A Message from our CEO

This issue arrives a few days late, and for a good reason. The last days of September and the first days of October were full ones at Chapman, and I wanted every bit of it in these pages.

On October 2, we graduated our Professional Mariner Training, Yamaha Technician, and Yacht & Small Craft Surveying classes. Each of these graduates is now ready to enter or advance in the maritime workforce, and every one of them earned it.

A Message from the Director of Development

Secure Your Legacy and Shape the Future of Chapman for Future Generations of Mariners

On October 2, we celebrated as Chapman students graduated from our career programs, ready to excel in the maritime workforce.

But for some students, getting to Chapman takes more than hard work. It takes someone willing to help with program and other associated expenses.

Graduation:
43 Graduates Enter the Marine Workforce



On October 2, Chapman celebrated graduation for three programs: Professional Mariner Training, Yamaha Technician, and Yacht & Small Craft Surveying. Together, 43 students completed their training, ready to enter the maritime workforce or advance in it.

Each class took a different path to the same day, and each prepared its graduates for skilled work on and around the water.

Special congratulations to our class valedictorians: Jon Adam Pattie of the Yamaha Technician program, Sarah Spear of Professional Mariner Training, and John Hennings III of Yacht & Small Craft Surveying. Each earned the honor through hard work, strong academics, and skill in hands-on training.

Congratulations to every graduate, and thank you to the families, employers, and instructors who helped them get here. Fair winds.

View Career Programs

New Course:

First Spectrum Color Gel School Fiberglass Repair & Gel Coat Application

On September 28, Chapman kicked off its inaugural Spectrum Color Gel School Fiberglass Repair & Gel Coat Application course.

Fiberglass and gel coat are the skin of nearly every recreational boat on the water, and repairing them well is a skill boatyards and service shops depend on. This course adds that hands-on skill to Chapman's growing lineup of marine technology training.

Thank you to the students in this first class for helping us launch it.

Welcome Aboard:

Meet Freddie Fowler, Director of Marine Technology Programs

Chapman welcomes Freddie Fowler as our Director of Marine Technology Programs. Freddie will oversee our Yamaha, NMEA, ABYC, and diesel engine programs.

Freddie brings more than 30 years of teaching and technical experience. He served 20 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he was a formal school instructor, curriculum manager, and course coordinator, earning Instructor of the Year and two Meritorious Service Medals for teaching and developing Marines.

Tech Tip from Zach Klosterman, Chapman Yamaha Training Team:

Check Your Lower Unit Gear Oil

Your outboard's lower unit works hard and stays out of sight. The gear oil inside protects the gears and bearings that turn your prop, and when water gets in, damage can follow quietly until a costly repair is due.

The good news: checking it is quick, and fall is a good time to do it.

Quick Maintenance Checklist:



• Look Before You Drain: With the engine upright, remove the bottom drain screw, then the top vent screw, and watch the first oil out. It should be clean and golden or amber.
• Watch for Milky Oil: Milky or cloudy oil means water is getting in, usually past a worn seal.
• Check for Metal: A few fine particles on the magnetic drain screw are normal. Chunks or heavy buildup are not.
• Refill From the Bottom: Fill through the lower hole until oil comes out the top vent, then replace the vent screw first and the drain screw second.
• Use New Gaskets: Replace the drain and vent screw gaskets every time, and use the gear oil your owner's manual calls for.

If you find milky oil, metal chunks, or keep losing oil between changes, have a qualified marine technician inspect the lower unit before your next trip.

A few minutes with a drain pan beats a new lower unit.

Safe Boating Tip:

Have a Backup Plan for When Your Boat Has a Bad Day

Every boater eventually has a day that does not go as planned. The engine will not restart, the tank runs lower than you thought, or the tide leaves you sitting on a sandbar. Most of these days are not emergencies, but they can turn into long, stressful ones without a plan.

Many boaters assume the Coast Guard will come tow them in. In a true emergency, when lives or the vessel are in danger, the Coast Guard responds. But under its long-standing Maritime Search and Rescue Assistance Policy, when no emergency exists, such as a simple engine failure, running out of fuel, or a soft grounding, the Coast Guard refers the call to commercial towing services when one is available and willing to help.

That is where a towing membership earns its keep. A plan with a service such as TowBoatUS or Sea Tow means you already know who to call, and covered services may cost little or nothing out of pocket instead of an unexpected towing bill. Read the terms so you know what your plan covers, and keep the membership card and phone number aboard.

Then build the rest of your backup plan: a charged VHF radio and phone, a float plan left with someone ashore, and an anchor ready to hold you off the rocks while you wait.

A bad day on the water is a lot shorter when you already know who to call.

Explore Boating Safety Courses

Did You Know?

Why the Right Side is "Starboard"

Long before rudders were mounted at the stern, early northern European ships were steered with a large oar, the "steering board," on the right side of the vessel. Old English called it "steorbord," and that side became starboard. To keep the steering oar safe, ships tied up with their left side to the dock, the side that eventually became known as port.

And About That Saying: "Learning the Ropes"

Today it means getting the hang of a new job. Aboard a sailing ship, it was meant literally: a new hand had to learn which of the many lines raised, lowered, and trimmed each sail, often in the dark and in bad weather. A sailor who "knew the ropes" could be trusted on deck. The phrase is widely tied to the age of sail, though some suggest the theater, with its rope-rigged scenery, helped spread it ashore.

Congratulations to our newest graduates. You have learned the ropes.

Exclusive New Benefit for Chapman Students & Graduates

Chapman School of Seamanship is proud to announce a new partnership with West Marine, designed specifically to benefit our student and alumni community.

Through this exclusive Chapman Program, eligible students and graduates can now access special discounts on a wide range of West Marine products, including boating safety equipment, marine electronics, maintenance supplies, apparel, dock lines, and other on-the-water essentials.

These savings go beyond standard retail promotions and are even greater than the discounts offered through West Marine’s Pro customer program, giving Chapman graduates a valuable advantage as they continue their boating careers and adventures.

Whether you're outfitting your vessel, replacing worn gear, purchasing tools for the job, or simply stocking up on boating necessities, this is a benefit worth taking full advantage of.

Enrollment is free, quick, and available now through the end of the year.

Don’t leave money on the table. Sign up now and start saving on the gear you need most.

Stay Connected With Chapman!



Chapman School of Seamanship continues to grow because of the students, alumni, families, donors, employers, and community partners who believe in practical maritime education.

Thank you for helping us prepare safer boaters, stronger technicians, more confident youth, and the next generation of marine professionals.