Phifer’s SheerWeave® Style 5000 line of window covering fabrics is available in six new colors. The new colors are Bark/Ash, Bark/Pewter, Linen/Pearl, Linen/Taupe, Linen/Clay and Metro/Platinum. The fabrics are certified to GREENGUARD standards for low chemical emissions into indoor air during product usage and are infused with Microban® antimicrobial product protection to inhibit the growth [...]

By way of introduction, let me say right up front I’m a Minnesota girl. My earliest experiences with aquatic life involved a lake, a fishing pole, a Styrofoam container of worms and a long summer morning of catching sunnies off a dock (they also like bacon). I have sailed, paddled, rowed, motored and floated on [...]

Designed for marine environments, Ultrafabrics’® new collection of Ultraleather® Indoor/Outdoor polyurethanes protects against fading and discoloration. EPA-registered anti-mildew defense protects against foreign substances. Climate-control technology resists temperature changes, ensuring the material will not crack or decompose. Thermal comfort dissipates heat and moisture away from the body, promoting a pleasant seating experience above and below deck. [...]

Don Wedge, former owner of the Marine Canvas Training Institute in Palmetto, Fla, passed away peacefully on April 3. Wedge was born on December 27, 1929, in Chardon, Ohio. He helped launch the Marine Fabricators Association (MFA) and IFAI’s Master Fabric Craftsman (MFC) certification program. Wedge was well known for his training school, instructional videos [...]

“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 [...]

Competition, especially from overseas manufacturing; increasing costs for equipment, materials and labor; the need to keep up with fast-paced technology; and the general state of the economy, which directly affects the consumer pool, rank as challenging issues for most businesses. Yet the owner of a marine fabrication shop in Portland, Ore., has a more pressing [...]

Boat Vent AERO is Vico Marine’s first sew-in vent. Excellent for adding extra venting or to be used when tenting is not an option. An optional louver front can be added to keep bugs and rodents from entering the cover or as extra protection from heavy rain. Works well on sailboat covers, aft covers, cockpit [...]

The National Marine Manufacturer Association’s (NMMA) 2016 U.S. Recreational Boating Statistical Abstract is available. Each section is released individually as the statistics become available and contains thousands of data points and insights on the boating industry. The data sections’ release dates are as follow: March: Outboard Engine Sales Trends; Sailboat Sales Trends April: Pre-owned Boat [...]

Larson Electronics’ LED boat lights offer a combination of intensity, power and durability. Underwater boat lights are available for boaters who wish to add more aesthetic to their watercraft. The Perko mount LED navigation/running lights will provide bright illumination needed for safe navigation after dark. Make stairways and walking areas safer with Larson interior LED [...]