Marine Fabricator January/February 2021 - 20

2021 MFA TIME STANDARDS MANUAL

HOW IT WORKS

his manual features exterior categories and upholstery categories. Marine canvas and
upholstery is a custom-oriented business, so each product category features a base
set of times that changes according to the various sizes of a speciﬁc project.

The manual also indicates re-cover estimates on boat tops by classifying frames and

tops into separate categories. For a complete frame and top, simply add the times for both
categories. For a re-cover job, use the times for the top only.

EXAMPLE PROJECT
The category timetables do not include any of the options listed at the end of each category.
Why? The list of times to cover every possible product combination would quickly ﬁll up a
dictionary, and then some. To estimate the total time for a custom product, you must add the
time from the product table to the times of each of the options at the bottom of the list. See
example to the left:

Product

ESTIMATE EXAMPLE
As you can see from this example, the options
list is the key to getting accurate total hours
for each custom product.

FRAME
1-inch stainless steel frame
4-bow bimini with
a 9-foot beam

3 hrs.

This bimini top on a sailboat requires a split mount to get around the winches. There are two
backstays going through the top, the customer wants two sailing windows, and the beam is 9
feet wide. The customer also wants the top to be 96 inches long from front to back. To clear
the winches, you also must put a dog-leg in one of the two main bows. Finally, the customer
wants a zip-off bimini for easy removal.
According to this manual, the average marine fabricator would require 20.75 hours to complete
this project. This total includes the time it takes to complete each of the following tasks:
* Give the estimate

* Mount and ﬁt the top

Options: Split mount

0.75 hr.

* Design the product

* Cut the top out

Dog-leg for one frame

0.5 hr.

* Patterning

* Sew the top

TOTAL FRAME HOURS

4.25 hrs.

* Order the materials

* Install the top

* Receive and pay for the materials

* Bill and collect the money

TOP

* Bend the frame

4-bow bimini top with 10-foot
beam

7 hrs.

Options: Zipper pockets

2 hrs.

Considerations Checklist:

2-stay cutout

3 hrs.

These considerations are other product options to take into account when estimating overall
time of a custom product. Here are some factors affecting the job time:

3 hrs.

* Driving a substantial distance

* Old versus new design

* Different types of hardware: Common
Sense, Lift the Dot, turns, snaps, zippers

* Are vents needed?

* Replacing snaps in boat and installing
new hardware

* Prototyping

2 sailing windows
2 x 1.50 hours
Storage boot

1.5 hrs.

TOTAL TOP TIME

16.50 hrs.

TOTAL JOB TIME

20.75 hrs.

*Example based on average of 60 " goods

* The material fastener is being drilled into:
ﬁberglass, wood, stainless steel,
(stainless steel window), aluminum
* Specialty hardware

* Flaps: rain, overlaps, zippers

* Is there an electrical component involved
in the project? Ask boat owner to remove
electrical items such as antenna mount,
radar mount (not including electrical),
before doing the fabrication

* Track installation: Different types of
track may take more time

* Is the boat going to be on land or in
the water? This will change pattern
and install.

* Track removal: Do you have to
remove track?

* Is this a 1-or 2-person job?

* Pattern times can vary

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Marine Fabricator January/February 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Marine Fabricator January/February 2021