Fabricators' inventory management needs vary from simple to complex. A customer contacts your shop for a new bimini top for his boat. He meets with you at your business, choosing an ever-popular canvas from your selections. After he provides a down payment, you enter his order into your project management system and initiate the production [...]

The Common Sense/Lift-the-DOT Fastener Tool brings ease to die cutting in marine and awning applications. Q-SNAP fasteners make installation up to three times faster than with other secure fasteners. The Common Sense/Lift-the-DOT Fastener Tool was designed to save fabricators time and money by allowing them to properly place fasteners and make small repairs without removing [...]

Incorporating unconventional design into dodgers and biminis. I often suggest that my customers try to think out of the box when envisioning what their boats can look like. I tell them, “If I have done my job properly, the cover will become part of the boat.” Take a spray dodger, for example. I generally recommend [...]

New ergonomically designed Taco® Marine premium helm chairs are now available in two styles. The Capri Helm Chair is available in light gray, vanilla or white, with a standard rollback bolster seat or a fixed seat and adjustable armrests. A smaller version is available without armrests. The Capri is also available as a bench-style seat [...]

Precontraint® 502 Satin flexible composite material is now available through Serge Ferrari North America and Trivantage. Precontraint 502 Satin is an evolution of the classic version of Precontraint 502. Precontraint 502 Satin has a satin finish, compared to the classic version’s glossy finish, and a new PVDF topcoat on both sides for long-term dirt resistance. [...]

The Taco® Marine Low Profile Seaspension® Shock-Mitigating Pedestal System has received a 2016 Top Product Award from Boating Industry magazine. Seaspension’s patented design absorbs shock and vibration to prevent pounding on passengers’ backs and legs. Because typical pedestals are rigid, they transfer wave jolts directly to the seats and people sitting in seats. Seaspension is [...]

Product knowledge and best practices lead to stunning results and happy customers. Whether on the lake in a trusty fishing vessel or soaking up ocean views from a luxury yacht, boat owners want the best windows for their crafts. Product manufacturers, distributors and fabricators have great material options to meet their customers’ marine window goals. [...]

If you are a marine fabricator who lives in a cold climate, you need to make the most of warm months when customers are motivated to get their boats in tip top condition. Those warm months are when you can expect a healthy infusion of cash, but that cash has to be carefully budgeted for [...]

The Quick Cleat™ Kayak Cleat is a fast way to secure solid, braided 1/4- to 3/16-inch lines on a kayak deck or canoe gunnel, without knots. The durable design is low profile and easy to install, and it quickly secures a line in seconds. Just drop a line into the rope slot and release. Optional [...]

Photo 1: The horseshoe-shaped seating for an aft cockpit required an elaborate checklist to ensure that all the customer’s requests were fulfilled. Marine fabricators are a unique group of craftspeople and business owners. Many of us are familiar with the notion that creative pursuits are right-brain activities, while math and logic are left-brain [...]