July 1, 2021
By Terri Madden and Alayna Wool Wall panels and headliners make a statement when entering the saloon of a yacht. Much like the color or texture of the walls of your home, wall panels and headliners are items that cannot be overlooked—especially when they start to sag and age. Fresh wall panels truly enhance the …
May 1, 2021
By Mark Hood, MFC Compartment cushions can be challenging to fabricate. In this article, we will go step-by-step to fabricate a sample compartment cushion with a knee rise, starting with patterning the seating area for our foam. The pattern will be the finished cushion size to fit the cavity exactly. If a project requires a …
March 1, 2021
by Terri Madden and Alayna Wool A frequent challenge of our job as marine fabricators is making new marine interiors look like they could be featured in a Hollywood movie. Custom jobs require the skill set and flexibility to accommodate demands out in the field as well as the knowledge and expertise to work with …
January 1, 2021
By Terri Madden and Alayna Wool Before signing a client contract for a new interior project, it’s important to consider any unforeseen obstacles you might encounter on the job. This will help you surpass your client’s expectations and prevent profits from withering away due to having to work overtime. Pre-production communication is key to a …
September 1, 2020
by Terri Madden The familiar adage, “A picture is worth a thousand words,” is especially apt when it comes to a project board, a visual summary of all of a project’s components. A project board confirms that you have understood your customer’s requests, and it helps your staff understand and correctly fabricate the details for …
July 1, 2020
By Terri Madden When I moved to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and registered my business 23 years ago, I had only $2,000 in my pocket. It bought me the key to the door of an 800-square-foot space with a few worn-out tools and tables. I paid the lawyer who drew up the paperwork in the …
May 1, 2020
New trends in marine upholstery. By Terri Madden Marine fabricators can find the latest design innovations for marine canvas and upholstery by attending any of the top U.S. boat shows sponsored annually by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA). It is an ideal way for fabricators to glimpse the newest innovations in design, construction, equipment …
March 1, 2020
By Terri Madden In the January/February 2020 Marine Fabricator article “Part One: Fabricating knee-rise contour cushions,” I walked you through the steps to fabricate hi/lo knee-rise marine seating independent of a firm base. To achieve a similar stylish and impressive result, you can also fabricate this type of seating using a wood or PVC base. …
January 1, 2020
By Terri Madden Stylish, durable hi-lo/knee-rise contour cushions have become extremely popular. Executing these successfully can elevate your company. However, a project with contour cushions has a high degree of difficulty and requires expertise in specific techniques that can easily consume more hours than estimated. It’s a delicate dance to fabricate seating that is not …
September 1, 2019
By Terri Madden I moved to San Juan, Puerto Rico, in 1995 with a degree in textile design and experience in custom fabrication for residential spaces, leather bags and apparel. Fortunately, my brother-in-law had a fledgling canvas business specializing in exterior marine fabrication that desperately needed skilled employees. I was fascinated to learn about materials that …
