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.
Dingy Cover For Galeon 560 Skydeck
This 2017 Galeon 560 Yacht needed a new dingy cover.
Here at Chicago Marine Canvas we specialize in custom covers therefore, none of our covers are the same. They are all different to ensure that each one fits the boat in need properly. We also use many labor-saving tools that help us do things quickly. This saves you money at the end of the day on the perfect cover.
The first step to our process is to head out to your boat to take measurements with our 3D measuring device. After we gather precise measurements we head back to the shop to start our design process on the computer. We do all of our design work using CAD (Computer-Aided-Design) Software. Because we are working on the computer we can see exactly what we are creating in 3D. This allows us to create the perfect fitting cover for your boat. After the cover is designed, we draw it out using our plotter. This draws out all the pieces of the pattern perfectly so our seamstress can sew it up!
This dingy cover was created out of Stamoid. Stamoid is a great material to make a boat cover out of. It is water, UV, and stain resistant. We used SolarFix thread in clear to sew this all together. Solarfix is a PTF thread which is also, UV, chemical, and mildew resistant. Which means, that you’d never have to bring your new dingy cover in for restitching after it’s been out in the sun for a few summers! Finally, on the bottom of the cover we did a draw cord. As a result, the cover can tighten around the dingy keeping the cover nice and secure, and your boat dry!
Sailboat: Dodger, Helm Cover, Winch Covers, Sail Cover
For this sailboat we created a custom dodger, helm cover, winch covers and sail cover.
Here at Chicago Marine Canvas, everything we do is custom. We use many cost-effective, labor-saving tools that help us speed up the process, therefore you save some money. This also helps us make sure that your cover will fit perfectly when it comes to install time!
The first thing we do to begin our process is journey out to your boat. Once we get 
there we use our 3D measuring device to take precise pinpoint measurements. After we gather all of those, we head back to our shop where our designer gets to work. We use CAD (Computer-Aided-Design) Software during our design process. On the computer we can see the thing we can see the design in 3D.
Making sure everything matched in color, we used Sunbrella fabric in the color toast. Sunbrella is one of our favorite marine fabrics to use when it comes to canvas, it comes with 10 year warranty. For all the things we sewed up for this job, we used SolarFix thread in clear, which has a lifetime guarantee. This means, no more restitching after your new canvas has been out in the sun for a few years! This thread will outlast the canvas it self!
We made sure to add leather reinforcement patches on the forward and aft areas of the dodger where 
there would be high amounts of friction on the sailboat. For the windows of this dodger we used Strataglass. Strataglass is the only vinyl on the market that offers a 2 year warranty if it is properly maintained and cleaned.
For this sailboat we also made matching winch covers out of sunbrella fabric as well as a matching helm cover!