In 2022 we embarked on a journey that followed 12 years of intense R&D working with our off-shore manufacturer in New Zealand to build a product called the FAB Dock, which went from a crazy idea to a worldwide revolution. Anyone who has been in business, or developed a product from scratch, will understand the sacrifices and challenges that come with achieving the ultimate feat of building not only your own product, but a brand and a business. It has sure been one hell of a ride.
Having launched FAB Dock during the GFC back in 2011 when most people were getting out of the marine industry, we quickly established ourselves as a financially viable alternative to having to antifoul a boat every year. Fast forward 12 years from the first FAB Dock proto-type and we strike Covid, a pandemic that would surely turn the world upside down and throw many a curve ball at businesses and people all around the globe. It is in time of turmoil and uncertainty that all sorts of things happen. For the founders of FAB Dock, we made the terrifying decision to onshore our product back to Australia and set up our own manufacturing facility on the Gold Coast. We saw the opportunity to capitalise on the previous 12 years of hard work and sacrifice to not only take back control of every aspect of the product we had invented and developed over the years, but to implement every single modification and improvement we could to make the FAB Dock the number 1 true dry docking system in the world, with many Patents already to its name. The first step was improving the strength and durability of the material we use. Our new and improved Australian version uses a specially made material from Germany that is twice as strong as seat belt webbing, now that’s incredible! This means we have improved the abrasion resistance, air tightness and overall lifespan of the product, and get this, it is recyclable! Inflatable technology, including materials and processes, continues to evolve around the world which you will see in military inflatables, police and rescue inflatables and life rafts designed to save you from a sinking ship. We are no different and will continue our product improvement journey for many years to come.
FAB Dock Launch – Sanctuary Cove Boat Show 2011
FAB Dock Australian Made FAB Dock – South Carolina USA 2024
Then there is the electrical side of the FAB Dock that makes it all work and keeps the boat dry. Our revolutionary, computer based, pumping and operating system runs on 12 volt, meaning that it is fully self-sufficient for boat owners to not have to rely on 110/240 volt power to keep their FAB Dock dry 24/7. This means that a FAB Dock can operate from a solar panel; there truly is no product out there like it. It is also so much safer than the use of 110/240 volt systems around salt water. We have also focused on this side of the product and continue to improve it with our latest Bluetooth FAB Dock IQ, the brains of the system. This patented module is now supported by the FAB Dock App which provides live voltage readings of the attached battery and provide live diagnostics of your FAB Dock operating system. These are just two of the many aspects of the intense product improvement we have made in the past two years as we continue to strive for bigger and better options as technologies evolve.
FAB Dock App – keeping you informed on your boats battery and dock performance
As part the new FAB Dock Era, we also introduced some of the world’s leading technology and equipment for inflatable products into our new factory on the Gold Coast, Australia. A significant investment to ensure that we can supply and install the very best inflatable product into the marine market. Curious to see more? you can check out a short video of how a FAB Dock is made, proudly produced by a very happy customer from The Rudder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93uJAoCFt-4 We would love to hear what you think!
FAB Dock Factory – Gold Coast Australia 2024
