Profession shipwright

Shipwrights build and repair all types of vessels from pleasure craft to naval vessels. They prepare preliminary sketches and create templates. They use hand and power tools to construct smaller boat themselves or supervise a team of shipbuilders. They also construct cradles and slipways for the ship’s construction, transportation, launching and slipping. Depending on the vessels, they might work with different materials such as metal, wood, fibreglass, aluminium etc.

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Personality Type

  • Realistic / Conventional
  • Realistic / Investigative

Knowledge

  • Design drawings

    Understand design drawings detailing the design of products, tools, and engineering systems.

  • Mechanics of vessels

    The mechanics involved in boats and ships. Understand the technicalities and participate in discussions over related topics in order to solve problems related to the mechanics.

  • Mechanics

    Theoretical and practical applications of the science studying the action of displacements and forces on physical bodies to the development of machinery and mechanical devices.

  • Engineering processes

    The systematic approach to the development and maintenance of engineering systems.

  • Engineering principles

    The engineering elements like functionality, replicability, and costs in relation to the design and how they are applied in the completion of engineering projects.

Skills

  • Align components

    Align and lay out components in order to put them together correctly according to blueprints and technical plans.

  • Read standard blueprints

    Read and comprehend standard blueprints, machine, and process drawings.

  • Use power tools

    Operate power driven pumps. Use hand tools or power tools. Use vehicle repair tools or safety equipment.

  • Read engineering drawings

    Read the technical drawings of a product made by the engineer in order to suggest improvements, make models of the product or operate it.

  • Prepare pieces for joining

    Prepare metal or other material workpieces for joining processes by cleaning the workpieces, checking their measurements with the technical plan and marking on the pieces where they'll be joined.

  • Apply health and safety standards

    Adhere to standards of hygiene and safety established by respective authorities.

  • Liaise with engineers

    Collaborate with engineers to ensure common understanding and discuss product design, development and improvement.

  • Adjust engineering designs

    Adjust designs of products or parts of products so that they meet requirements.

  • Ensure vessel compliance with regulations

    Inspect vessels, vessel components, and equipment; ensure compliance with standards and specifications.

  • Fasten components

    Fasten components together according to blueprints and technical plans in order to create subassemblies or finished products.

  • Wear appropriate protective gear

    Wear relevant and necessary protective gear, such as protective goggles or other eye protection, hard hats, safety gloves.

Optional knowledge and skills

lead a team metal forming technologies defense system physical parts of the vessel operate lifting equipment use painting equipment operate handheld riveting equipment program a cnc controller sanding techniques material mechanics tend riveting machine cut metal products apply preliminary treatment to workpieces set up automotive robot use welding equipment industrial paint manipulate wood construct moulds types of metal types of maritime vessels rivet types cutting technologies fibreglass laminating cad software operate drilling equipment use cad software types of wood sand wood cae software operate precision measuring equipment

Common job titles

  • Apprenticeship positions
  • Shipwright
  • Various sailboat finish work shipwright
  • Shipwright i
  • Electrician/shipwright (7/28/17)
  • Ship fitter
  • Shipyard qualified tradesman