Wallcoverings for vessel interiors

July 1, 2021  |  Interior, Shop Techniques

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 tru…
Advanced cushion fabrication

May 1, 2021  |  Interior, Shop Techniques

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…
Making custom projects look easy

March 1, 2021  |  Interior

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…
Working successfully in tight interior spaces

January 1, 2021  |  Interior, Shop Techniques

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 ove…
Benefits of project boards for custom projects

September 1, 2020  |  Interior, Shop Techniques

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 understa…
Your business can survive this pandemic

July 1, 2020  |  Interior, Shop Techniques

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 … <div><a href=…
2020 boat show highlights

May 1, 2020  |  Interior, Shop Techniques

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 gl…
Part Two: Knee-rise lumbar cushions stapled to a firm base

March 1, 2020  |  Interior, Shop Techniques

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 fabri…