste your time reading more of my ramblings!

[Mike8560]

Membe fragged8 has come over from england to attend I'm sure he will pop
on  With info. I wanted to learn to pattern after years of working so I ordered a complete set of videos from
http://www.marinecanvastraining.com/
thet also have classes and it's a good reason for a bus ess trip (tax write off) in the middle of winter In Florida;)