Anyone who owns a boat knows the feeling: a small plastic clip snaps, and the replacement is discontinued, back-ordered or sold only as part of a $90 kit. 3D printing is a great fix for a lot of those parts, as long as you choose the right plastic and know where to draw the line.
Boat parts that 3D print well
- Hatch and cushion clips, latches and retainers
- Knobs, caps and covers, including discontinued ones
- Mounts for phones, GPS units, fish finders, cameras and lights
- Rod, tackle and cup holders sized to your boat
- Console and dash organizers and cable management
- Name plates, labels and trim pieces
The common thread: plastic parts that hold, cover, organize or mount something, without carrying a big structural load.
Choosing a plastic for sun and salt
ASA: best for anything in the sun
ASA was made for outdoor use. It resists UV, so it won't chalk, fade or turn brittle the way many plastics do after a Florida summer, and it handles heat well. If a part lives on deck, on the console or on a T-top, choose ASA.
PETG: tough and water-resistant
PETG is strong, slightly flexible and shrugs off water. It's a good, affordable pick for parts in the shade, in compartments or below deck. In constant direct sun it lasts longer than PLA but not as long as ASA.
TPU: flexible parts
For bumpers, pads, grips and gaskets, flexible TPU absorbs bumps and won't crack.
Skip PLA on a boat
PLA is great indoors, but it starts to soften around 55°C (about 130°F). A dark dashboard in a Florida summer gets hotter than that, so PLA parts can warp. (More on materials in our PLA vs PETG vs TPU guide.)
What should stay metal
- Cleats, hinges, and anything holding a load or a person's weight
- Safety equipment and anything rated or certified
- Through-hull fittings or anything below the waterline that could cause flooding if it failed
- Steering, throttle and fuel system parts
We'll happily print the plastic pieces around your hardware, but these parts should stay as the manufacturer made them.
No file? Send a photo
Most boat owners don't have a 3D file for a broken part, and that's fine. Take a photo of the part next to a ruler, from a couple of angles, and tell us where it goes. We'll design a replacement and send you a quote. Have a file already? Upload it for an instant price.
Local to Tampa Bay
We print in Largo and offer free local pickup, so boaters from Clearwater, St. Pete, Tampa and around the bay can skip shipping. See our marine and boat parts page or request a quote.