Chris-Craft, a wholly owned subsidiary of Winnebago Industries, opened a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Sarasota, Fla. The new building increases the company’s production capacity by 50 percent and spans more than 70,000 square feet, allowing for the full build of boats from start to finish. Using the latest manufacturing equipment and technology, Chris-Craft will [...]

The 2024 Marine Fabricators Conference will take place Jan. 25–27, 2024, at the Tradewinds Island Resorts in St. Pete Beach, Fla. The call for speakers is an opportunity for fabricators and their organizations to help develop valuable and worthwhile content that conference attendees are eager to hear. The conference will feature a variety of education [...]

The 2023 International Achievement Awards (IAA), which recognize design excellence and technical skill in specialty fabrics, are now open for entry. The awards recognize outstanding and innovative projects in 42 categories including advanced textiles, awnings and canopies, fabric environments, fabric structures, geosynthetic projects, marine and tent, and there are many subcategories. Sponsored by IFAI (now [...]

Glen Raven Inc. announced it has begun to phase out PFAS chemicals across its global fabric portfolio. The company began incorporating optimal non-PFAS solutions into production in February, and all production will be transitioned to non-PFAS by the end of 2023. In addition, all new fabric designs, including for the company’s flagship Sunbrella® brand, will [...]

The 2024 Marine Fabricators Conference will take place Jan. 25–27, 2024, at the Tradewinds Island Resorts in St. Pete Beach, Fla. The conference will feature a variety of education and networking events including hands-on technical education, classroom presentations on business topics, a welcome reception, awards dinner, and an extensive show floor. The conference is designed [...]

The Canadian government’s proposed “luxury tax” on new recreational boats valued above $250,000 CAD went into effect September 1, 2022. This month, the Canadian Department of Finance released a study and analysis on the economic impacts of the tax, which predicts a severe drop in sales revenue and hundreds of job losses from the federal [...]

As reported by the Marblehead Current, Marblehead, Mass., Krisha Plauche', owner of Onboard Interiors and a marine fabricator who has been in business for 20 years, will acquire Hood Marine Canvas Co. to create a one-stop shop for Marblehead boaters and sailors by combining her showroom and canvas manufacturing. “For the last 20 years, everyone [...]

The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) has released eight special-edition “The Boat Biz” podcasts. Recorded at MRAA’s Dealer Week Conference and Expo in Austin in December 2022, the podcasts feature eight guests—two MRAA Strategic Partners (Boats Group and Lightspeed) and six MRAA Education Champions (Boatline, Elite Recreational Finance, Global Marine Insurance, National Marine [...]

Registration for the recreational boating industry’s annual advocacy event, the American Boating Congress, is now open to all industry stakeholders. The American Boating Congress (ABC) will return to Washington, D.C., from May 8-10, 2023, bringing together all segments of the recreational boating industry to share its collective voice on Capitol Hill and address pressing matters [...]

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) has announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity making $12,423,000 available in Fiscal Year 2023 funds through the United States Marine Highway Program (USMHP), previously named America’s Marine Highway Program. The USMHP seeks to increase the use of America’s navigable waterways, especially where water-based transport is the most [...]