West Marine filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on May 17. The chain retailer of boat accessories and parts filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. The bankruptcy filing will allow West Marine to implement transactions outlined in a new Restructuring Support Agreement (RSA), which it is entering with the support of the [...]

Serge Ferrari North America announces a new distribution partnership with The Miami Corporation, a supplier serving the marine, awning and upholstery markets across the United States. Through the partnership, The Miami Corporation will distribute Serge Ferrari Group’s Stamoid® and Soltis® lines of marine fabrics nationwide beginning June 2026. Founded in 1923 and headquartered in Cincinnati, [...]

PTFE Thread is sold in 1-pound cones and available in white, clear and black. Photo: American Plastics PTFE Thread is best suited for fabricating awnings and tarps. Its strength and weather resistance, as well as its resistance to high temperatures, UV rays and abrasion, make it beneficial for outdoor applications. Sold in 1-pound cones and [...]

Registration is now open for this year’s Marine Fabricators Association (MFA) regional workshops. The Mid-Atlantic Regional Workshop will be held Sept. 11–12, 2026, at Charlton’s Marine Canvas in Yorktown, Va., and Signature CanvasMakers LLC in Hampton, Va. The Northwest Regional Workshop will run Oct. 16–17, 2026, at Little House of Canvas in Everett, Wash. “We’re [...]

Utah boaters now have access to the state’s only free approved boating course, launched by the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water.   Approved by the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation, the course meets state boating requirements. In Utah, boaters between the ages of 12 and 17 are mandated to pass an approved boating safety course to operate personal watercraft. In addition, all boaters are required [...]

The Conference Board publishes the Consumer Confidence Index® every month. The survey period for this month’s preliminary results was April 1–22, during which consumer confidence increased by 0.6 points to 92.2 — from March’s upwardly revised reading of 92.2. The Present Situation Index — which is based on how consumers feel about current business and labor market conditions [...]