March 2013

  • Published On: March 1, 2013

    The Industrial Fabrics Foundation’s 2013 scholarship program—including one dedicated to studies in marine fabrication—is now accepting applications. To qualify for the MFA Member Scholarship award, applicants must be employed by or related to an employee of a Marine Fabricators Association member company. The deadline for application is May 17, 2013. Foundation scholarships provide access to [...]

  • Published On: March 1, 2013

    While boating might appear to be a male-dominated sport, research shows it’s women who often drive buying decisions for watercraft purchases and upgrades. With that information in hand, Glen Raven recently sponsored a Marine Design Challenge, inviting fashion design students at North Carolina State University to create boating designs with female consumers in mind. “We [...]

  • Published On: March 1, 2013

    Quality Threads’ new Guardian thread with Microban is the first thread on the market that has antimicrobial protection. Sewing creates crevices and areas that can trap and allow the growth of bacteria; Guardian fights the growth of stain and odor causing bacteria in the susceptible areas. Guardian thread is ideal for the marine, awning and [...]

  • Published On: March 1, 2013

    The Quality Thread & Notions Co. of Solon, Ohio, has introduced Vision embroidery thread—recommended for marine upholstery and tops, commercial awnings, umbrellas, custom automotive interiors, and other markets—formulated to retain its color in outdoor applications where UV exposure occurs. Third-party testing has shown little to no color loss over 500 hours of UV exposure. When [...]

  • Published On: March 1, 2013

    Left exposed to winter weather, most coated fabrics are liable to stiffen and crack, particularly when the fabric moves or is folded in freezing temperatures. Frigid conditions present no challenge for WeatherMax fabric by Safety Components. It undergoes no change in properties, remaining pliable (for easy folding) to -40 degrees F. For use on boat [...]

  • Published On: March 1, 2013

    Sometimes a simple splash of color is all that is needed to modernized a decorating scheme. A successful redesign will take into account the customer's age and personality, and the vessel and it's purpose. The first quarter of each year is rife with predictions. Will the clothing color trends you see in Sunday [...]

  • Published On: March 1, 2013

    Solid customer relationships is the underlying goal in successful sales. By Barb Ernster Sales strategies might serve different objectives and involve different tactics, but for the most part they are universal to businesses of any size, follow the same trends, and transcend industries. Building solid relationships with customers is the underlying goal in successful selling, [...]

  • Published On: March 1, 2013

    By Barb Ernster Business owners can establish an effective sales and marketing strategy with some simple steps. It is important to understand that while sales and marketing go hand in hand, they serve different roles. Simply put, marketing creates customer prospects, and sales turns those prospects into revenue. However, with many small marine canvas businesses, the [...]

  • Published On: March 1, 2013

    Award of Distinction | Canvas Innovations | Holland, Mich. This project won a 2013 MFA Award of Distinction in the exterior upholstery category. For this project, the customer wanted the new upholstery to be different than the standard Four Winns boat because he was tired of everyone comparing his Liberator to everyone else’s. The customer [...]

  • Published On: March 1, 2013

    Outstanding Achievement Award | Sand Sea and Air Interiors Inc. | San Juan, Puerto Rico This project won a 2013 MFA Outstanding Achievement Award in the exterior upholstery category. The customer requested a total replacement of the exterior upholstery for this high-profile speedboat. The seating area had exposed and recessed hi-lo cushions that could accommodate [...]