Creative Connections
January 1, 2023 | Editorial
As a writer and editor, I prefer to do most of my work alone in the quiet of my home office. But during the dark days of a Minnesota winter, working alone gets lonely and my ideas feel thin and uninspired. That’s why I attend literary conferences and classes each winter. The creative spark that …
Still time to register for 2023 MFA Conference
January 1, 2023 | News
Don’t wait to register for the annual Marine Fabricators Conference being held Jan. 26-28, 2023, at the Sheraton New Orleans in New Orleans, La. The conference features three full days of education and networking designed to help marine fabricators cultivate industry connections, improve their eff…
New members join MFA
January 1, 2023 | New Members, News
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 Advanced Textiles Association, formerly known as IFAI.
Horizontal and cantilever frames
January 1, 2023 | Exterior and Cover, Projects
Following the typical 10-to-20-year delay that “new ideas” seem to take to catch on in the canvas industry, the popularity and demand for horizontal frame systems and cantilever support systems has finally arrived everywhere. Sea Ray actually offered a horizontal aft frame option in 1999 on its …
Tricky client design challenges
January 1, 2023 | Interiors & Upholstery, Projects
For most fabricators, long-term success doesn’t come from the easy jobs, but from the challenging projects. Using two case studies, I’ll present a few design challenges I’ve encountered in the hope that my experiences will help you work more smoothly with clients and shorten your learning curv…
Marketing old and new
January 1, 2023 | Business
I majored in marketing in college. I thought I was great at “packaging an idea” and running with it. Now that I have owned Onboard Interiors LLC in Marblehead, Mass., for almost 20 years, I understand that marketing changes with the world, and the marine world is a unique market for sure.
Inspiration
January 1, 2023 | Awards, Projects
The clients wanted to make adjustments and add to their current stainless steel dodger and bimini frames to create a more functional cockpit area for cruising. They asked that strong, high-quality materials be used so the final result would be suitable for offshore cruising. A significant challenge …