This year’s Show Stopper winners
September 28th, 2017
All the best from New Orleans: Thursday morning at IFAI Expo led off with lists of winners for the year, including the most popular products on the show floor. The sixth annual Show Stopper competition was designed to showcase the best of the best in the industry, from fabrics, equipment and chemicals to services and […]
Luxury ships offer design challenges and opportunities
July 1st, 2013
When you think about ocean, lake or river cruise lines, what comes to mind? Luxury travel, certainly. Beautiful, natural surroundings, definitely. And the ships themselves: large, luxurious liners, with dining, entertainment and staff that attend to your every need, allowing you to enjoy your experience to the fullest. Marine fabricators who orchestrate the exterior and […]
New trends in marine fabrics
March 1st, 2013
The first quarter of each year is rife with predictions. Will the clothing color trends you see in Sunday newspaper advertisements appear in your customers’ boats? Maybe. Has technology responded to boat owners’ needs and desires? Of course. Do you influence what happens in fabric factories? Oh, yeah. Manufacturers and fabricators pull out their crystal […]
Exceptional boat exteriors
September 1st, 2012
The economic downturn left nearly every market in a state of unrest, and the boating industry is no exception. In the past several years, fewer boats have been built, but the news isn’t all bad, as fabricators and OEMs are turning a sluggish marketplace into opportunity. “The volume of units is not what it was, […]
Factors for choosing fabric
July 1st, 2011
Fabricators know that successful marine products are made from many components. But, for their customers, the finished product is all about the fabric. Does it look good? Does it keep water out? Will it last? It’s up to the fabricator to select the best fabric for the project and the customer, based on the fabric’s […]
Fabric technology
September 1st, 2010
Life in 21st century United States is dominated by technology—new technologies, as well as updates, upgrades and changes to the already familiar. We have smart phones and smarter cars, genetically modified food and DNA analysis in law enforcement. Although it may seem that these changes happened in an instant, technology actually advances in small steps. […]
Keeping fabric and equipment clean
September 1st, 2009
Industry experts tell their procedures for keeping fabric and equipment clean and functioning properly. Quality-conscious fabricators demand top-quality components for their end products. Boat owners will insist that fabricators use high-quality, durable materials. The weakest link in any marine product is the quality of the materials that go into making it. With a little investigation […]
What to do when pollution lands on your work
September 1st, 2008
Not long after she and her husband bought their Florida canvas business, a mystery confronted Rebecca Hillan of T&C Canvas Inc. in Fort Myers, Fla. One of her customers lugged his year-old boat cover into the shop. The fabric layers were delaminating, actually separating from one another. “It was coming apart in our hands,” Hillan […]
Strategies for choosing marine fabrics wisely
May 1st, 2008
When it comes to fabric, the marine environment is unique. Moisture and dirt don’t like most fabrics, and those elements accelerate the growth of mildew, deteriorating fabrics further. Unfortunately, your customers don’t always choose the best fabric, and that’s where you, your suppliers and manufacturers come in. “A boat owner is going to be driven […]