5.1 Addresses and numbers for suppliers
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This article is from the Boats FAQ, by John F. Hughes with numerous contributions by others.
5.1 Addresses and numbers for suppliers
Where I have them, I've included the non-800 numbers so that non-US
readers can call these places. Typically I've used the phone number of one
of the store showrooms, but they should be able to help with phone orders
if you are lucky.
M&E Marine 800 541-6501; 609 858 1010: Inexpensive; recent reports
indicate a dedication to good service, and their sailing hardware section is
now excellent. In-store service said to be good, and a good discount
section in at least one store. (jfh)
Bacon's (Annapolis area): 116 Legion Ave, Annapolis, MD. They have
everything, new and used, from clothing to winches, stoves, line, you get
the picture. They are also a national sail exchange. I think they maintain
an inventory of about 1,200 sails, again some newer than others. (cr)
BOAT/US: 1-800-937-BOAT (orders); 1-800-937-9307 (customer service).
Another user says: They offer their lowest price policy on anything. We
recently wanted to purchase rafting cushions. Our local E&B store didn't
have the size we wanted. They did have the lowest catalog price around.
They would have special ordered them but I wanted to call BOAT/US
first even though they were $8.00 higher. I called BOAT/US, told them
the E&B price, and they gave us that price, less 10% of the difference. We
didn't have to pay sales tax, and the shipping was much less. The only
"catch" is that the prices must be the regular catalog price, not a sale
price. The other good thing I have noticed about BOAT/US is that they
really have low shipping weights. For the same cushions above, BOAT/US
had a shipping wt. of 6 lbs each. E&B listed the weight at 15 lbs each. A
BIG difference when you have to pay the shipping. If you order by 1pm
they ship out UPS that same day. I called on Thursday 10 am and my
cushions were at my house Friday afternoon.
Worton Creek Marina (upper chesapeake) has an excellent Marine store
and parts dept. Located midway between the Annapolis Bay Bridge and
the C&D canel. Great if you run out of food (frozen or fresh) or need a
spare part or have a breakdown of one sort of another. Very
accommodating and prices are pretty good.
South Coast Marine Supply, Larchmont NY: Much like M&E. Cheaper
prices on a few things.(jfh)
Post Marine Supply (1-800-YACHTER); 111 Cedar St., New Rochelle,
NY 10801. Lowest price in the Larchmont/Rye/New Rochelle area on
bottom paint when I looked around, but I wouldn't buy anything from
them if I didn't have to. The sleazy cover photo on their catalog might
not be enough to put you off, but the rotten customer relations reported
by at least one person suggest that you're better off going to West Marine
(for mail order), which will match prices, and which has the best customer
relations on earth, or Defender (if you're in the area), which is nearby and
treats its customers pretty well, too, at least the walk-in variety.(jfh)
The Rigging Company in Portsmouth, RI, 1-800-322-1525: Unknown to
me, but recommended by Roy Smith. They do sailboat rigging. See
below.(rs)
Boat/US 880 So. Pickett St., Alexandria, VA 22304 (800) 937-2628;(703)
823-9550; Will meet other's advertised prices on anchors. I don't know
about other things. It's where I bought my 35 lb CQR (ouch!). Their
cordage is not particularly good quality, according to a friend who
recently checked it out while looking for anchor rode.(jfh)
E&B Marine: 800 533-5007 *Good* prices on electronics, especially when
they are on sale. Limited selection of sailboat hardware, but their in-store
supply of fasteners is pretty good-if you need a 4" x 5/16" stainless bolt,
and a nylock nut to go on it, they probably have it. If you want cordage,
their pre-cut lengths are a pretty good deal. Their supply is otherwise
limited. Rapidly going out of the sailboat hardware business, resulting in
some incredible sale prices in the Providence store at least. This is also
the place to get those mermaid-shaped fenders and signal-flag glasses, if
you go for that sort of stuff.(jfh)
Jamestown Distributors, (800) 423-0030. Excellent source for marine
hardware. Good place to look for stainless steel or bronze fasteners. As
one rec.boat-er said "I can't imagine starting a boatbuilding project
without a call to Jamestown Marine."
West Marine (1-800-538-0775), 510 532 0766. 500 Westridge Drive, PO
Box 1020, Watsonville, CA, 95077, : Their normal catalog is a pretty
informative thing. Their master catalog is something that every sailor
should read. You know how you sometimes say "Jeez, I really need the 6
1/2 foot oars, but they only show 5' and 6' in the catalog."? In the Master
Catalog, they show it all. And the little "West Advisor" sections are in
there as well. Prices: higher than other discount places, but not full-price.
I admit that I sometimes use their catalog to decide what to get, then
look for it elsewhere. Usually not-I appreciate what they do so much that
I pay the slightly higher prices in hopes of keeping them in business.
When they say that they're shipping today, they are telling the truth.
News Flash: in April 1991 I spoke to someone at West who told me they
have a price-matching policy. Now there's no reason to go anywhere else.
They print their catalog on glossy paper, which is environmentally bad,
but they don't use peanuts for shipping any more, which is good.(jfh)
Goldberg's Marine (1-800-BOATING): Identical to E&B Marine.
Overton's (800 334-6541): 111 Red Banks Rd. P.O.Box 8228 Greenville,
N.C. 27835 for technical assitance ask for ext. 286
They carry Pleasurecraft and Indmar Engines, and a wide selection of
waterski gear. Lots of bathing suit ads in the last 20 pages of the catalog.
Defender Marine (1-914-632-3001; 1-800-628-8225 New Rochelle NY):
Great prices, good selection, and reasonable warranty. Badly organized
catalog, printed on newsprint: nice for the environment, but harder to
read. Also, they tend to be a bit slow. Several netters (jfh, gb1) have had
horrible luck with their mail-order business, having the wrong items of
damaged items shipped, and then being yelled at when we wanted to send
them back. Basically, I'll never mail order from them again. They do have
a rigging service, but they send stuff off to Florida to be done (perhaps to
Johnson Sails???).
Brewer's Hardware, 161 E Boston Post Rd, in Mamaranack,
914-698-3232. You can usually get things from Defender cheaper, but
Brewers has a remarkable selection of hardware (like fasteners) and
hardware (like Harken stuff). They're pricey, but the stuff is there.(jfh)
Shoreway Marine, Highway 73, Berlin, NJ 08009. Call 1-800-543-5408 for
ordering and product information (609-768-8102 in NJ). This is what
Larry and Irwin Goldberg did after they sold out to E&B. Well organised
and printed catalog on recyclable newsprint type paper. Powerboat
oriented with little of interest specifically to sailboaters but great prices
on electronics and other common use items. (wms).
Marine Exchange, in Peabody, MA. According to one netter, "They sell
both new and used equipment and will also special order items for you.
They also have a complete rigging service. The owner is Arlene and she is
far and away the most knowledgeable person I have ever met in the boat
supply business. She can help you figure out what you need for a project
and where to find it. She can get it for you at a discount, and if she can't
get it for you, she can tell you where else to find it. Not only has she
found us a number of obscure items at substantial savings, but she's also
told us where to find netting (at fishing supply houses; it's cheapest
there); where to get the stern swim ladder welded; who in the area makes
custom size, rigid holding tanks, etc., etc. They have hundreds of boating
manufacturers catalogs and will look up items, prices, specifications for
you. They're a great outfit to deal with."
Hamilton Marine, Searsport, Maine. "Good prices, mail order." (ph)
Hamilton Marine in Searsport, Maine is (207) 548-2985 They have a lot of
good gear, a nice catalogue, and are strong on many fishing/lobstering
supplies (claw bands, freezer gloves) that are missing from yacht
chandleries. Plus they have a lot of bronze fittings around. (db)
Marine Center, 1150 Fairview Ave North (retail outlet); PO Box 9968,
Seattle WA 98109 (800 242 6357) "They are a catalog company in Seattle
that I have dealt with a dozen or so times. Prices lower than local retail;
180 page annual catalog + 2 sale catalogs per year. General marine
supply: electronic, sail and power equip. Outstanding selection of small
specialty stuff: switches, lamps, lifeline stantions to name items I have
bought.
Fawcett Boat Supplies, 110 Compromise Street. (410) 267 7547. They
have almost everything in stock, and can locate anything else.
Unfortunately, they are not cheap. Their self-proclaimed nickname is
"Tiffany's on the Severn." (ag)
Signet Marine: Several people have posted requests recently for
information on parts and service for Signet Marine instruments. Signet
Marine went out of business a few months ago. However, Signet has been
"reconstituted" under new ownership recently. (mt)
You can contact them at:
Signet Marine Service 505 Van Ness Ave. Torrance, CA 90501 (310)
320-4349
Sailrite Kits, 305 W. VanBuren St.,PO Box 987,Columbia City, IN 46725.
1-800-348-2769, FAX 219-244-4184. They can sell you precut kits, custom
stuff and even a line of heavy duty sewing machines, some of which are
built to run on 12V. Lots of help for the nervous rookie as well. Good
people (no, I don't work there). (sm2)
Nilcoptra 3 Marine Road; Hoylake, Wirral; Cheshire L47 2AS; United
Kingdom; tel. 051 632 5365 (eb)
G.L. Green; 104 Pitshanger Lane; Ealing, London W5 1QX; United
Kingdom (eb)
Department B; Chevet Books; 157 Dickson Road; Blackpool FY1 2EU;
United Kingdom (eb)
Mr. Reginald H. Stone; Red Duster Books; 26 Acorn Avenue; Bar Hill;
Cambridge CB3 8DT; United Kingdom (eb)
Gerald Lee Martin Books; 73 Clayhall Avenue; Ilford, Essex IG5 0PN;
United Kingdom (eb)
McLaren Books; 91 West Clyde Street; Helensburgh; Dunbartonshire G84
8BB; United Kingdom (eb)
Seafarer Books and Crafts; 18 Market Courtyard; Riverside,
Haverfordwest; Pembrokeshire; United Kingdom (eb)
Companies specializing in used and out-of-print books:
W. Weigand and Co.; PO Box 563; Glastonbury CT O6033; [Smaller,
general list, periodic mailings.] (eb)
Fisher Nautical; Huntswood House; St. Helena Lane; Streat, Hassocks;
Sussex BN6 8SD; United Kingdom; [Huge list, periodic mailings. You can
ask to be placed on the "Yachting Only" list. General list has the most
amazing stuff on it: Admiralty reports, old ships logs, sailor's diaries,
shipwreck reports, and on and on. Occasional curmudgeonly newsletter
from the proprietor. Very good at searching for specific books.] (eb)
Columbia Trading Co.; 504 Main St.; W. Barnstable MA 02668;
[Mid-sized list, periodic mailings. Seems more attuned to the serious
bibliophile, e.g., pricey first editions.] (eb)
Safe Navigation in Long Beach, CA is a VERY complete book/chart
store. You can get Admiralty, Canadian and US sailing directions,
courtesy flags for many many nations, lots of books for the yachting
crowd, plus fascinating tomes like "How to store cargo", "Sailing
Distances Between World Ports" and "Self-Study Guide for the Merchant
Marine Ableseaman Exam". They try to stock a complete set of NOS and
DMA charts and also have (so they say, I did not check - yet) Canadian
and British charts, perhaps others as well. They do mail order. (db)
The Nautical Mind, (416) 203-1163. Bookstore in Toronto. They seem to
have an extensive set of titles in stock. Good source for obtaining
European cruising guides on this side of the Atlantic. The only bookstore
I could find which carried any British canal guides.(al)
International Marine - A Division of McGraw-Hill Blue Ridge Summit,
PA 17294-0840 US 800-822-8158 FAX 717-794-2080 Foreign orders
717-794-2191 8:30-5:00 EST or FAX, use credit card IM is both a major
international publisher and a mail order vendor. They put out a flyer
about once a month which covers about 300 boating titles, with
descriptions. They offer discounts on new releases and on close-outs.
They have extensive listings on design, building, maintenance, navigation,
cruising guides, fiction, etc., etc. Typical shipping is $3 to $6 in US, $5 to
$8 foreign per order. Great catalog, good service (wv)
J. Tuttle Maritime Books; 1806 Laurel Crest; Madison WI 53705; [Smaller
list, periodic mailings.] (eb)
Diesel Engines: Info about Perkins deisels is available from Perkins Group
of Companies, Eastfield, Frank Perkins Way, Peterborough, PE1 5NA,
England, Phone: 44 733 67474
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