Full Schedule

Instructors: Adam Penner, Authorized Rhino Trainer, AP Consulting and Technical Services and Darren Arthur, MFC, Nautilux Custom Canvas LLC

This 5-hour workshop is your opportunity to learn how to use technology to increase your workflow efficiencies in a small group environment. Suitable for all levels of skill. Registrations are extremely limited.
Workshop instruction includes :
• Workflow efficiencies
• Developing layouts and details for proper file documentation
• File building and procedural steps
• And much, much more

Additional registration required – limited registration (30 tickets total).

Stop by and grab a cup of coffee and chat with the MFA Chairman Keith Purves, Vice-Chair Charlene Clark and the whole MFA Ambassador volunteer team. This is a great chance for new attendees to learn about the best ways to take advantage of being at the conference and make some new friends!

William Bransford, Boatswains Locker
Discover a variety of special tools and attachments used to enhance and expedite the production of marine canvas products. Key takeaways include:

• Custom tools for enclosure parts
• Various hand tools to save time
• Different methods of finishing parts
• Patterns and the advantage of saving them
• Sewing machine improvements that improve sewing skills

Steve Szenay, Serge Ferrari North America and Ron Paratore, Trivantage, LLC
This session features a hands-on demonstration for making a shade sail. A mockup display of a completed shade sail will be available for attendees to examine. Steve will discuss how to layout a shade sail, patterning and cutting as well as how to attach the shade sail to the boat with fasteners and shade sail poles. Steve’s presentation will also cover installing a rod holder into the deck of a boat for the support poles as well as how to select the perfect type of materials for this application.

Tour local fabricator Laporte in North Charleston, SC in person and virtually tour Marine Tops Unlimited, Precision Custom Canvas Inc., and Tecsew. This is an excellent opportunity to learn how other shops are laid out and how they organize equipment and materials. Plan to ask lots of questions and bring a pen to jot down ideas for streamlining your business!

Kick off your week in style with music, dancing, and refreshments during the Annual Costume Party. The 2022 theme is hillbillies and moonshiners – let your creativity go wild! Heavy appetizers and refreshments will be provided.

Mike Erickson, Brook Kelly and John Erickson, Canvas Designers, Inc

Moderator: Derek Robinson, Eqodry USA & Fabric Tattoo

Speakers:  Rick Berkey, Rick’s Custom Marine Canvas; Chandler Clark, Signature Canvas and Chris Patterson, Weaver Canvas

This popular session from Marine Fabricators Conference 2020 is coming back with new projects! Attendees at the 2020 conference suggested that we bring this great educational opportunity to a community college, and we listened!

Once again, a team of fabricators will work together to take on a variety of projects and give a boat (or two!) a canvas facelift – offering a great opportunity for the students in the Boat Building program at the Beaufort County Community College (BCCC) to see real world canvas applications. Hear about the individual projects and the ways this project impacted the community around it. Case studies will be presented with design, fabrication, and workflow considerations. The finished boat(s) will be onsite for attendees to view.

Located on the show floor.

John Martin Ph.D, Home Power Hour

Learn about the when, if and how to utilize solar and wind on a vessel, battery/energy storage limitations, connection issues including best practices and liability coverage. Also covered will be what solar/wind “can do” and just as importantly, “cannot do” on most vessels (e.g. not feasible for “most vessels” to have air condition on all night powered by solar/wind).

Dr. Martin’s academic training and real-life work with small companies implementing sustainable power come together in this down-to-earth presentation. Additionally, a small working tabletop “balance of system” (solar, charge controller, battery, inverter) will be available to show how the entire system works.

Torey Heinz, Shopflow
What is a digital job board and why bother having one? A digital job board is a way to organize and display jobs so you can streamline your shop and escape the chaos! Find out if you are ready to get started as we follow a simple workflow from start to finish, dig into the details of a complicated job, and discuss how to implement a digital job board to maximize your throughput.

Learn more about the Marine Fabricators Association. Hear a recap of the past year’s events and look to the future while enjoying a tasty brunch.

Join our MC’s Kerri Ames, Yachtsman’s Canvas and Steven Wayne, Southern Stitch Upholstery for this interactive discussion explores the newest tools, clever tips and tricks to make your job faster and easier. Vote for your favorites onsite.

12:30 – 1:15
How to Get Started with Digital Technology
Adam Penner, Authorized Rhino Trainer, AP Consulting
CAD: The core of your digital workflow. What is it? How do I get started? An overview of what CAD is and why people are using Rhino3D in the Marine Canvas Industry. Plus, a demonstration of how to pattern a simple project using as few CAD tools as possible.

1:20 – 2:20
Case Study – Marine Tops Unlimited

Kyle Van Damme, Marine Tops Unlimited
Hear about the journey to digital technology of one marine fabrication shop. Learn from Kyle’s real-life experiences. Through a unique interview-style session, he will share the good, the bad and the surprising.

2:30 – 3:30
Round Table Discussion
Continue the discussion! Small groups will work together to share what they have learned in their own shops and where they plan to go in the future. At the end of the sessions table leaders will share the best take-aways from their table with the audience.

Moderator: Vince Innocenzi, Chicago Marine Canvas
This product showcase is your chance to view sample “U Zip” enclosure windows from a variety of fabricators. View the many different styles and methods of making these window products while engaging in the individual fabricators and learning new ways to enhance your own projects.

Gather together one last time and celebrate award-winning projects, industry achievements and the announcement of the welcome party theme for Marine Fabricators Conference 2023. Dinner and refreshments are provided at this commemorative closing event.