When I think about why our customers keep coming back boat after boat, year after year, I find peace knowing they have been very pleased with their canvas. We have seen customers return for new canvas after we did their original project 15 or more years ago. They say, “We came back to you because [...]

Shade sails have become increasingly popular, but customers may not understand what they need to accomplish their shade goals. Clear communication with the customer is key to a successful project. When fabricating shade sails, the first thing to consider is, What are you trying to accomplish? This is where communication with the customer is key. [...]

CNC and manual quilt stitching allow you to create an additional internal profit center while providing additional design elements for your customer. By Mike and John Erickson In the last few years, quilt stitching on cushions has become very popular in the marine upholstery industry. The trend started with high-end car interiors and has made [...]

Michael and Rachel Charlton in their Yorktown, Va.-based shop, Charlton’s Marine Canvas. Having been in business for four years, their projects have won Awards of Excellence, Awards of Achievement and Awards of Distinction in both the 2020 and 2021 MFA Fabrication Excellence Awards contest. Think outside the box. By Mike Charlton At Charlton’s Marine Canvas [...]

Darren Arthur in his New Jersey-based shop, Nautilux Custom Canvas. Arthur says his focus is on incorporating and developing technology standards for the industry while maintaining the craft. By Darren Arthur So, what is all this buzz about technology within the marine canvas industry? Some use it, some don’t, but within the next few years [...]

This custom Makrolon enclosure is on a Dix 57 steel-hulled sailing sloop restored by the author's friends over the past 18 years. Photo taken in Smiths Cove, Gloucester, Mass. By Mark Hood, MFC At Hood Canvas, we fabricate rigid panels frequently. We have devised a method of fabricating these panels that is more mainstream than [...]

By Steven Wayne One of the worst upholstery projects to tackle are cushions that boat owners have let go to the point of no return. Customers often have an unrealistic sense of what’s involved in creating the finished product. Yet, even these projects can be streamlined with the right processes and procedures. Upholstery. It’s a [...]

Whitney Carman chose WeatherMAX® 3D for this Viking 80’s 15-by-15-foot temporary shade structure. Panels were individually cut into triangles to create a symmetrical design aesthetic. Photo: Even Keel Canvas LLC. Whitney Carman relies on lateral thinking and relationship building to create innovative shade solutions. By Sigrid Tornquist “I think one of the reasons my projects [...]

By Leo Pohlmann, in collaboration with Zach Pohlmann Throughout my 30 years of marine canvas experience as the owner of Uncharted Marine Canvas, I’ve seen many trends come and go. One that has emerged within the past five to 10 years is the creation of cockpit covers on sportfishing boats. Located in the Florida Panhandle, [...]

By Keith Purves, MFC One of the most useful, purposeful and absolutely frustrating features on a clear vinyl enclosure is the simple U-zip. A properly built U-zip looks good, opens and closes easily, and allows boaters the freedom of having the wind in their hair or the full protection of an enclosure when Mother Nature [...]