WHERE CAN I BUY THIS CHEAPER?

Ace Hardware on Muldoon Rd. in Anchorage for me when looking for parts/pieces. They recently built a brand new store and carry alot of stock. Prices lower than the box store.
If I can not find it there I go on to HD or Lowes.
 
For me sometimes cheaper is not better. I drive right by a Home Depot to go to McLendons. I know that I can find tires cheaper but I give Les Schwabe my business. I think that sometimes a more knowledgable staff and better service is worth paying for. Won't even get into the crappy business and labor practices of Wal-Mart. I couldn't give a rats red behind how cheap they sell a product for. But I do like the idea of this topic.
 
Just noticed the dates on my latest flares are expired. Just counted 26 expired flares in my inventory. Tested the oldest, struck off with one strike. But, since some government desk jockey says they must be replaced every couple years, we all run out and buy new ones. Since it is buy or get a ticket, the marine dealers are having a windfall. West Marine, 3 flare pack $30.00. Academy Sports, 3 pack for $30.00 or $40.00.

Auto Zone 3 for $6.00. Truck stops, about the same.

Now, I hear some of you thinking, "But they're not MARINE flares." They are just as good, and I have 26 spare MARINE flares just in case.
 
I don't think you will find the Coast Guard approval on those highway flares...or an expiration date. Your other 26 flares don't count because they are expired. How will you meet the requirement for signalling devices?
 
rogerbum":n7s5f522 said:
My favorite place to buy stainless steel hardware is my local Ace hardware in Lake Forrest Park. Ace stocks a ton of stainless hardware and it's 1/2 to 1/3 the price of the same stuff at West Marine. Also, they have a more complete stock than WM when it comes to ss hardware so it's a win all around.
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Ditto.
 
I think of where I bought a lot of my fishing tackle. K-Mart and Wal-Mart sell fishing licenses and tackle Wal-Mart prices are not always so good. . Not a lot of good advise to be had there or at K-Mart. I use local private tackle shops to try to keep them in business. They will tell me the truth and pass along information and tips etc.
Cabela's/Bass Pro Shops I do if I get a gift card.You have to know what your pricing. We have a local produce farm store and they beat Wal-Mart all the time on produce. I use Defender almost exclusively for marine/boating stuff. I don't really shop their prices much. I too use Ace for stainless steel hardware, plus you don't to walk a half a mile to find out they don't have any stock in the item you are looking for.
D.D.
 
Chris is right, flares are dated but not coast guard approved. Guess there is no way around paying 4 times what these flares are worth. Thank you US Govt.
 
anchorout":1l8yhyrz said:
Chris is right, flares are dated but not coast guard approved. Guess there is no way around paying 4 times what these flares are worth. Thank you US Govt.
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Marine handheld flares are different than the road flares. Mainly, the marine ones are designed to be handheld while the road flares are designed to be placed on the surface of the road. Road flares tend to drop ash that is still very hot, marine flares do not. In addition to the potential for burns to yourself from using road flares on the boat, fiberglass is also highly flammable. So, I think the U.S. govt. may be helping you prevent a fire or injury by trying to save a few $'s on a safety item.
 
best stick with the USCG approved flares, a person best not cut corners on safety, especially when there is fire involved.

as much as I dislike mallwart, I ventured in there the other day and purchased a day shape to display when anchored, a 97 cent package of 12" black balloons.

Displaying a black ball while on anchor will help to make sure your next of kin will be compensated when some idiot in a sail boat or a commercial troller runs over you.......neither of which have a clue of the significance of the black ball.
 
I have always found the cheapest price online and then take it to my local West Marine Store and they have always matched the price. A lot of the things I buy are a little bit higher at the local store but when you add shipping it may go over.
 
dredger":yp72te0x said:
I have always found the cheapest price online and then take it to my local West Marine Store and they have always matched the price.
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There may be branches, or individual employees, who don't enforce it, but WM has a new, more restrictive price-matching policy. That is that they will only price match to another "real" store that is within 50 miles of the store you are in. Apparently it took effect some time back, but I hadn't noticed as I don't do that very often. I don't usually shop just on price, but there are times I do, and then I usually try to give the business to the place that posted the price originally vs. making me do the legwork. But, I still do (did) use WM's price-matching at times.

Anyway, this summer I went to buy some 3-strand line, and after I walked out I was thinking "Gee, I know WM has a store to support, so paying a bit more doesn't bother me; but that seems like a LOT for this line." Went online and it was over double what most sticks and bricks were charging for the same brand/size/type.

Well, as it turns out, I had to return one of the other things I had purchased and so when there I asked them for a price match on the line (if they would do it). That's when they told me about and showed me the new(er) policy. However, the manager said "Yeah, wow, that price is high, not sure why" and so did price match the sticks and bricks price of a store that was about 75 miles away. So they apparently have some leeway (but, I wasn't asking them to match an "online" price from thousands of miles away either).
 
When one lives serious distances from anything which could be called a marine store, whether the dealer is a ma and pa outfit or some national chain, there is a breaking point where mark up and/or just plain gouging has to be considered. Here in White Suffering Springs, the closest "marine store" is in Great Falls 95 miles to the north. The almost two hundred mile rd. trip is not inexpensive. To wit:

I wanted to get some 303 water re-proofing for my Sunbrella cockpit cover. The Great Falls marine store had the product for $29 (32 ounces).
I bought it and found the claim that it would cover 100 square feet wildly optimistic. I needed more to finish the job. What did I do?

I went on ebay and found the same product for 12 dollars less. So I bought some (postage paid & delivered to my home) - actually a gallon, more than I needed for that particular job but handy to have around for other some other Sunbrella needs.

Now I have a question, either the 303 product is grossly overpriced, or the seller (from CT.) is a motivated seller? Or is it the manufacturer or the middleman responsibile for the inflated price?

IMO everyone is in the chain, producer through the consumer.

Ebay is a form of marketplace that seems to level the field somewhat.

John
 
Another option is that the eBay seller is selling a counterfit knockoff that may only cost pennies per gallon for him to make/buy so he can sell the product at what seems to be a bargain price.
 
Ssobol - the Sunbrella product arrived postage paid factory sealed for $69 - one gallon costing $17.25 per quart. That is a $57 dollar savings. No transportation or mailing costs. The seller is legitimate.

John
 
I recently sat on my front hatch and cracked it in two. Having never had this problem before, I sought advice from the forum and was advised I could replace the plastic lens. I thought I would have to replace the whole hatch for big bucks.

Enter Allen Cesany at WWW.yachtwindows.com. I gave measurements on L X W, corner radius, hole measurements, and in less than a week, new lens for the fore hatch. Nice folks. Good price.
 
I have had a wash down pump sitting in my garage for 7 years. I has been moved from one house to another. Packed and repacked and stored and moved. I got it for free somewhere when I had the 22 and never got around to installing it. It was in perfect working order and pumps water just fine.

Last week I decided to finally install it in the 27. After a lot of looking and head scratching I decided to place is be hind the same fiberglass panel that protect the stand alone fuel pump, which I don't use often but its nice to have if I want to drain the tank, fill the dingy motor, or transfer to another boat that is out of gas.

This required the removal of the panel, drilling of several holes in the panel to both mount the pump and provide a out let for the water line. Add in a switch and some rewiring and its ready to go back in. Take it out to the boat for a test fit and in the process I snap the water out let of the top housing off.... :cry

This top part and the switch is all one piece. After serveal supper glue and one JB welled attemp and re install I snapped it off again. :cry :twisted: :cry :x

So what does all of this have to do with this thread?? I have to buy a new pump or the top of the pump. I found out that you can still buy the top of the pump as a separate part, for $80 at west marine, or $56 at harbor marine, or any where from $99 to $45 online at a dozen other online/store front shops over the net. OR for $16 at amazon. Thats right $16 plus $4 for shipping. Less then half price of anywhere else and it will be here monday. Now if only I can get it installed with out breaking it again. :roll:
 
I like to keep a bailing sponge onboard to use for everything from wiping condensation from the ceiling, to cleaning incoming anchor chain, to keeping the cockpit deck dry. West Marine, $10.00 Lowes tile area, $3.00 and the Lowe's sponge has a scruffy back that really cuts fish blood and mud from surfaces.
 
I kept hearing that the CD22 uses old Jeep Willeys 1953 type windshield wipers. That has proven to be correct. They are metal, heavy duty and look exactly like the ones at West Marine.

I just replaced both of mine. West Marine $50-ish each. OReilly Auto Parts TRI 33-101 $7.00 each.
 
anchorout":16rlp2er said:
I just replaced both of mine. West Marine $50-ish each. OReilly Auto Parts TRI 33-101 $7.00 each.
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Ooh, good to know where to get blade replacements. I'm not sure if it matters (maybe they all use the same blades anyway), but do you have the manual lever type wipers? (That's what I have on my 22.)
 
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