Maritime Workshops at Kodiak College

The Basics:

All of our Maritime Workshops can be privately purchased and scheduled (see workshop descriptions below). That means we can bring our workshops to your neighborhood, your boat, your school, your lodge, or anywhere you need the training. We'll come to you! Contact Lorraine Stewart at 907-486-1209 to learn more.

Please visit student services for assistance.

Description of Workshops and Opportunities:

AC Electrical for Vessels

Does your boat need a voltage isolation transformer? What is a galvanic isolator? Should your vessel's AC wiring be different from home? Is your boat dumping amps into the ocean? Is it OK to install an automotive battery charger on your boat? Find the answers to these questions and more when you attend AC Electrical for Vessels. This 20-hour workshop has a functioning vessel electrical system in the lab to demonstrate vessel AC and DC systems with a focus on common errors and corrections for AC installations afloat. This workshop has no prerequisites but assumes students already grasp the fundamentals of electricity, such as taught in our workshop on DC. No testing for this workshop, just come learn about AC afloat. You may save your equipment and maybe a life!

ABYC Marine Service Technician - Credential Testing

For those who already have the skills of a Marine Service Technician and would like to add a credential to their name, Kodiak College offers testing for certification through the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC). ABYC credentials are recognized nationwide by surveyors, lenders, service providers, ports and harbors, and more. Call us to learn more about this opportunity.

DC Electrical for Vessels (An Introductory Workshop)

This is a 12-hour workshop for all beginners -women and men- who want to learn basic theory and practices of direct current electricity aboard vessels. Practice crimping wires, assemble a circuit of common vessel components, use a multi-meter to test your circuit, apply basic safety standards, read and draw an electrical diagram, learn and use the power equation, plus more. If you own a boat or wish you did, if you go fishing, if you'd like to know what makes a float-switch work, if you have casual interest in electricity, or if you're exploring the career of Marine Technician, this workshop is for you. No testing, just learning.

Maintaining Your Outboard

This is a two day (16-hour) workshop covering theory and hands-on maintenance of 2-stroke and 4-stroke outboard engines of 25-horsepower and larger. Classroom instruction is organized by the three major components of an outboard: power-heard, mid-section, and the lower unit. Hands-on practice in the lab follows each section that is covered in the classroom. Topics include machinery of each component, compression tests, changing sparkplugs, oil changes, trouble shooting, parts replacement, the importance of maintenance, winterizing, and more. This class is for set-netters, sports fishing enthusiasts, owners of commercial fishing vessels, non-boaters, those wishing to explore a career in outboard maintenance, and any other interested party. If this description caught your eye, this workshop is for you!

From Stem to Stern - Examining the Machinery of Vessel Systems

This 12-hour workshop focuses on the primary components of vessel function. Helm and rudder, engine controls and adjustments, shafts and bearings, water cooling systems, and bilge pumps, and just a few of the topics covered. Get a thorough overview of vessel systems with a functioning, interactive display in the classroom. Hands-on exercises are combined with theory and discussions in this introductory workshop. Taught by local professional Corey Pedersen, this workshop is aimed at vessel owners and crew, though all are welcome. No experience required.

Gill Net Construction

Subsistence fishing can fill your freezer and feed your family quickly. Get the true Alaskan experience by catching fish with a net you have built yourself! In this workshop, you will construct your own gillnet from start to finish under the direction of master net-maker Shelly Eagle. The first class session will detail the supplies you'll need to purchase on your own. Plan ahead! You can expect to spend about $500 on this investment so you may want to get a partner or two. Well-cared for gillnets can last 20 years, and that represents a lot of food in the freezer! From lead-line to float-line, and for all the web in between, you will enjoy the friendly pace of this workshop which meets one night a week, three hours each meeting. In 8 weeks, your net will be ready to fish!

Knots Online

This 8-week class is exclusively for high school students of the Kodiak Island region including area villages, ages 14 and up. Each week the individual student will log into the online at a time that fits their school schedule, and watch the online instructor tie a knot. For their assignment each student posts a video of themselves tying the same knot. In this way students learn the knots that are commonly used in fishing and maritime work. While they’re at it they gain other skills necessary for success in online learning. Contact the Maritime department for further details.

Net Mending

Name your fishery and if it involves a net, this workshop will show you how to repair that net. From patching a small hole to replacing a panel, learn how to do-it-yourself in this 6-hr workshop. Techniques to mend gillnet, trawl, seine, and subsistence web will be taught by local net expert Shelly Eagle. Shelly has over 30-years professional experience hanging and repairing nets of all kinds. All materials necessary for the workshop will be provided with your registration fee. No experience necessary.

OUPV Captain's Course and Testing

Study at your own pace to test for your Captain's License with "Captain in a Box". This kit comes with DVD training discs, study guides, a navigator's tool set, a full sized training chart, and plotting pencils. Your purchase includes one year of access to online instruction, web-based narratives, interactive learning, and 24-7 access to online instructors. When you purchase through Kodiak College you also have use of the learning center and limited support through the Maritime Department.

Preventative Maintenance and Other Skills for the Engine Room

Extend the life of your main engine and other equipment with the essential practices taught in this 6-hour workshop. Topics include preventing water and algae in fuel, choosing filter micron size, avoiding dangers to diesel injectors, pre-start engine room checks, dos and don'ts of cold starting, oil additives, choosing and maintaining quality coolant, sea chest facts, maintaining pumps in the engine room, understanding your marine gear, critical checks underway, protecting your engine room's wiring, and back up plans. Taught by local professional Corey Pedersen. This workshop emphasizes the concerns of commercial fishing vessels, however all interested parties are welcome. No experience necessary, no testing, just learning.

Troubleshooting Gauges

Are you having trouble with gauges on your boat? Does your start circuit sometimes fail? Do you wish you knew more about gauge function? Are you sure your engine sending units are working properly?
This 4-hour hands-on workshop combines electrical theory, a test light, and a voltmeter to
troubleshoot vessel gauges and other critical circuits. Learn how sending units, fuses, grounding wires and terminal connections can cause faulty gauge readings and even keep your engine from starting. Taught by local professional Corey Pedersen.

100-Ton Confidence

Need help studying for your OUPV or 100-Ton license? This workshop offers five hours of one-on-one personalized tutoring with an instructor familiar with the 100-Ton tests and concepts. Call 486.1239 to check instructor availability before you register and pay.

Call 907-486-1209 to learn more about these opportunities!