The Nautical Needle, Holland, Mich.

This project, which won an Outstanding Achievement Award in the soft enclosures category of the 2008 MFA Awards, involved an aft deck enclosure off an existing hardtop that included nine removable panels, two of which needed to connect to existing panels and three Phifertex panels. The Nautical Needle bent and installed a 1 ¼-inch frame to accommodate the enclosure. The crown of the frame had to match the contour of the hardtop. The enclosure needed to be clear with no screening or horseshoe zippers to provide the best clarity. The top needed to be flat to prevent the pocketing of water.