Any Marine Engineers Out There ?

[NorthOC75]

Have a few questions for Engineers involved in the Maritime industry. After a failed business I decided to go back to school at 35 years old. I'm majoring in Chemical Engineering. I'm also taking sailing classes at my school's sailing center.

I'm pursuing a degree in Chemical Engineering because it seems to be the broadest discipline of the field and would make a wider array of jobs available when I graduate. Plus, there doesn't seem to be a lot of specific Marine Engineering programs out there.

I'd like to hear from any type of Engineer that works in the Maritime industry about their job, education, and anything else that they think is relevant to the discussion.

By the way, I currently attend Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, California and am planning to transfer to UC Santa Barbara for their Chemical Engineering program which is the 9th rated Chem program in the nation.

Thanks in advance for all your replies.

[Hydra]

NorthOC75, welcome in the forum.

I am a marine engineer with a French shipbuilding company. My job is hydrodynamics, especially manoeuvring, autopilot algorithms and sea trials of surface ships and submarines (very far from chemical engineering).

I have studied mechanical engineering, then specialized in shipbuilding and hydrodynamics. My first job was in computer-aided design in a hydrodynamics laboratory. Then, I spent a few years working on ship motion control systems before returning to hydrodynamics.

I feel that there are not many chemical engineers in my company.

Alain

[skipmac]

I think you can find a niche somewhere in the marine industry with almost any engineering degree.

Yacht and boat design will need aero/hydrodynamics. Systems: ME. Construction: ME, SE. Electronics: EE, CompE. Resins, etc, ChemE.

So, I guess it kind of depends on what part of marine engineering you want to do.

[Sailmonkey]

I studied at texas a&m galveston in marine engineering. Near you is Cal maritime with the same degree.

Marine Engineering Technology Major

[Weyalan]

I studied Mechanical Engineering. I have worked for the last 17 years in the marine industry, primarily designing liferafts and marine evacuation systems.

[svHyLyte]

Steven Institute of Technology (see http://www.stevens.edu/sit/admission...d/NavalEng.pdf )

[Ike]

I worked for many years as an engineer for the US Coast Guard along sides Naval Architects and Mechanical Engineers, primarily with recreational boat builders enforcing US standards and assisting them with other engineering problems. I have a BS in Operations Management and an Associates in engineering, and have taken the Westlawn course in Yacht Design , as well as a lot of other related courses. Many years ago I worked as an Engineering Technician and draftsman at a shipyard. There is a lot to do out there but you have to go after it.

There are many schools offering marine related courses including Marine Engineering, and naval Architiecture ( see New Boatbuilders Home Page - Links -Ike's List for a list of schools)

You might also want to post this question on BoatDesign.net Boat Design Net - the Boat Design and Boat Building Site. Most of the people there are professional builders, designers, engineers and technicians.

[capt_douglas]

I've got an electrical engineering degree and use the electrical part less than the engineering part. My university wanted the engineers to have a smattering of a lot of disciplines so I'm familiar with structural, mechanical, chemical, plastic, and civil engineering. I'd think any engineering degree would be an asset.

[gcaptain]

You don't need a degree to be a marine engineer in the US but you do need a license. Basically you have two options, 1) go to a Maritime Academy (yes, Cal Maritime is the closest but you may be able to get a Master's Degree at another school) or just get a job as a mechanic on a rig in the gulf of mexico and study for the test on your own time.