The Marine Fabricators Association (MFA) provides resources and programs for marine fabricators and establishes standards of excellence for business practices, products and craftsmanship. The MFA is a division of the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI). Join the only trade association today that represents the entire specialty fabrics and advanced textiles industry in the world. To [...]

Waterproof shade on land and sea Recognized in the marine market for its weather resistance and durability, Sunbrella® SeaMark® is now available in a wider selection of colors and has expanded from marine applications into the commercial shade market. Fabricated from durable Sunbrella performance fabric and 100 percent impervious waterproof backing, SeaMark is available in [...]

One of the trickiest things facing the sewing industry is finding qualified workers. Many new employees may be unfamiliar with the basics of sewing machine operation, says Faith Roberts, owner of Banner Canvas in Ham Lake, Minn. During a presentation at IFAI Expo this past October, Roberts pointed out that many young people neither grow [...]

Do you wake up raring to go, or are you a reluctant riser? For most of us, the answer is “it depends on the day.” Keeping yourself energized takes more than another cup of coffee; it requires staying challenged and curious. A good way of accomplishing this is to continually think of yourself as both [...]

There are common processes that are a part of every business. These include marketing, sales, estimating, quoting, work orders, scheduling, production, delivery, invoicing and reporting. Whether small or large, every business needs to consider how these tasks flow together in order to effectively deliver its products or services. Streamlining your shop requires you to identify [...]

Photo 1: This upholstery was completed by taking the patterns directly from the outside of the furniture before tearing down the cushions. When you’re re-covering built-in boat furniture, you can never have too many techniques tucked into your upholstery toolbox. Many fabricators use the same techniques every time, while others enjoy adapting and [...]

Flexible clear vinyl, shown here, is just one option for boat windows. Polycarbonate and acrylic are the other main choices. Each have their advantages in specific applications. Photo: Sailrite. Fabricators and boat owners have a world of choices in windows. When it comes to choosing their windows, most boat owners don’t want to [...]

January 10–12, 2019 Marine Fabricator Conference Queen Mary Long Beach, Calif. marine.ifai.com/marine-fabricators-conference March 6–8, 2019 IFAI Women in Textiles Summit 2019 Hyatt Regency Savannah, Ga. www.ifai.com/women   January 23–27, 2019 Progressive® Insurance New York Boat Show Javits Center New York, N.Y. www.nyboatshow.com   January 24–27, 2019 Progressive® Insurance Minneapolis Boat Show Minneapolis Convention Center Minneapolis, [...]

Lake Shore Boat Top Co. completely restored the exterior upholstery and flooring of this 30-foot pontoon in the summer of 2018. Rob Kotowski rebuilds the family business with his father’s guidance and a commitment to quality and communication. We don’t anticipate that the completion of a project is the last time we talk [...]

Photo 1: YKK’s Marine Mates® UV VISLON® zipper is designedto resist damage from sunlight, as well as corrosion. The zipper is familiar to everyone, yet the word itself came into existence less than 100 years ago. The fastener’s design was a lengthy process. An early version was invented by Elias Howe, the man [...]