Marine Canvas Training
Student Testimonials
Merrill Miller, Union, NJ
Dear Mark and Deb, I want to thank you for a wonderful class this past week. Your patience and understanding with me was a warm welcome. It is admirable to find two professional people such as yourselves with the skill level of a true "olde time" artisan. So often in today's society good enough is just that. Then, there are the Hoods whose good enough far exceeds most canvas fabricators that I've ever met. During the time we spent together Deb and Mark were not satisfied with "good enough". They didn't stop till they've achieved their personal best which is generally perfection and it shows in their workmanship and teaching abilities. The classes are informative and understandable. If you are seeking the highest quality canvas fabrication or want to learn trade secrets of over 30 years in the business I highly recommend contacting the Hoods. Very truly, Merrill Miller, Master Captain Dec. 23, 2011
mmiller@fieldservicesco.com
Alan Woodyard, Annapolis, MD
Mark and Deb, I just wanted to thank you guys for the great experience that I had while taking the Bimini Enclosure course. As someone who had been doing canvas work already for a year this course was exactly what I needed to boost my confidence level as well as the perfect way to tie together skills that needed some refinement. This course and your added instruction based on our specific questions has advanced my skill level greatly and in an unbelievably short amount of time. For the level of instruction that I received the price of this course is a bargain! Thanks, Alan Woodyard Dec. 16, 2011
http://www.warrioryachting.com/
alan@warrioryachting.com
Deb Verstraete, Decatur AL
Mark and Deb, thank you both for three informative and really enjoyable days spent with you in the Basic Workshop Class! This introduction to the fabrication business has me wanting more knowledge and skill that I can use to begin a successful marine canvas business, creating products to be proud of. You pass on to your students not only knowledge from years of experience but also the joy and pride of creating top quality canvas work. Prior to the class I started a bimini enclosure project for a friend. As you took our class through the steps of pattern making, cut-out and sewing, I had many "ah-ha" moments. The construction and appearance problems I had encountered were exactly what you were teaching us to avoid! I'm back finishing (actually re-doing) the project and still have many "ah-ha" moments as your wealth of information shared is put into practice. I intend to establish a canvas shop in 2012. Your class has given me the practical knowledge, as well as inspiration, to begin a business venture that I foresee providing not only an income but also personal satisfaction. Can't wait to take additional classes to expand my skills!
Thanks again, Deb Verstraete, Decatur AL Oct. 31, 2011
debverstr8@gmail.com
Bradford Charles, Bradford’s Canvas Fabricators, Groton, CT
Hi Mark & Deb, I just want tell how much I enjoyed the Dodger class. What an exciting class full of knowledge. Your technique makes it simple. It took all the fear out of fabricating a dodger. Once you work the pattern the way we were taught. The rest is easy. Thanks, Mark & Deb, you have two great classes with the Bimini & the Dodger. I thoroughly enjoyed the two classes. I look forward to a future class.
Thanks again, Bradford Charles Oct. 16, 2011
bradcharlessr@yahoo.com
Bradford Charles, Bradford’s Canvas Fabricators, Groton, CT
Hi Mark & Deb, I would just like to let you know how I thoroughly enjoyed your class. I walked away with a tremendous amount of knowledge. The wisdom and knowledge that the two of you bring to the classes is fantastic. Having only been in business for two years I have a lot to learn, but after your class I have less to learn. I thoroughly enjoyed your hospitality opening up your house for lunch was a nice surprise. I will be signing up for the California dodger class and I can hardly wait! Keep up the good work. Aug 27, 2011
bradcharlessr@yahoo.com
Sundance Bear Rivera, Coastal Cushion and Canvas, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Every so often someone crosses my path and really, "Wow's" me with their ability to weave science and art into a congruent concept that results into something tangible. You did. Thanks for offering it. Aug 28, 2011
www.coastalcushion.com
bear@coastalcushion.com
Clifton Barnett, Natick, MA
Mark and Deb, It is not every day you can find people that like and enjoy what they do. A lot of people just take your money, throw a book at you and say "learn on your own". I have learned more in the four days from the both of you than I have learned in the past 7 years. I felt very comfortable in your presence and felt at home. I really do think teaching is your destiny, passion or engineering. The way your head spins. LOL! The things you come up with are things that don’t come out of a normal head. You put a lot of thought into things and saved me from spinning my wheels on the think process. I am glad I met you two and took the course. I can’t wait to sign up for the dodger course in the near future. The teaching and the product that you deliver is so superior of what I am finding anywhere! I really think that after leaving your class, I can deliver something better than what I am seeing out here now. Thank you for inviting me into your home and shop. Oh yeah, if someone close to me in distance, calls me and ask me what do I think of Mark's class, I am going tell them you’re a horrible person, (even though that’s false, 100%). I want to be the best in my area. By the way, after leaving the class I just figured out how out dated I am. Thank you again. Sept 4, 2011
drvinylofmetrowest.@gmail.com
Greg Johns, Moultonboro Canvas, Moultonboro, NH
Hey Mark, It has been 11 years now since I started Moultonboro Canvas and I will be ever grateful to you for your gracious help in allowing me to job shadow you in that 1st year of start-up. Thank you again. I have been honing my skills now for 11 years and continue to hone them in the canvas, upholstery, awning business and I like the challenge of new ideas and product designs I read about in Marine Fabricator, Speciality Fabrics..etc. Thanks Mark, Greg
www.moultonborocanvas.com
greg@moultonborocanvas.com
Neal Ferreira & Chris Conti, Penfield, NY
Just a note of thanks to Hood Canvas Company. Recently a business Partner and I attended The Basic Training Course and very much enjoyed the experience. My Partner an Experienced Canvas Fabricator, myself a novice, both walked away with a knowledge it would take several years to master. Your instruction is a thorough approach to mechanical fabrication training not just a few tricks of the trade. A student gains confidence and plenty of hands on One to One training. The class size allows the Instructors to accomplish so many phases of the proper construction process in a short period of time. Experienced or just starting out, anyone can truly benefit from your program. We are looking forward to continuing our canvas education @ the April Enclosure Course. Sincerely, Neal Ferreira & Chris Conti
nealt1@rochester.rr.com
Nora A. Cerrutti, Marblehead, MA
Hi Mark, Thanks to you and Deb for a fun and informative Basic class. Your attention to detail and thoroughness in instruction are fantastic. I really appreciate your hands on approach to teaching and the class materials are great! In those three days, there was much to learn but you both took the time to answer everyone's questions while going step by step through the bimini and frame construction. I sincerely appreciate you sharing your wealth of information and look forward to taking additional classes.
http://norasupholstery.vpweb.com/
nora01945@yahoo.com
Richard Ludwig, Oakdale Custom Marine Canvas, Oakdale, NY
Thanks Mark & Deb, Reading Marks articles in marine fabricator caught my interest in the Hood method. Marks method had clean narrow lines between panels, looked tight & neat. I attended the national convention in San Diego my fourth convention. On the first day I met a fellow fabricator Jay, who I had met at other conferences. We sat down and Jay introduced me to Mark & Deb Hood, the conference begins. I could not believe how lucky I was to meet Mark & Deb, by the end of the conference I was going to sign up for the bimini top and enclosure work shop offered by the Hood’s. I knew from reading the articles the class was going to be challenge, a game changer for my shop.
There hands on instructions and pattering demonstrations were a better method to fabricate a tighter and sharper looking bimini top and enclosures.
Mark showed us exclusive techniques to the Hood method, tips and tricks on how to use the binders large and small properly. It was my most comprehensive training to date.
I look forward to using the Hood method and improving my skills, techniques and producing a much better product. Thanks again Mark & Deb
ocmc@optonline.net
Ned Myers, The Boat Canvas Co, Hendersonville, TN
Mark and Debra, Thank you for a great week! The enclosure workshop was exactly what I needed to bring my skills up to a new level. Your method of instruction and the information that was shared was was perfect! Before coming to your workshop, I researched other "schools" that offered instruction in marine canvas training and spoke to people who had attended them. It quickly became abundantly clear to me that what I was going to receive from your program was way beyond what was being offered elsewhere. I was right! The "Big Binder", is a tool that not only accelerates production time in the manufacturing of a Bimini/enclosure ensemble, it adds an appearance to the finished product like no other. I believe the "Hood System", as I like to call it, is the state of art when it comes to marine canvas work. Thanks again you have really given me a leg up on the competition!
www.theboatcanvasco.com
ned@theboatcanvasco.com
Tara O’Connell, Coastal Marine Canvas, Belfast, ME
Thanks Mark and Deb for a great training! As a complete novice in the canvas trade, I was concerned that I might not have the skill and technique to keep up with the rest of the Bimini Enclosure class, but your step-by-step instruction in patterning and production, combined with your emphasis on consistency and accuracy, resulted in a genuine transfer of knowledge and confidence. I now know that I can build a quality product that customers will be proud to own and happy to pay for. I can't believe how much information I absorbed in those four days! Thank you so much for being patient with all of our questions and sticking with us when a concept was difficult until we "got it." You two are so welcoming and enthusiastic - you made the classes feel like an adventure that we were all undertaking together. And by the way, those muffin and quiche coffee breaks were quite the tasty mid-day energizers!
www.mainemarinecanvas.com
tara@mainemarinecanvas.com
Barb Campbell, South Wind Canvas, Maryville, TN
My husband and I had been in the marine canvas fabrication business for 6 months when I began reading Mark’s articles in Marine Fabricator magazine. I was impressed with his desire to “teach” through his articles and to bring the marine canvas business to a whole new level than it had been. Just the fact that Mark was willing to take my phone calls and answer numerous questions, led me to believe that he is into teaching to raise the quality of the marine canvas manufacturing business. I signed up for his Bimini Enclosure Workshop immediately. There were many levels of students, from 3 years of experience to thinking about getting into the business. I fell somewhere in between. Mark and Debbie’s ability to teach at such a level that reached all of us was amazing. Through Mark’s printed “bible”, our hands on training, our own notes, and step by step pictures (that Mark allowed us to take) gave me the confidence that I needed to come home and confidently produce high quality products for my customer. Mark has not just existed in the marine canvas fabrication business, but he has progressed, leading the way with his creative and innovative techniques. Mark showed us the current cutting edge tools of the trade as well as the shortcuts that he uses to skim time off his production time without sacrificing quality. Mark and Debbie invited us into their home and into their lives. I will definitely sign up to attend future classes that they hold.
www.southwindcanvas.com
barb@southwindcanvas.com
Chris Summers, Great Lakes Custom Canvas, Waukegan, IL
As a fabricator always trying to improve on my work, I learned of your methods from your articles in the Marine Fabricator magazine. As you wrote more articles I realized that you we addressing the problems that I had when fabricating enclosures. That would be the dreaded gaps caused by ending the side panel zippers short of the bow pockets. While walking the marinas and looking at other enclosure jobs, I realized that was the norm. After reading the second article I made the call to Hood Canvas and spoke with Deb. She was very receptive as we spoke for a while. She took time to answer questions as Mark was out on a job. Later that night Mark called and we spoke for quite a while. It was their patience and eagerness to share their techniques that made up my mind to attend their workshop. I will say without a doubt, I now have more confidence in my work. The binder saves a lot of time and makes the panels look very professional. I was skeptical at first, reading about using Tyvek for patterning. However the tips and tricks you taught us took that doubt away. I really appreciate your sequencing of developing parts. The tip for using Homosote on my tables for pattern development works great.I was amazed at how detail oriented you are. Truly a perfectionist. The small class was wonderful as we got more time with each of you. Your handouts were superb. I would recommend your class to anyone interested in taking their skills to a higher level. You two are great teachers and I would have thought you had been teaching for years. We will be attending your dodger class in February. I look forward to it.
captain.chris@att.net