By Dara Syrkin

Fabricators are mobilizing their know-how and dreaming up options
for the future.

“We will soon be installing a sewing machine on our work barge,” says Justin Jones. “It currently serves us by being able to get all our tools and product right to the boat for fitting or installation. At some point we want to be able to provide minor onsite repairs, but there will never be a good substitute for a big sewing table and all the supplies our shop has to offer.”
For Sean Lawlor, “Typical on-water repairs are all in the Chesapeake Bay’s rivers, mainly off of the Severn River in Annapolis, across from the Naval Academy. The most common repairs are re-stitching, zipper repairs and isinglass replacement. Hardware and frame repairs can be done on the boat without transport. Some repairs will be brought back to the shop.

“As a custom fabricator business,” Lawlor says, “we do more than repairs. I custom pattern and fit everything on site for each individual’s boat whether it is at a dock, mooring or on the hard. Some jobs involve a bit more creativity than others. One particular customer wanted engine vent covers during the winter. The tricky part was how to install them with the boat in the water. I used my paddleboard to get to the boat and used large suction cups to maneuver. It was successful and the customer was ecstatic!”