Rhode Island boatbuilding and restoration school prides itself on helping graduates find jobs quickly
The International Yacht Restoration School (IYRS) in Newport, Rhode Island, celebrated its most recent commencement with a distinctive send-off: a fleet of restored vessels launched for a public sea trial. Rather than a conventional graduation ceremony, the event showcased the practical skills students acquire in the school’s two-year boatbuilding and restoration program and its one-year marine systems program.
On June 6, family, friends and alumni filled the waterfront—an estimated 300 people attended—to watch graduates put the boats they restored into the water. The lineup ranged from small workboats to classic yachts: a fleet of 12-foot Beetle Cats, a meticulously restored 35-foot motor launch named Corsair (originally launched in 1939 for financier J.P. Morgan), a Herreshoff 12-1/2-footer, and a 15-foot replica of a 19th-century Whitehall rowing boat.
“We had about 300 people there; it was pretty packed,” said program director Clark Poston. “We had a fleet of 12-foot Beetle Cats, which were really wonderful to see out on the water.” Poston noted that staging a public launch is a long-standing IYRS tradition—first done for the graduating class of 1999—and a clear way to showcase the high level of craftsmanship students achieve.
The hands-on focus of IYRS produces visible results: graduate Bill Flaherty, 31, who worked on the Corsair restoration, described the experience as deeply rewarding. “On the water, they don’t look like student-built boats; they look professional,” he said. The event drew a broad crowd, from friends and family to past graduates, underscoring the program’s tight-knit community and industry connections.
Flaherty grew up in Litchfield, Connecticut, and began sailing summers in nearby Noank at age 10. His early experiments with craft included a makeshift “boat” built from an inner tube, a wooden platform and a beach chair. After high school he served four years in the Army as a diesel mechanic, then worked building furniture for Hitchcock Fine Home Furnishings in Riverton, Connecticut. Even while pursuing that craftwork, Flaherty kept returning to the idea of building boats. After exploring several schools, he found IYRS and enrolled two years ago.
While studying at IYRS, Flaherty secured summer employment at Mount Hope Boatworks in Newport, where he had the opportunity to work part-time throughout his program—an example of how the school’s training connects students to local employers and practical work experience.
Another graduate, Keith Brown, 39, came to IYRS after a long career in graphic design. Raised in Lake George, New York, Brown spent summers sailing and grew up around family boats, including a Sparkman & Stephens 24-foot Rainbow and a 14-foot wooden Grady-White. After earning a design degree from the Maine College of Art, he ran a small business creating promotional materials in Burlington, Vermont for 15 years before deciding to change course.
“I grew up spending my summers sailing,” Brown said. Though he initially wasn’t sure what to expect at IYRS, he quickly found satisfaction in the practical curriculum. In his first year he learned foundational skills and then helped build a classic Beetle Cat with a small team. “It’s really great to stand back and say, ‘I built that,’” he said. During his second year, while working on the Herreshoff 12-1/2, Brown drew inspiration from instructor Warren Barker and embraced a deeper appreciation for craftsmanship and historic vessels.
Both Brown and Flaherty emphasize the way IYRS blends technical instruction with real restoration projects, preparing students for immediate entry into the marine trades. Newport’s historic maritime environment contributes to that learning, providing access to classic yachts and traditional techniques that strongly influence students who are passionate about older boats.
This summer, for example, Brown will serve as caretaker for Skylark, a 53-foot Sparkman & Stephens yawl from 1935 that recently completed an extensive refit—an opportunity that reflects the kinds of roles graduates often step into following the program.
IYRS highlights practical, job-focused training in both boatbuilding and marine systems, and the school emphasizes helping graduates move quickly into relevant careers. The public sea trial at graduation not only celebrates student achievement but also strengthens industry connections by allowing potential employers, boat owners, and the public to see finished work in action.
For information, visit www.iyrs.org.
See related article: IYRS expands Newport campus
This article originally appeared in the New England Home Waters section of the September 2009 issue.