Sponsored by the Marine Fabricators Association (MFA), the Fabrication Excellence Awards contest is designed to recognize excellence in marine fabrication. The entries are judged by a panel of certified marine professionals. Awards of Excellence and Outstanding Achievement Awards are given in each category. The MFA recognizes two Awards of Distinction, chosen from the Award of [...]

Sunfly shades are a popular choice for customers of Charlton’s Marine Canvas. They are increasingly drawn to more temporary solutions that won’t permanently affect the boat’s looks and are easy to put up and take down. Photo: Charlton’s Marine Canvas Changing consumer trends, evolving boat designs, and fabric and materials advancements are giving marine fabricators [...]

Mike Charlton begins most weekdays with a leisurely cup of coffee on his back porch with his wife and business partner, Rachel Charlton, in Yorktown, Va. They typically leave for work by 9 a.m., where they fabricate custom marine canvas projects until 5 p.m.—at the latest.  Mike and Rachel Charlton have prioritized flexibility in their [...]

My brother is a wacky painter. A lot of his art is filled with blurry faces and unfinished bodies. Some of his paintings show finer techniques, but he says he prefers to take a “messy approach” to potentially achieve a more creative result than “something that matches a couch.” Being proficient at the nuts and [...]

The 2023 MFA Conference had plenty of hands-on educational sessions as well as opportunities to share advice and experiences with other fabricators. The 2023 Marine Fabricators Conference that took place Jan. 26-28 in New Orleans, La., was bustling with energy, creativity and goodwill. With a total of 273 registrants, 68 first-time participants and 51 exhibitors, [...]

Boomer’s Stitch-N-Fix Chassell, Mich. Compass Canvas Point Richmond, Calif.compass-canvas.com Covercraft Industries LLC Pauls Valley, Okla.covercraft.com IDEAL Fastener Corporation Miami, Fla.idealfastener.com Integrity Canvas Richboro, Pa.integritycanvas.net Marine Canvas of South Florida LLC Delray Beach, Fla. Rose City Marine CanvasNorwich, Conn. Seafarer Canvas Norwalk, Conn.seafarercanvas.com Scandia Canvas Works & Sail Loft Sturgeon Bay, Wis.scandiacanvasworks.com Tonis Canvas Lake Havasu City, Ariz. TopStitch Upholstery Syracuse, N.Y.topstitchupholsterycny.com

All calendar events are subject to change. Please check websites for updated information. Sept. 22–23, 2023MFA Pacific Northwest Regional WorkshopOyster Creek CanvasBellingham, Wash.textiles.org/marineworkshops Nov. 1–3, 2023ATA Expo 2023Orange County Convention CenterOrlando, Fla.advancedtextilesexpo.com Nov. 17–18, 2023MFA Great Lakes WorkshopChicago Marine CanvasChicago, Ill.textiles.org/marineworkshops Jan. 25–27, 2024MFA Conference 2024Tradewinds ResortSt. Pete Beach, Fla.textiles.org/marineconference

Continental’s Easy 1-2-3 clear vinyl cleaning kit provides care for automotive, marine and commercial clear flexible windows and enclosures. Each kit includes a non-detergent, non-abrasive true soap with a non-streaking, non-spotting formulation that rinses clear and reduces drying time. The kit also provides UV protection to enhance flexibility and an antistatic formulation to help repel [...]

Bainbridge’s Pattern X-2 is lightweight, recyclable polyurethane fabric that works great as pattern material. It is a high-density PE scrim that is coated on both sides with a low-density PE clear coating. It is extra strong and provides added resistance to tears and punctures when pulled over a frame, while translucent for use in patterning. [...]

MarineTyte® Banyan is the ultimate in yachting protection. This two-sided commercial-grade composite PVC was developed to withstand even the harshest nautical environments while providing complete protection, making it an excellent choice for cockpit enclosures, bimini tops, sprayhoods, equipment covers and more. It provides exceptional strength, cleanability and UV protection along with an industry-leading 10-year warranty. [...]