Boat Canvas, Canvas Dodgers & Enclosures

This ‘M’ Class Deluxe Motoryacht manufactured by Outer Reef is a real gem. The brand new 70 footer is loaded with the latest electronics, navigation equipment and modern conveniences. The one accessory it didn't have was a flybridge enclosure. The yacht is sailing north for an Alaska vacation, so an enclosure is a must have. Fortunately, the owners came to the right place. Nobody does this sort of work better than the craftsmen at Mac's Upholstery.

For this project, we used Stamoid^™ instead of standard material for the enclosure. Stamoid^™ is a special vinyl-coated polyester. It not only looks great, it provides commercial-grade performance and protection. It's the fabric of choice for superyachts.

Instead of clear vinyl for the curtains, we used thin sheets of polycarbonate. The premium polycarbonate we selected is rated "optically clear", which means it's just like glass. And unlike standard vinyl, it's scratch resistant. Each polycarbonate panel is zippered for easy on and off. Zippers make it convenient to adjust the climate inside the flybridge. They're also handy for changing the configuration or if a panel needs repair.

Everything about this custom flybridge enclosure is top shelf; just like the boat itself.

Our customer base includes many of Seattle's business and community leaders. Most value their privacy, so we can't identify the owner of this 140 foot yacht, but we can show you how we solved a vexing design problem.

A narrow spiral staircase (right) provides access to the top deck and flybridge. Originally, the stairwell was crowned with a sturdy fiberglass shell. The shell was heavy and difficult to open, but it kept out the elements.

The weight turned out to be a problem. One crew member nearly lost a finger when the heavy fiberglass shell slipped and pancaked his hand. The heavy shell was a menace.

We suggested a novel solution — replace the clunky one piece shell with a slim, custom engineered tri-fold canopy. As you can see (below) the canopy is built using a clear, scratch-resistant polycarbonite. The transparent, lightweight canopy easily unfolds then folds back down to provide a water tight barrier.

In addition to being safer, our unobtrusive tri-fold allows the stairwell to remain open when seas are calm. It looks great, too!

Inflatables are perfect for exploring Puget Sound; they're speedy and go almost anywhere thanks to shallow displacement.

When the owner of a 20 foot inflatable boat approached us to build a canvas enclosure we were thrilled. You don't see many inflatables with full canvas enclosures. The only thing we had to go on was a picture the customer pulled from a boating magazine. The picture was no help. The enclosure done for that inflatable was all wrong. It was poorly designed and slapped together. We decided to start from scratch and do it the right way.

At Mac's Boat and Yacht Canvas Shop, customer input drives both design and engineering. The owner of this inflatable boat wanted the freedom to stand-up and move around inside the enclosure. He wanted to pilot the boat without blind spots. He wanted plenty of visibility when sitting behind the spray hood. And he wanted the pontoons to double as casual seating. With that in mind, we went to work.

We came up with an innovative, "form follows function" design. For maximum visibility, we wrapped the enclosure in clear panels. Each individual panel is removable, allowing multiple configurations. We cut circular "port holes" on each side of the spray hood for forward visibility when seated. We set the enclosure height at six foot two and angled the windshield to allow plenty of space. There's so much room, you can even walk around in front of the console without bending over. We saved the most unusual design element for the pontoons.

The frame is constructed with 1 inch, .65 gauge stainless steel tubing. Since tubing can't be anchored to an air-filled pontoon, we're forced to bolt the frame into the deck. Normally, this would reduce square footage and restrict access to the pontoons. We engineered a way around this problem by custom-bending the support columns so they drape over the pontoons then extend up (above right). The pontoons could then be used for seating.

The custom canvas boat enclosure required plenty of back and forth between the customer and designer. In the end, the customer got exactly what he wanted; every angle and panel on this inflatable enclosure is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

These Boston Whaler cushions were pretty much toast when they came through the door. The foam had collapsed and the vinyl was cracking. There's nothing you can do about this sort of damage; time and the elements take their toll.

When restoring marine cushions, we use the finest quality polyurethane foam -- better than most manufacturers -- and durable, marine grade vinyl. In this instance, we rebuilt the cushion using sturdy, two inch HR-55 foam and pre-pleated vinyl. The vinyl was also embossed, giving the restored cushions an OEM look and feel.

Check out the before and after pics; see the difference quality materials and superior workmanship makes. These reupholstered cushions are truly better than the originals!