Boat interior upholstery techniques

August 31, 2023  |  Interiors & Upholstery, Projects

You’ve undoubtedly heard someone say, “Just let the next guys worry about it,” which usually means the product they’re sending out will be nearly impossible for the “next guys” to work on or repair. Boatman Marine Canvas works on all sorts of lake boats that are 38 feet and smaller. Time…
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Bimini top fitting basics

July 1, 2023  |  Exterior and Cover, Projects

When I was asked to write about making a bimini top in 1,000 words or less, I knew this would be a challenge, considering that I probably speak 1,000 words during each step of the process when I am teaching this in our workshops. So, I will provide an outline of steps with some tips to hopefully mak…
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Growing your small shop

July 1, 2023  |  Interiors & Upholstery, Projects

Every shop is unique and there is no one-size-fits-all solution for growing your business. Yet you can facilitate positive change at any stage by following some basic principles and taking some simple steps. There are lots of impressive tools and programs available to help your business grow, but ma…
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Center Console Enclosures

May 1, 2023  |  Exterior and Cover, Projects

Center console boats are a popular style of boat in my area, Yorktown, Va., along with sportfish, cruisers, trawlers and sailboats. In my opinion, center console enclosures are some of the most complicated enclosures to design. This style of boat usually has many challenges to overcome in order to g…
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Choosing the right fabrics

May 1, 2023  |  Interiors & Upholstery, Projects

There are many suppliers of fabrics in the marine industry. Upon researching just one of our suppliers, I discovered more than 4,000 fabrics, spanning 11 application categories, and each fabric was uniquely created for both the marine and other crossover industries. To cover even a portion of them w…
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Elegant rigid solar panel installation made easy

March 1, 2023  |  Exterior and Cover, Projects

An increasing number of jobs at Gemini Marine Canvas & Marine Products (GMP) in Rockland, Maine, begin with clients bringing in rigid solar panels. Rigid panels remain a firm favorite among boaters looking to augment their onboard electricity supply due to their higher efficiency, longer life sp…
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The wonderful (confusing) world of foam

March 1, 2023  |  Interiors & Upholstery, Projects

The marine industry needs foam, and a lot of it, as do a hundred other industries that provide comfort and support. From exercise equipment to airplanes, cars and furniture in our homes, there is foam available for nearly every use.
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Horizontal and cantilever frames

January 1, 2023  |  Exterior and Cover, Projects

Following the typical 10-to-20-year delay that “new ideas” seem to take to catch on in the canvas industry, the popularity and demand for horizontal frame systems and cantilever support systems has finally arrived everywhere. Sea Ray actually offered a horizontal aft frame option in 1999 on its …
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