Our online instructors are marine professionals with proven skills and extensive experience in their chosen subject areas. During each course, you will be able to reach your instructor via email, and you will also be expected to take part in a weekly online discussion forum.
Chris Barry
Chris Barry is a registered professional engineer in Naval Architecture/Marine Engineering in Washington State, and in Mechanical Engineering in both California and Washington State. He has been a naval architect for propulsion machinery manufacturers, shipyards and design offices in the US and the United Kingdom. He is currently a senior naval architect in the Boat Engineering Branch of the U.S. Coast Guard Engineering Logistics Center in Baltimore MD. He is co-holder of two patents in hydrofoil propulsion technology, co-author of the Society of Nav Production for 1997 and other papers in small shipyard productivity, propeller design and optimization, and planing vessel hydrodynamics. He is a member of SNAME research panels on small shipyard productivity, computer-aided ship design and design/production integration. He has written various articles for Professional BoatBuilder magazine including one on Propellor Matching. He is also a frequent presenter at the International Boatbuilders Exhibition and Conference (IBEX).
Cliff Estes
Cliff Estes has 35 years of experience in marine design, and 22 years of experience with AutoCAD. He is the president of Baseline Technology (Redmond, Washington), a facility that offers marine-design services in hull fairing, structural and mechanical design, GHS model creation, NC lofting, and more. Cliff has authored many Rhino software plugins and tutorials and developed several AutoCAD material-handling systems.
Patricia (Pat) Kearns
Nationally recognized for her work as faculty for IBEX, Pat teaches our online course in writing survey reports. She has also authored and taught courses on surveying, standards compliance and technical writing; she writes and edits for boating publications; and she appears as a speaker and seminar leader at marine events all over the country. She has conceived, produced, and presented many original industry training programs and workshops.
In 2002, Pat founded Recreational Marine Experts Group Inc. (RMEG) in Naples, Florida, after serving as executive director of ABBRA (American Boat Builders & Repairers Association) since 1999. Prior to that, she was assistant technical director with the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) for six years. She has been a NAMS certified marine surveyor since 1990.
In addition to providing a full range of marine survey services, RMEG focuses on special contractual projects including project management for boat repairs and refits; litigation support; safety and environmental standards compliance consulting; technical writing and editing, including boat and equipment manuals and educational materials. Pat provides industry training program curriculum development and faculty services, organizational support to developing and expanding companies and marine industry organization projects and support. As the interim executive director of the Collier County Marine Industries Association, she produced the 2005 Naples Boat Show.
As a working sailor, Pat has held a USCG 100 Ton Master’s License with a sail endorsement. She is a U.S. Naval Academy Sailing Squadron “D” qualified senior sailing coach, where she served as a COIC (Civilian Officer In Charge) on Navy 44 sloops and she was the head adult and “pee wee” sailing instructor with the Corsica River Yacht Club in Maryland. She owns a center console boat for fishing the Gulf Coast and a kayak for gunkholing Southwest Florida back bays.
Steve Knox
Steve Knox is a marine surveyor from Norfolk, Virginia. While he now specializes in damage surveys and accident investigation, he has done all types of yacht survey work. He teaches regularly at the International Boatbuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX), and writes for many boating magazines. Steve is a member of both the National Association of Marine Surveyors and the Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors, as well as the American Boat & Yacht Council. Knox Marine Consultants just celebrated its 16th business anniversary.
Charlie Teran
Charlie Teran is the owner and general manager of Fiberglass Specialties (Tahoe Vista, California), a composites shop that specializes in structural restorations, fabrication, and cosmetic restorations. Teran and his employees hold composites certificates from the Composites Fabricators Association (CFA), the American Boat Builders & Repairers Association (ABBRA) and Abaris Training Resources, Inc (ABARIS).
Photo by Charlie Teran