Do you lie? “Of course not,” you’d probably respond to a question like this. You likely consider yourself a person of honesty and candor, someone who would never speak a falsehood. But what about those innocent “little white lies?” Those slight mistruths you proclaim in an effort to be polite or wiggle your way out [...]

In the recent past, innovative fabricators have created more flexible shade structures to allow boaters to enjoy their time in the sun with less risk to the dangers of overexposure, yet still maintaining flexibility of open-air cruising. A decade ago, shading on boats was relegated to permanent or semi-permanent structures. Marine fabricators, however, [...]

At Hood Canvas, we use binders large and small in all our canvas fabrications. Some fabricators we know apply smaller edge bindings around corners by hand and get excellent results. Every shop has its method of applying edge bindings around cutouts, but it can be difficult, especially for new fabricators. In this article we are [...]

At Kennedy Custom Upholstery, we make cushions in every size and shape and for every use. And they all start with a good pattern. Some customers want to just drop off their old cushions for the fabricator to use as the template for the new ones, but for the most control over the result it [...]

That first transaction with a new customer is all-important. It can cement the new relationship and lead to a lifetime of mutually profitable sales—if it’s managed right. That first transaction might be big or small, in-person or online. It might involve a purchase or it might center on a freebie. Happy young business people [...]

Marine fabricators are creating original exterior applications as their customers seek protection from the elements - and want to look good doing it. Employing the latest in technology, today's durable yet attractive fabrics and hardware meet the needs of boaters requesting a high-quality product that makes them stand apart from the crowd. The [...]

Our completed bimini enclosure. The vertical division at the corners originates at the Natural Intersection under the visors. At Hood Canvas we have two variations of our patterning technique. The first is our one-step process in which we make our entire pattern in one trip to the boat. The second is our two-step [...]

Building custom interiors allow us to go from being upholsterers to designers to make something uniquely comfortable and classy. Building a custom interior in a vessel can be a challenge or an excitement. This all depends on how the project is presented to the customer, especially if in the beginning you can portray [...]

Our project traditional dodger on our customer's late-60s Hinckley Bermuda 40 in Marblehead, Mass. At Hood Canvas we fabricate California dodgers as well as traditional dodger styles. The style we use depends on the aesthetics of the boat and the owners’ preferences. In the last article we covered fabricating a traditional dodger forward [...]

Updates to a boat’s interior design and upholstery provide boat owners the opportunity to easily express their individuality through their boat’s appearance. Options for creative expression have never been greater thanks to new colors, textures and patterns produced in high-performance fabrics. Fabric trends Traditional nautical colors are updated in this salon through the creative [...]