The big three—a dodger, bimini and enclosure combination on a Hylas 54 sailing yacht—combine a multitude of skill sets. It is one of the most challenging of all canvas projects to pull off correctly. In this article, we will examine the order of fabrication, techniques unique to this combination and pitfalls to avoid when fabricating [...]

It’s an unwelcome responsibility, but almost every business owner and manager will eventually come face-to-face with the disagreeable task of terminating one or more employees. “Firing people is one of the toughest, most unpleasant things you do as an employer,” says James Walsh in his book Rightful Termination (Merritt Publishing 2006). “Your stomach tightens and [...]

Photo 1: The exterior upholstery on this custom-built vessel by Nor-Tech offers tones of sand and ivory in different, yet complementary textures of vinyl.Photo 2: The decorative topstitching in contrasting colors on the seat of this custom-built vessel by Deep Impact is striking. Formerly flat cushion surfaces are transformed with visually appealing diamond-quilted patterns [...]

Mark Merritt, owner of Central Florida Canvas in Leesburg, Fla., is a fifth-generation Floridian. He has spent most of his career working in the marine business starting with building fiberglass boats in the mid-1980s to becoming a certified marine mechanic. He established Central Florida Canvas in 2003 and fabricates a wide range of custom-built canvas [...]

“Nopkehee” 40-foot Andreyale yacht is covered for the winter. This article is a follow-up to the one I wrote in the May/June issue of Marine Fabricator in which I discussed the project plan our team utilized to meet the customer’s request for a full boat cover for a 40-foot Andreyale yacht. The boat [...]

Charlie and Marcia Kees are the owners of Mister Sew-N-Sew Custom Boat Canvas. Based in Waterford, N.Y., the marine fabrication business designs and sews boat covers and marine upholstery for a variety of makes and models of boats. From bimini covers to mooring covers to camper-style marine covers, all custom work is professionally designed and [...]

If yours is a typical manufacturing shop, workers’ compensation costs—or the threat of them—can quickly become a major expense. Almost every business in the United States that has employees must deal with the cost of workers’ compensation, so you’re not alone in this potentially damaging liability. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help [...]

Exterior mattress that sat next to a Jacuzzi. An exterior mesh cover over Dri-Fast® foam could have prevented the deterioration of the vinyl cover over polyfoam. Stagnant water grew mold and the seams allowed the water and mold to seep into the polyfoam. All marine fabricators who provide products for cushions, bedding and [...]

These days every new employee brings a possible threat to your business, including theft, sexual harassment, physical violence, identity theft, fraud and drug use. The potential for ruinous legal actions is higher today than ever before. That’s why a background check before you hire an applicant could save your business. It’s essential that background checks [...]

A comfortable custom exterior seating design for one client’ssite-specific alcove. Cushion foam is an important component of any marine seating project. From cockpit cushions with hull angles to bosun’s chairs and boat mattresses, choosing the best solution for cushion foam is a bit of a science. The task can feel daunting given the [...]