September 18, 2017
The National Marine Manufacturers Association’s (NMMA) New Powerboat Registrations Report has been updated through July 2017, and advance data show new powerboat registrations were up 6.1 percent year-over-year for the rolling twelve-month period through July. Highlights from the report include: All boat segments were up through July. Growth in registrations was led by the following …
September 13, 2017
The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) will assist and continue to share news and tips for businesses impacted by hurricanes in Texas, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. Resources and tools for businesses and individuals in regions impacted by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma are being coordinated by FEMA here. A list of key NMMA staff contacts can be …
After speaking with vendors and service providers, and with no damage to the Tampa Convention Center or surrounding hotels following Hurricane Irma, the International Boatbuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) will go on as scheduled September 19 – 21. All hotel room blocks and reservations remain unchanged, as do the pre-event workshops on Monday, September 18, and …
September 8, 2017
The MFA Awards are now open for entries! MFA members are being notified in advance of non-member industry professionals. Submit your best fabrication projects for an opportunity to win a Fabrication Excellence Award. Participation is simple, so submit your projects today! The deadline to submit projects will be November 30, 2017. No exceptions. Fabrication Excellence …
SADIRA Marine Products will be launching SADIRA Teak Shampoo. The company says it removes tough stains from teak and exotic woods including coffee, wine, blood and oil. The 100 percent biodegradable shampoo is safe and gentle enough for regular use on boat decks and wood furniture. Despite its ability to clean tough stains, the company …
September 7, 2017
Safety Components has named Erich Schwieterman to its sales and marketing development team. In his new role, Schwieterman is responsible for sales and promotion of the company’s award-winning WeatherMAX and BreakWater X performance fabrics in the marine, RV, automotive and aviation markets. Schwieterman has 12 years of experience working with outdoor fabrics. Most recently, he …
September 6, 2017
As Hurricane Irma potentially threatens the Tampa area, the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) has announced that the 2017 Progressive® Insurance Tampa Boat Show®, originally scheduled for September 8-10, will be postponed until October 13-15. All exhibitor space assignments will remain the same for the October dates at the Tampa Convention Center. Updated move-in and …
September 1, 2017
The marine environment poses many considerations for fabricators providing products like cushions, windshield covers, enclosures and the like to this industry. Not only do they have to take the sun, wind, salt air and water into account, they must also figure out how to keep these items firmly in place (while being easy to take …
The big three—a dodger, bimini and enclosure combination on a Hylas 54 sailing yacht—combine a multitude of skill sets. It is one of the most challenging of all canvas projects to pull off correctly. In this article, we will examine the order of fabrication, techniques unique to this combination and pitfalls to avoid when fabricating …
Typically, it’s the “wow” factor of something that most impresses an audience. In the marine industry, it might be a gorgeous new canvas sail or a striking custom upholstered sofa with decorative topstitching. The clients’ reactions to the finished product are not only gratifying, but those oohs and aahs are critical to drumming up more …