FACULTY
Jacob Greiner
Wooden Boatbuilding Instructor
Jake Greiner ’10 is our Wooden Boatbuilding Instructor. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music from Skidmore College. Like many college graduates, he had no idea what to do next! Jake had grown up sailing, loved boats, and enjoyed working with his hands, so he enrolled at The Landing School and holds certificates from the Wooden Boatbuilding and Yacht Design programs. Before teaching at TLS, Jake worked in the marine industry at several well-respected companies and boat shops. He worked at Hall’s Boat Corporation on Lake George, NY, with notable work on the restoration of an 1899 Elco electric launch and a 1926 Charles Mower-designed Long Island Sound Interclub, where he worked on many award-winning restorations of powerboats and sailboats at Tumblehome Boat Shop, including a 1916 Fay & Bowen torpedo stern launch, a 1926 Fay & Bowen Junior runabout, and two more 1926 Long Island Sound Interclubs. Jake returned to The Landing School with over a decade of wooden boatbuilding and restoration experience and is excited to share his knowledge with the next generation of boatbuilders!
Duane Branch ’90 is a Senior Yacht Design Instructor. He began working at The Landing School in 2020. He is a TLS graduate of the Yacht Design program. Duane received a degree in Electrical Engineering and worked in this field for years. After graduating from TLS, Duane spent a year as a teaching assistant under Chuck Burns and was hired as a designer and engineer at Gold Coast Yachts in St Croix USVI. They design and build multihull vessels, mostly for the day charter trade, but they also design some cruising catamarans and trimarans. While in the Virgin Islands, he got his US Coast Guard 50-ton license and worked in sailing instruction, day charter, term charter, deliveries, and water taxis. He was even lucky enough to run some of the vessels he helped design and build. In 1997, he started his own yacht design company. Later on he moved to New England and worked as a design engineer at Goetz Custom, Pearson Composites, and New England Boatworks. Duane has presented three times at the International Boatbuilder Exhibition. When not working, you will find him working on his own boats or sailing!
Nick Patey
Program Facilitator
Nicholas Patey ’14 is the Program Facilitator at The Landing School, working behind the scenes with students on a daily basis. He is also an instructor in both the Marine Systems and Composite Boatbuilding programs. Nick also teaches the Captain’s Course. He holds an Associate’s Degree in Applied Science in Marine Industry Technology. He Is a Master ABYC Technician with certifications in Diesel, Electric, and Marine Systems and Standards. He began working at The Landing School in 2016 and has worked at the school in both a full and part time capacity. Nicholas grew up on the water and started work in the charter trade at a young age. He worked along the coast of New England in the capacity of Deckhand, Mate, Engineer and Captain. He worked as a Captain in the sail training industry. He taught middle school, high school, and college students to operate traditional sailing vessels. Nick has also worked independently as a marine technician and surveyor and has been involved in multiple restoration projects as a contractor.
Roland Saucier ’95 & ’96 is a Yacht Design Instructor. He received an associate’s degree from The Landing School upon completion of the Wooden Boatbuilding and Yacht Design Programs. Roland comes to TLS with over 25 years of Design and Construction experience. He spent 15 years working in Europe on a variety of projects including America’s Cup Challenge by Team Germany. He has worked in offices in Spain, Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. Before moving to Europe, Roland worked on projects including The Schooner Amistad for Tri-Coastal Marine and a 48m Superyacht for Pedrick Yacht Designs. Having worked in Camden, Maine on the restoration of the 8m class yacht Angelita, he is experienced as a wooden boatbuilder. Roland is happy to be back home in Maine after so many years in Europe. He loves to spend time here exploring the forests.
Addison Harper ’23 is a Marine Systems Instructor. He is a recent graduate of The Landing School Yacht Design program. He brings professional skills from the field and personal experience as a TLS student, which helps our shop and classroom support our students' successes. Prior to joining us as an instructor, he worked for 6 years in a myriad of roles in boatbuilding, marine systems, and composites. Addison began at Boston BoatWorks building and installing systems on semi-custom yachts. From there, he transitioned to Courageous Sailing Center in Boston Harbor where he was responsible for maintaining a 60+ boat fleet consisting of both sail and power boats. He also worked at Birch Marine, providing mobile marine service at various marinas throughout the Boston Harbor. Notably, he rebuilt four Rhodes 19 sailboats, which gave him a platform to solidify his experience with composites. Addison is an experienced sailor with 20,000 nautical miles under his belt. From competing at the international and national level of one design racing to participating in various offshore regattas, he is always ready to get out on the water! His favorite accomplishment was competing in a Transatlantic race in 2019. When not on the water racing, you’ll find him enjoying the outdoors in other ways, primarily snowboarding and fishing!
Zachary Volpicelli ’04 is our Marine Systems Instructor. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Bennington College, a Diploma in Marine Systems from The Landing School, a USCG Captains License, and is ABYC certified in Propulsion, AC & DC Electrical, and Refrigeration & Corrosion. Growing up on Cape Cod, Zachary spent a significant amount of time exploring New England by water. He brings a wealth of knowledge to his role after having worked in all aspects of Marine Engineering and Boatyard Operations. Before attending the Landing School as a student in 2003, he had a career in the IT industry as a Networks and Systems Administrator, Web Designer, and Programmer at Brandeis University. He and his wife took a year off and sailed across the Pacific Ocean from California to the Hawaiian Islands. After graduating from TLS, Zachary spent years working as an Operations Manager for one of the largest boatyards in the Seattle area and spent time exploring parts of Alaska as well as the San Juan Islands in the Pacific Northwest. He moved back to New England to be near family and helped run a small boat yard on Nantucket Sound. He lives on Cape Cod with his wife Tabitha.
Packer McBride
Wooden Boatbuilding Instructor
Packer McBride serves as the assistant instructor for the wooden boat program at The Landing School. A graduate of the school’s Wooden Boat program (2021), Packer originally hails from Mississippi, where he worked as a graphic artist, designer, and photographer. Inspired by a lifelong aspiration to construct wooden boats, he enrolled at The Landing School after spending summers on the St. Lawrence River. Following his graduation, Packer undertook an independent study, building a St. Lawrence skiff. His education and experiences at The Landing School facilitated the development of enduring professional relationships. They ultimately led to the establishment of his own workshop dedicated to the construction and restoration of wooden boats. Outside of his professional pursuits, Packer enjoys fishing and spending time on the water, enthusiastically sharing his passion with students and colleagues alike.
