July 2018

  • Published On: July 31, 2018

    Caption: Lakeside Marine Canvas Inc., in Buford, Ga., will host the MFA Southeast Regional Workshop Sept. 28-29. The two-day workshop will feature networking opportunities and marine education on Pontoon boat patterning and fabrication, cushion patterning techniques, sewing machine maintenance and more. The MFA Southeast Regional Workshop is being held Sept. 28-29 at Lakeside [...]

  • Published On: July 26, 2018

    Soundings Trade Only has launched a new awards program for the recreational boating industry called the Most Innovative Marine Companies Awards. The awards will acknowledge innovative initiatives companies are using to advance their businesses including innovative materials, new manufacturing processes, fresh marketing approaches, workforce solutions, supply chain, export programs and others. The awards are open [...]

  • Published On: July 24, 2018

    President Donald Trump signed an executive order to prioritize and expand workforce development, which seeks to create and fill American jobs with American workers. The order establishes the National Council for the American Worker with the goals of developing a national strategy for training and retraining workers, and utilizing data to connect American businesses, workers [...]

  • Published On: July 19, 2018

    The States Organization for Boating Access (SOBA) will hold its 2018 Annual Boating Access Conference from Sept. 24-27 in Duluth, Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is the conference host and the theme for this year’s conference is, “Access is the Bridge to Superior Water Recreation Experiences.” Lake Superior, one of the world’s largest [...]

  • Published On: July 17, 2018

    A variety of short training videos are now available for marine fabricators who are new to the industry or are looking for a techniques refresher. The Marine Fabrication Association (MFA) how-to member videos include a six-part series on bimini tops and a three-part series on frame bending, among others. The videos were produced by the [...]

  • Published On: July 12, 2018

    The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) is redoubling its efforts in the fight against Asian carp infiltrating the Great Lakes – an aquatic invasive species (AIS) that can damage native ecosystems. Last week, NMMA held meetings with Congressional officials and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) regarding the status of the Brandon Road Study, [...]

  • Published On: July 10, 2018

    After a blockbuster year, industry sources say a trade war could put the brakes on the U.S. boating industry. Several boat dealers in Minnesota have already reported higher prices on 2019 orders and wonder if more increases are on the way, according to an article in the Minneapolis StarTribune newspaper. U.S. boat sales were at [...]

  • Published On: July 5, 2018

    digiShapes™ LLC in Kent, Wash., takes 3-D measurements of entire boats to create automatic boat covers. Photo: digiShapes. Tim James, co-owner of digiShapes™ LLC in Kent, Wash., is a software developer with an interest in marine canvas. His company takes 3-D measurements of entire boats, which are then converted into automatic boat covers. [...]

  • Published On: July 3, 2018

    Care and maintenance of clear vinyl products, especially those like Strataglass® that are coated to be scratch-resistant, requires cleaning methods using specific cleaning and protection products, according to Craig R. Zola, vice president for marketing and distribution at Herculite® Products Inc., parent company of Strataglass, based in Emigsville, Pa. In the harsh marine environment, it’s [...]

  • Published On: July 1, 2018

    To keep this Strataglass® vinyl and other marine fabrics looking good and performing well, boat owners need to put in a little work when the day is done. Photo: Herculite. Fabricators play an important role in teaching customers to keep their boats in shape. It’s pretty simple. People buy boats because they want [...]