The appalling state of NMEA 2000 in retail

[PerfectPirate]

The NMEA 2000 communications standard was first proposed 24 years ago and has been the defacto "current" standard for nearly 2 decades, once manufacturers managed to start incorporating it into their designs. Every major marine electronics manufacturer now supports it in their current product lines. So why is there such an appalling lack of product knowledge and product availability in the retail sector?

Especially here in Canada, if I want to get something other than a standard pre-packaged cable or T-connector, I usually have to go to a big-box, online supplier on the American side. Chandleries limit themselves to ordering and selling instrument packages, but don't carry much stock of parts. If my local chandlery tries to order field-attachable connectors, or something similar, from their distributors, the product availability ranges from "someday" to "never." This has been a major impediment to modernizing my boats over the last few years. If I want an answer to a wiring question, I usually have to contact relevant manufacturers directly. Thank goodness that most of them do their best to be helpful. My thanks to B&G and Garmin in particular.


Is this just my experience? Are other sailors finding the same issues?

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by PerfectPirate

So why is there such an appalling lack of product knowledge and product availability in the retail sector?

No profit in selling a $5 connector. Sell them a complete $15 cable instead. Also means they don't have to try and connect it without the right tools. Remember your first time doing a RJ45 plug.

Pete

[tanglewood]

I've noticed in general that Canadian marine stores don't stock a very diverse inventory. I remember searching for a 50A/250V plug end from Quebec City all the way around to Halifax and never did find one. Lots of people were happy to order me one, available in a week to 10 days... Even the smallest shop in the US would likely have that plug end. I guess it's just different norms.

[smac999]

no issue on west coast canada. all those parts and connectors in stock local retail store. and the distributor in town generally has it all too if the store needs to pick it up same day.

there is definitely some covid issues now though for parts. if places are not keeping on the ball and ordering parts ahead of running out, they may be waiting a while to get more.

IE the raymarine radar and plotter I ordered in feb showed up last week.

if you are looking for parts in canada and can't find on east coast try roton in bc. (don't work there but I buy lots there)

[wkearney99]

It's tough to manage inventory, especially for non-wear items.

I can understand why the average place isn't going to keep a stock of field-attachable NMEA-2000 connectors. This is generally not something the average boater is ever likely to suddenly need.

A boat network like this is something that benefits quite a lot from planning, and with that planning comes diligence about getting the necessary pieces together to make it happen.

Would it be nice if the local places had some? Yes, no argument there.

Maretron, Furuno, ActiSense, Yacht Devices, are other vendors that have been forthcoming with genuinely useful technical info about N2K networking.

I've got an N2K network mixing products from nearly a dozen vendors and it's all working great.

1. Furuno (chart, radar, autopilot, satellite)
2. Airmar (depth, weather)
3. B&G (displays)
4. Icom (VHF)
5. Actisense (USB)
6. Maretron (displays, tanks, USB, ethernet)
7. Yacht Devices (engines, 0183 routing, AC)
8. MasterVolt (inverter, chargers)
9. Garmin (gps)
10. Fusion (music)

Maretron's N2K Analyzer is VERY helpful when the network configuration starts to include devices with overlapping feaures. You want to configure them with different instance IDs to help your other devices understand which ones are which. This to avoid, say, the more accurate GPS info from a satellite compass being ignored in favor of a less accurate source in the VHF radio.

[goboatingnow]

There is no money in chandlers selling electronics , as they are competing with the internet.

[wkearney99]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

There is no money in chandlers selling electronics , as they are competing with the internet.

They're competing for everything, not just electronics, so that alone isn't the only factor.

I'd venture there's been a lot of changes regarding how distributors have provided stocking materials for small shops. Once upon a time you'd have vendors providing a collection of stockable items. Round hang tag carousels and the like. Now that a lot can be sold individually online with much greater ease there's less need or incentive to use the same stocking and marketing efforts.

That and the level of expertise required to provide sensible assistance with electronics is also MUCH higher than what's been necessary for past items. It's one thing to know just enough to help for VHF radios, it's a whole other deep end of the pool to know boat networking. Unless the place also does installations they're just not going to attract staff to provide this sort of support. And if they're doing installations, well, the money is a lot better there than giving it away at the retail counter. That's just reality.