Exterior Upholstery
For this Sea Ray Sundancer we did a full boat of exterior upholstery. The cushions and chairs were made using Polari sand Dollar and Beluga Mocha fabrics. Along with ActiveFoam Vinyl.
A diamond pattern can be found throughout the pieces to add extra details.
Chicago Marine Canvas uses the best upholstery fabrics, vinyls and faux leathers. Which are all certified for marine use. All fabrics are not only comfortable but also highly durable.
The customer wanted Sea Ray embroidered onto different pieces. Since embroidery is fully custom, any words or logos can be embroidered.
Rigid Enclosure
For this Searay Sundancer we made a rigid enclosure using Tuffak (Markolon) polycarbonate material for the windows. This material does not shrink or stretch in the sun, which keeps it looking as good a new for years.
We used SolarFix thread for these windows. SolarFix is a PTFE (PolyTetraFlouroEthylene) thread because of what it is made out of it has a lifetime guarantee. It is UV resistant and resistant to chemicals too, so this means that this customer will never need any re-stitching repairs. For zippers we used Lenzip plastic molded zippers which also have a lifetime guarantee on them.
Custom Sun Pads
These sun pads were installed just in time for Memorial Day at the Hammond Marina in Indiana. This project was customized to perfectly fit the costumer’s boat and vision.
These sun pads were made using Sunbrella’s Adaptation Indigo fabric, which comes with a 5-year warranty. It was also made with Dri-Fast Foam that causes it to dry very fast. Since Drifast foam is a firm open celled foam that is very porous, it allows water to run through it easily, instead of absorbing it like other closed cell foams.
These sun pads have built in headrests help with max comfort while relaxing. Sunpads are made with 3″ tampered foam, whereas the head rests are elevated to 6″. It has integrated pockets and cup holders in the headrest to hold drinks, phones, and other valuables. No more having to worry about your phone sliding into the water while you’re relaxing.
Custom Embroidery
Chicago Marine Canvas offers custom embroidery for all of your boating needs. We can embroider on upholster, canvas and other items. All we need is a picture of your boat name or design and let our experts take it from there.
What is embroidery? Embroidery is a way to decorate fabric using thread and a machine similar to a sewing machine. Since the designs are custom, we are able to add any words or images that you want making your boat more personalized. We have many color options of thread to perfectly match your design. And no design is too simple or too complicated. Embroidered designs are highly durable and should last a lifetime. It can withstand pressure, damage, and doesn’t fade. Which is perfect to withstand wear and tear that may occur on a boat, or when washing.
What can I embroider? Almost any fabric project can be personalized using embroidery. Such as boarding mats, that can be placed down moments before a guest boards and be easily cleaned at the end of the day. Another popular option is boat chairs, where people often put a unique design. We can also embroidery on a wide range of hats, sweatshirts, towels, polos, activewear and everything and anything apparel. This is a great way to show off your personal brand while boating!
Please contact us if you have any questions about embroidery or want to get started on your own customized project.
Custom Sunpads / Bow Pads Features
Custom Sunpads have many features that make them the perfect addition to any boat.
The Sunpads are made with a Dri-Fast foam, that causes it to dry very fast. Since Drifast foam is a firm open celled foam that is very porous, it allows water to run through it easily, instead of absorbing it like other closed cell foams. After a hard morning rain, Sunpads will be dried out by the afternoon which means no more soggy Sunpads!
Nothing is better than built in pockets, which is why Custom Sunpads have pockets along the sides to hold your valuables. No more having to worry about your phone sliding into the water while you’re relaxing.
Built in headrests help with max comfort while relaxing on Sunpads. Sunpads are made with 3″ tampered foam, whereas the head rests are elevated to 6″. We also have custom foam cutting which is able to level the pads on a convex bow.
The Sunpads are made with a high-quality fabric from Sunbrella. When using a fabric with a pattern, fabric pattern matching is done to keep the Sunpad’s design visually aligned and flowing at the seams and edges. Little details like this are important to ensure that the product is not only high quality, but visually appealing. The image pictured shows our commonly made Sunpads. But we are able to make all different types which are featured on our Bow Pads page.
We all know that Chicago is known for being windy, that’s why we make sure that the Sunpads are securely attached to the boats.
Benefits on Non-Slip Fabrics for Marine Use
Chicago Marine Canvas offers one-of-a-kind fiberglass friendly non-slip fabrics which can be used on anything, you name it! There are many projects that can be done using non-slip fabrics. Such as non-slip custom embroidered boarding mats and non-slip cushion bottoms.
Non-slip fabrics are easy to put into place and remove. Which is perfect for a quick and temporary reusable solution. Or to move and use throughout the boat over time. Since there is no drilling into the fiberglass, the non-slip material can be placed on any surface with ease and no leftover damage.
Non-slip materials also help keep your boat clean when guest board your luxury yacht. Boarding mats can be placed down moments before a guest boards and be easily cleaned at the end of the day. Like the name states, the non-slip mats will keep people from slipping while keeping the boat nice and clean.
Any project, such as the boarding mat, can be embroidered with a personal custom design using our embroidering machine. Which adds a personal branded touch to any boat.
Chicago Marine Canvas Wins Twin 2019 Outstanding Achievement Awards
(Long Beach, CA – Jan. 12, 2019) – Chicago Marine Canvas was recognized with the 2019 Fabrication Excellence Awards for design excellence in marine fabric applications, that took place Jan. 12th at the 2019 Marine Fabricators Conference, at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA.
Chicago Marine Canvas received two Awards of Excellence. The first for it’s The Labor Day Weekend Show project which was recognized in the competition’s soft enclosures category. The second for A “Skater” with Style in the exterior upholstery category.
MFA received a total of 90 entries submitted in 9 categories in this year’s competition. Winners were selected based on complexity, design, workmanship, uniqueness and function. Judges were certified Master Fabric Craftsman professionals who were chosen for their knowledge in a particular product area.
All entries receive prominent recognition at the Marine Fabricators Conference. Entrants receive additional publicity through coverage in the Marine Fabricator and winners not only receive additional coverage in the Marine Fabricatorbut also on the MFA website and in future MFA marketing material.
The goal of the awards is to promote awareness of the marine fabrics used in marine products and applications ranging in size and type.
The Fabrication Excellence Awards is a competition sponsored by MFA, a division of the Industrial Fabrics Association International, a not-for-profit trade association whose over 1,500-member companies represent the international specialty fabrics and technical textiles marketplace.
Sundancer 270
This Sundancer 270 was in need of a new cockpit cover. They contacted us because we specialize in custom covers!
We start off each new job by talking with you about what you need when it comes to your new cover. Then we head out to your boat and start our design process. All of our covers are custom, so that your new canvas fits like a glove, especially hand crafted for you! Once we travel out on your boat, we use our 3D measuring device to take precise measurements quickly and efficiently. Here at Chicago Marine Canvas we use a lot of labor-saving, cost-effective tools. After we gather all of our measurements we head back to the shop and let our designer get to work.
We design all of our covers on the computer using CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software. This way we can create a 3D version of your cover, making sure everything looks perfect before we sew it up! After we finish up all the design work, we head over to our plotter and have everything drawn out. Our plotter is another one of our cost-effective, labor-saving tools. It speeds up our patterning process which saves us time and you money in the long run. After everything is all drawn out, our seamstress cuts everything out and then sews everything together.
This cover was fabricated using Sunbrella fabric in Teal Tweed.We love using Sunbrella fabric! It is fade resistant and has a 10 year warranty! We backed the front of the cover wit a fabric called Evolution, that way if there was any rubbing from the
windshield, it wouldn’t rip through this families new cover. We used Sunstop T135 in black thread to sew this up, along with black binding around all the edges. Then we also created boots for each of the poles for the framing around the boat. We did custom cuffs, and flaps around each pole to ensure its security and waterproofness. To ensure no mold or mildew, along with proper airflow when the cover is up, we installed a Boat Vent II in the back of the boat. It helps prop the boat cover up which helps prevent pooling so that water rolls off of your cover instead of sitting on it when it gets wet. We secured this cover to the boat using DOT snap fasteners in black.
Rinker Fiesta Vee 270
To protect the interior of your boat, it is important to have a waterproof cover. Here at Chicago Marine Canvas we do custom covers for every boat, because every boat is different and we want your cover to fit tight so there is no room for water leaks when a rain storm comes. This is a Rinker Fiesta Vee 270 and we fabricated a custom cover for it this summer.
We start off our process by going out on site to the boat to take measurements. Here at Chicago Marine Canvas we have a lot of cost-effective, labor-saving tools that help cut your covers cost down while making sure it is the perfect fit! For measuring 
we use a portable 3d measuring device. After we gather all the measurements needed we head back to the shop to start the design process. For this cover our designer made sure to make cut outs for all the framing on this boat, leaving it up to our seamstress to make individual boots for each pole, along with velcro straps to assure the cover isn’t going anywhere in these Chicago winds. After we do all of our design work we head over to our plotter which draws out all of the pieces of your cover we just finished up. This is another one of our labor-saving tools. Our plotter can quickly draw out all of our patterned pieces for your new cover, instead of us having to do it all by hand! After everything is drawn out, we hand it all over to our seamstress so she can begin her process. She starts off by cutting everything out and then looking at the pattern to figure out the best way to sew everything together. After that, she organizes all the pieces and gets to work.
For this cover we used Sunbrella fabric in the color doubonette tweed. We love using Sunbrella fabric! It is fade resistant and has a 10 year warranty! To sew everything together we used GORE tenara thread in black. GORE tenara is another favorite product of ours. It is UV, salt water, chemical and extreme weather resistant! It has a lifetime guarantee, which means, all of your seams will outlast your canvas! We also installed a Boat Vent II in the middle of this cover so that all water that hits it, runs off!
We used DOT snaps in burgundy to blend into this cover, as well as stay puts all along the back.