Quality Thread & Notions (QTN) is celebrating its 100th year anniversary as a thread and notions supplier. The company started as a supplier of sewing thread to the apparel industry in 1922. In the 1990’s, the company shifted its focus to the industrial market due to declining opportunities in the U.S. apparel market. Over the [...]

ATA (formerly IFAI) will present the webinar “Rhino3D and How CAD Will Improve Your Business” on July 20, 2022, from 1:00-2:00 pm EDT. The webinar is free for ATA members and $39 for nonmembers. Webinar presenter Adam Penner, of AP Consulting and Technical Services, is an authorized Rhino trainer, CNC technician and consultant who works [...]

The introduction of new model year products for 2023 are well underway, with boat manufacturers introducing new model year products June 1 through July 31. Ahead of the implementation deadline, the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) has outlined what to expect for the 2023 Model Year updates, including new electrification standards. The American Boat & [...]

2022 National Boating Industry Safety Awards call for entries The Sea Tow Foundation, in cooperation with its Boating Safety Advisory Council, announced the official call for entries for the 2022 National Boating Industry Safety Awards. The awards recognize efforts to promote safety on the water within the for-profit sector of the boating industry in the [...]

The American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) has launched an on-demand course for its newest professional certification, Advanced Marine Electrical. The online certification contains new videos, readable content for those working on the cutting edge of electrical systems and chapter review quizzes. The course covers topics such as alternative charging sources, AC power-conversion equipment and [...]

You won’t find Dan Fouratt holed up in an office working on the next big idea for marine fabricators and upholsters. Instead, the director of sourcing for Trivantage, the nation’s one-stop shop for fabrics, hardware, accessories, and expertise across industries, can be found at marinas, boat shows, and customer shops taking it all in to [...]

Keri Ames of Yachtsman’s Canvas operates in a 1,200-square-foot shop. Her creative space solutions include a small, wheeled tool cart that can be rolled between stations, shelving and file cabinets built above and beneath tables, and she has equipped two of her four sewing machines with wheels so she can move them out of the [...]

As I have grown Precision Custom Canvas Inc. from a single-person operation to a business of four full-time staff and two seasonal positions, I have struggled with the concept of providing a consistent living wage to my employees through the off-season while snow blankets the boats and ice fills the harbors. I have always known [...]

Space was no longer a constraint in the new 7,500-square-foot building, but the larger shop presented other challenges. Now spread out across three floors, with the primary sewing area located on the third floor, employee communication challenges were immediately evident. In 2019, I moved Chicago Marine Canvas into a new 2,500-square-foot space, and by the [...]

Award-winning travel covers, such as this handsome line of rachet strap covers, require an array of thoughtful decisions and careful techniques including the correct fabric choice, close tailoring and proper reinforcing. Fabricating travel covers presents a unique set of challenges for the marine fabricator. The cover needs to withstand highway traveling speeds, crosswinds and road [...]