MFA names Rookie of the Year and Attendee’s Choice
Attendees of the 2025 Marine Fabricators Conference reviewed submissions for the Marine Fabricators Association’s (MFA) annual Fabrication Excellence Awards and voted for their favorite project by first-time attendees and their favorite project by veteran conference-goers.
Attendees chose “Swimming Pool Slide Cover” from Whitewater Canvas in Dover, Minn. As the Rookie of the Year. “47-foot Freeman” from Charlton’s Marine Canvas in Yorktown, Va., won Attendee’s Choice. “What set this project apart from other outdoor covers we have made, was the complex curvature of the slide,” said John Derouin about the “Swimming Pool Slide Cover.” “We had to tape together multiple pieces of plastic to create the pattern of the slide. Also, the ease of installation was important to our customer. We needed to figure out how to make it easy to install yet fit tight around the slide.”

Projects chosen for Rookie of the Year and Attendee’s Choice were not exclusive to those that won an Award of Excellence or an Outstanding Achievement from the Fabrication Excellence Awards.
“This massive center console enclosure consists of eight panels. The client wanted wind and spray protection to transform this boat into a much more comfortable ride while cruising at speeds up to 80 mph,” said Mike Charlton about the “47-foot Freeman.” “The vessel’s high speed meant everything had to be seriously reinforced. This included the Stamoid Open on the outside, and double layers with double stitching of 18-ounce vinyl-coated polyester on the inside.”
