West Marine

[Coops]

Originally Posted by Jd1

The manager at WM looked at the URL I provided to find out if the retailer was an internet shop only but it turns out that they have a Quebec location (what difference does it make, price match means price match).

I work for Whitworths in Australia, a smaller version of WM, selling a lot of the same stuff. We will price match a retail store but NOT an internet only store. The reason being that they do not pay rent, nor have a lot of staff, nor public liability etc, etc. You cannot compete with an internet store on price unless you buy in massive quantities and get the price down at the purchasing side.

Coops.

[sushirama]

WM in Marathon is pretty competitive in most items. Except hardware. Things like stainless screw and fittings I generally try HD first, ours has a reasonable marine section, Other things like for example an aluminum beach/fishing cart they beat out K-Mart by 30 bucks on. Exact same product. Things like resin and fiberglass they get beaten down on A gallon of poly resin is like 40 bucks and local lumber yard 25. Electronics they are pretty competitive. RIBS and motors very competitive but they dont do financing. I ask the guys in the trades where they get their stuff. It varies on what they need. None do single source for everything. Also if you or your boat is a business. Apply for the trade discount card you get 40 percent off. The only thing out of the ordinary to get it is you must supply a piece of printed advertising from a local paper or magazine. Easy enough. Make it bad and with no phone number. for 20 bucks.

[xymotic]

Originally Posted by sushirama

WM in Marathon is pretty competitive in most items. Except hardware. Things like stainless screw and fittings I generally try HD first, ours has a reasonable marine section, Other things like for example an aluminum beach/fishing cart they beat out K-Mart by 30 bucks on. Exact same product. Things like resin and fiberglass they get beaten down on A gallon of poly resin is like 40 bucks and local lumber yard 25. Electronics they are pretty competitive. RIBS and motors very competitive but they dont do financing. I ask the guys in the trades where they get their stuff. It varies on what they need. None do single source for everything. Also if you or your boat is a business. Apply for the trade discount card you get 40 percent off. The only thing out of the ordinary to get it is you must supply a piece of printed advertising from a local paper or magazine. Easy enough. Make it bad and with no phone number. for 20 bucks.

This is not quite right. The Wholesale discount is not "40% off" it depends on the gross margin of the item AND the purchasing volume of the customer.

They may have accepted a fake ad in the past but Port Supply is a wholesale distributor, they expect you to be a legit *marine* business with a Bus. License and resale certificate. ANd they have cracked down *A*Lot* on fake PS accounts.

[marshmat]

The West Marine stores I've been to in Canada are generally well-stocked, staffed by competent people, and easy to deal with. The appeal is that they tend to have what you need in stock and complete with staff who know what will and won't work for your needs.

Their prices are competitive on most brand-name equipment, although we have on rare occasions caught them doing something dumb (like selling a defective wire stripper for $35 when the hardware store across the street had the exact same tool, right down to the marks from the flawed stamping die, for $2.49). For raw materials you are of course usually better off with a wholesaler.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by skipmac

If you are looking for odd size or specialty nuts, bolts and various fasteners in bronze or stainless, Jamestown is the best source I have found in online marine stores. They are also a good source for teak lumber and prefabbed items.

But I do find their prices for more common items to be a good deal higher than West or Defender but they will also price match.

I suggest you try McMaster Carr. McMaster-Carr# and look up anything you can immagine you might need for a boat. Include shackles, line, cables, fasteners, chain, plastic (hatch windows) etc.

[David M]

I have been shopping at West Marine since they opened their first stores here in the Bay Area. Overall I would give them a B+.

[Bash]

I bit the bullet last weekend and bought a new set of farmer johns. (A lightweight set, my offshore foulies are still in great shape.) At WM, I was able to try four breathable selections in my size: Gill, WM "Third Reef", Henri Lloyd, and SLAM. I think they also had Musto, but I wasn't looking for that particular type of gear. It was nice to be able to compare that many items in one location, and I was able to take it for granted that they'd have my size available in each brand. It was also nice to be able to get a discount through Port Supply, even though the discounts on clothing are not that large, especially when compared to electronics, et cetera.

There weren't a lot of chandleries where you'd get that kind of selection in the pre-WM days.

[memo18111]

Originally Posted by Bash

I bit the bullet last weekend and bought a new set of farmer johns. (A lightweight set, my offshore foulies are still in great shape.) At WM, I was able to try four breathable selections in my size: Gill, WM "Third Reef", Henri Lloyd, and SLAM. I think they also had Musto, but I wasn't looking for that particular type of gear. It was nice to be able to compare gthat many items in one location, and I was able to take it for granted that they'd have my size available in each brand. It was also nice to be able to get a discount through Port Supply, even though the discounts on clothing are not that large, especially when compared to electronics, et cetera.

There weren't a lot of chandleries where you'd get that kind of selection in the pre-WM days.

Gill vs Henri Lloyd, which one is better

[xymotic]

Originally Posted by memo18111

Gill vs Henri Lloyd, which one is better

Depends which anchor you use on your multihull when you shoot seagulls, and the grade of oil in your engine.

I like Gill but I dunno if I'd say it's definitively better. Depends on the item.