Safety Components Fabric Technologies recently won an Innovation Award for its Breakwater X in the Boatbuilding Methods and Materials category at the 2013 International BoatBuilders Exhibition & Conference. Breakwater X is a PVC alloy fabric with a 10-year warranty for permanent tops and enclosures that maintains a soft hand regardless of age or exposure.

In September 2013, Thom Dammrich, president of the National Marine Manufacturers Association, and Robert Marx, president of European Boating Industry, signed a declaration stating their mutual intention to reduce and eliminate unnecessary regulatory costs and unjustified regulatory differences between the EU and the U.S. in the boating industry. Signed during EU-U.S. trade negotiations launched in [...]

J. Ennis Fabrics and Para have decided to end their North American distribution agreement, effective the end of 2013.

New Haven, Mo.-based Marlen Textiles is consolidating and renaming its growing selection of coated-textile and solution-dyed products to make it easier to select the right fabric for customers and distributors. The new brand names will be introduced at the 2014 Marine Fabricators Association national convention in Charleston, S.C., in January. Alan Prelutsky, executive vice president, [...]

San Francisco fabricator Liz Diaz scores high-profile job designing and building course markers for 2013 America’s Cup races. By Jim Tarbox Even on the water, the old real-estate adage holds true: It’s all about location, location, location. Or in the case of San Francisco Bay MFC Liz Diaz, it’s the corollary “being in the right [...]

Faster, better, smarter: Is there always a way to get there? Maybe. And yet it’s not easy to determine what is faster, better or smarter for any one marine fabrication shop. Technological advancements in three-dimensional software and hardware engineering are changing the way many fabricators do business. While some programs might be cost-prohibitive for certain [...]

"The past years’ economic challenges have not been a problem for my business—in fact, I think they’ve made my business even stronger because I’ve separated my business from the competition,” says Dave Elliot, owner of David’s Custom Trimmers, Brisbane, Australia. “We offer products other similar businesses don’t offer in terms of strength and neatness, and [...]

Aquatic Leather introduces a unique textile made from actual fish skin, including carp, perch, bass, salmon and cobia to name a few. The company offers a variety of textile finishes, which include silk leather, glazed leather, and suede leather. This unique fabric is easy to mold and wrap to fit any product or innovative design. [...]

The small, compact, water-resistant handheld Bad Elf GPS Pro (Apple-approved) wirelessly allows up to five users of an iPod touch, iPhone or iPad to share real time, direct satellite GPS data for display on digital charts and a wide range of other compatible marine apps on board via satellite. Locking on to up to 15 [...]

Black & Decker brings power and innovation to the screwdriving category with the new Impact Screwdriver, a tool that provides superior speed and torque for improved performance. Where most cordless screwdrivers provide 180 revolutions per minute, the Impact Screwdriver drives screws, assembles furniture, and takes on other projects with a top speed of 2,200 rpms.