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Marlinspike & Trayer | Bootcamp Phase 2
Creative Director
Project Status: Bluesky / Concept
Name: Marlinspike & Trayer AKA Bootcamp Phase 2
Client: Battleship USS IOWA | National Museum of the Surface Navy
Location: San Pedro, CA
Role: Creative Director
- Project Management
- Executive Communication
- Themed Entertainment Design
Team/Others: American Scenic Design
High Concept: Guests will go through training at naval bootcamp where they will learn valuable skills & teamwork.
My Role
As Creative Director, I led the creative vision for Marlinspike & Trayer, guiding the project's narrative, guest experience, and overall design direction. I collaborated with project stakeholders to develop the experience from an initial idea into a cohesive concept while ensuring each design decision supported the story being told. Throughout development, I coordinated the creative process and refined the project through research, iteration, and feedback.
The Design Process
Research
I began by researching the USS Marlinspike, USS Trayer, and the Navy's capping ceremony to understand how each experience could contribute to the overall story. My goal was to ensure every room reflected authentic naval training while fitting naturally into the guest journey.
Space Planning
Working with a very limited footprint, I challenged myself to fit three distinct experiences into a space filled with existing pipes, columns, and structural supports. Rather than treating these obstacles as limitations, I incorporated many of them into the design to make the environment feel authentic.
Marlinspike
I designed the Marlinspike as an interactive classroom where guests learn the fundamentals of line handling before putting those skills into practice. To make the lesson engaging, I incorporated a self-writing chalkboard and a lenticular illusion that creates the feeling of mooring and unmooring the training ship.
Trayer
One of my biggest challenges was designing a convincing flooding effect inside a historic steel ship. I had to account for pumps, filtration, drainage, and maintenance while also preventing guests from skipping directly to the water feature. I solved this by concealing the entrance behind a hallway, building anticipation and preserving the intended story progression.
Capping Ceremony
The capping ceremony was originally optional, but as the project evolved I realized it was too important to the story to leave out. I redesigned the layout to include a final space celebrating the transition from trainee to sailor, giving the experience a more meaningful and complete conclusion.
The Outcome
Marlinspike & Trayer remains an active project that continues to evolve as new ideas are explored and refined. Future iterations will focus on expanding guest interactions, strengthening the narrative, and further developing the experience in preparation for future implementation. While the project is still growing, it has provided valuable experience in creative leadership, experience design, and developing immersive concepts from the ground up.
