When securing one thing to another thing, the project often dictates the method, which is why in most shops you’ll find an array of attachment tools and hardware. Still, some are relied on more than others, inspiring us to wonder—what fasteners and attachment tools can’t marine fabricators do without? Here’s what they told us. 

Stayput Fasteners

Often deployed as an alternative to snaps, Stayput Fasteners, which come in black or white, are found on many covers and enclosures since they can be used even when the material shrinks, says Tom Matson. Because these can wear out over time, he makes sure to have plenty on hand for repair work.

“I have also created a tool, by modifying an existing snap tool, to help facilitate the removal of the fasteners in the field,” says Matson. “I then use a small pair of welding locking pliers to squeeze the fastener together. This saves a lot of time, as I can do the repairs on the boat instead of taking off the panels and bringing them into the shop.”

Tom Matson, canvas technician, Bayport Marina Canvas & Upholstery Shop, Bayport, Minn.

Consew^® 206RB-1 Sewing Machine

“Without a machine that is built for the fabrics and the projects you’ll be working on, you are just spinning your wheels and will be repairing more than sewing,” says Steven Wayne, explaining why the sewing machines are so important to his shop.

“We’ve had our machines for some time,” he continues. “We had to custom-fabricate a double-tension setup with a quick lever plate release, but newer machines have this setup I believe.”

Steven Wayne, founder/operator, Southern Stitch Canvas & Upholstery LLC, Gulfport, Miss.

Hoover Pres-N-Snap

It’s the tool they rely on to put all the snaps into the canvas, using it on nearly every project, says Kyle Van Damme, adding he believes this tool is currently the only one that accomplishes this swiftly while delivering reliable, high-quality results every time. However, he anticipates that down the road, there might be additional options.

“I know there are other tools in the works to rival this tool, and those will be exciting to see as they are developed and put into production,” he says.

Kyle Van Damme, MFC, co-owner, Marine Tops Unlimited, Omro, Wis.

Seamstick 3⁄8-inch basting tape for canvas

This is one of his shop’s “go-to” attachment tools, says Rick Berkey, adding that this double-sided, acrylic-adhesive tape has many applications—for example, when joining two fabric edges, adding a zipper to a project, or when a watertight seam is needed for a top. The tape, which also comes in ¼-inch width, is strong enough to hold even heavy fabrics together while moving them through the sewing machine, and yet it can be easily peeled apart for repositioning.

“It provides more accurate hems and water-resistant seams,” Berkey says. “We also find it works well to hold patches in place before being sewn in place.” 

Rick Berkey, owner, Rick’s Custom Marine Canvas and Sail Repair, Cornelius, N.C.

Harbor Freight Tools Drill Master

The Drill Master Hollow Punch six-piece set makes it much easier for Keri Ames to “cut” the necessary size hole for various fasteners, such as grommets, Pull-the-DOT^® (cloth to cloth) and others while on the boat.

“The drill hole cutters come in various sizes and easily attach to a drill,” she says, explaining one of the reasons why this is among her handiest attachment tools.

Keri Ames, owner, Yachtsman’s Canvas and Marine Canvas Training, North Wales, Pa.

Snap-on^® Pliers

A perfect fit for her hands, helping her to grab small threads when repairing thread lines, Faith Roberts describes the small, insulated, spring-loaded pliers from Snap-on as her must-have attachment device. The fact that their tips don’t wear out—unlike other pliers she has tried—is also a big plus, making this tool as important to Roberts as her pair of scissors. 

Faith Roberts, owner, Banner Canvas, Ham Lake, Minn.

Business Source Long-Reach Stapler

Although a very common tool, this 12-inch stapler allows Mike Charlton to access hard-to-reach areas to temporarily attach two pieces of fabric for sewing, making it a handy one to have in the shop.

Mike Charlton, owner, Charlton’s Marine Canvas, Yorktown, Va.  

Seamstick Taper

One attachment tool Zack Baacala and his partner Josh Goodyear “cannot live without” is the Trivantage Seamstick Taper, calling it the “single biggest time-saving and hassle-reducing tool” they have in their shop.

“For one of our clients, we frequently use 40 to 50 feet of zipper chain at a time, and using the zipper taper, we are able to evenly apply Seamstick tape to both halves of the zipper in less than a minute,” Baacala says. “We also use it on zippers that are being taped to windows for U-zips, taping zippers that are going to be used on enclosure panels and taping zippers to keder welt.”

What makes this attachment tool so great is that it evenly applies pressure to the tape, which prevents the zipper from getting pulled to one side or the other, he explains. As a result, it not only makes applying tape to zippers really fast, it also makes zippers easier to work with since they lie flat after being taped.

“I’m not sure I can adequately express how much we love this,” Baacala says. “We use it nearly every day. I’d almost say that if shops don’t have it, they’re missing out on a really handy tool.”

Zack Baacala, co-owner, Top Stitch Marine Canvas, Middle River, Md.

Fasnap^® Hook & Loop

One fastener item James Foster seriously appreciates is the hook and loop fastener from Fasnap Corp., saying its versatility and durability, along with how easy it is to use, makes it one of his go-to attachment tools.

James Foster, owner/fabricator, Heber Springs Marine Upholstery, Heber Springs, Ark.

Gore^® Tenara^® 1400 and 2500 denier mono core PTFE thread

These threads are favorites of his for two reasons, says Shane Beashel. First, their high UV-resistance gives him peace of mind that his covers won’t fail because of thread deterioration—which also helps uphold his reputation for quality work, he adds. Second, because of their aesthetics, the threads contribute to the beauty of his finished projects.

Shane Beashel, owner/founder, SB Marine Trimming, Newport, Sydney, Australia

Bainbridge Snap Gun

This fastening tool is so essential that Krisha Plauché says her company now has three, keeping her team set up with the necessary attachments based on which snap is needed. They also usually carry one of these in their work van, labeling it with their shop name in case it gets left behind anywhere.

“We must put in a thousand snaps each year,” Plauché says, explaining why this is one of their favorite tools. “Using the gun is so much faster than punching out and hand-setting.”

Capt. Krisha Plauché, Onboard Interiors LLC & Hood Canvas, Marblehead, Mass.

Kayospruce Stainless Adjustable External End Plug

John Bland’s can’t-do-without attachment item is the stainless adjustable external end plug for 1-inch tube by Kayospruce. Why is this tool so important to him?

“It allows for adjustment to the frameworks and tensions the canvas,” he explains. “It also allows for stretch and later on for shrinkage in the canvas by allowing you to adjust the frame tension without having to modify the existing canvas.”

John Bland, managing director, Tecsew Ltd., Lee-on-the-Solent, England

Valley Industrial Products Superstick Tape

Whether ¼-inch or 3⁄8-inch, this double-sided tape is put to work every day, says Jess Flegel, explaining that the shop uses it for all types of projects like patterning, pre-attaching reinforcing, pre-attaching zippers, polycarb window assembly and other miscellaneous tasks around the shop.

Jess Flegel, shop and production manager, Oyster Creek Canvas Co., Bellingham, Wash.

Bostitch^® B-8 Stapler

Simple yet essential, Bill Marriott uses his Bostitch B-8 stapler (and 1⁄4-inch staples) to hold canvas together before sewing and for fitting canvas on a boat.

“I use it to hold all of the darts in the canvas while I’m fitting a full towing boat cover,” he says. “It allows me to shape the canvas while fitting so I know the canvas cover will be form-fitted when completed.”

Bill Marriott, owner/designer, Extreme Upholstery Designs, Summerville, S.C. 

Pamela Mills-Senn is a freelance writer based in Seal Beach, Calif.