Sos dan buoy

[old-sailer]

Yes we price match at West Marine all the time but don't forget they have one of the best customer rewards packages around. The kickback you get 4 times a year makes it well worth participating in. Especially when it comes with Insurance and free towing service.

old-sailer, Everything at WM is full retail. Their business model is designed for the weary traveler that just barely made it to shore at the nearby marina and needs x, y, & z to keep going. Those guys will gladly pay retail for anything in the store. I'll admit, you cannot beat the convenience of have them sprawled out all over the country.

The rest of us learned that WM also accepts 'price match documents'. Find a reputable business, print out the exact item that you want from WM (sometimes they check part numbers), and they will accept the price. Defender is always a good one to use, as they are regularly a few $$ cheaper than WM on identical items, but I've used others before too.

That Forespar pole Neil linked to is a perfect example...print out the Landfall Navigation sheet (close scrutiny shows that the manufacturer part number of 202019 match, so it is in fact the same item & WM has to accept it) & take it WM to conveniently get your pole locally for $138.

I am now known as the 'price match guy' at my local WM. I hardly ever walk in there without something I've printed out to save a few $$.

[old-sailer]

Someone here was also experessing concern about windage of the SOS Dan Bouy.

I wanted to point out it has a drogue so after it's deployed it pretty much stays put.

I promise I don't have anything to do with this company (even if I appear to be pushing the item) but I do think it's a great unit and I intend to get one.

I hate having that darn pole in the way on the back of the boat and it's a lot easier to throw at a person than that darn pole and horseshoe is.

[ArtJ]

old-sailer, Everything at WM is full retail. Their business model is designed for the weary traveler that just barely made it to shore at the nearby marina and needs x, y, & z to keep going. Those guys will gladly pay retail for anything in the store. I'll admit, you cannot beat the convenience of have them sprawled out all over the country.

The rest of us learned that WM also accepts 'price match documents'. Find a reputable business, print out the exact item that you want from WM (sometimes they check part numbers), and they will accept the price. Defender is always a good one to use, as they are regularly a few $$ cheaper than WM on identical items, but I've used others before too.

That Forespar pole Neil linked to is a perfect example...print out the Landfall Navigation sheet (close scrutiny shows that the manufacturer part number of 202019 match, so it is in fact the same item & WM has to accept it) & take it WM to conveniently get your pole locally for $138.

I am now known as the 'price match guy' at my local WM. I hardly ever walk in there without something I've printed out to save a few $$.

The problem with WM is that although they will price match Defender, they
also add shipping charges from Defender as well.
I try to buy from Defender
regardless because only they and a few others are keeping WM from charging
the full bore all the time. If they go out, then there will be few alternatives. Besides, where I live, I get deliveries from Defender
in usually 1 day by UPS.

Regards
Art

[jhwelch]

I'll put in a plug for Hamilton Marine based in Maine. I've always had great customer service there, both in person and over the telephone.

[ndutton]

I don't buy from eBay.. too may times I've been screwed on a product.

EBay has been very good for me. Some of my boat related purchases over the past several years:

• Complete Edson pedestal steering system - $400.00
• New 11 gallon stainless water heater including engine coolant heat exchanger - $125.00
• PAR belt driven water pressure pump, the Holy Grail of pumps - $50.00. I added another $15.00 for a rebuild kit for $65.00 total.
• New Raymarine ST4000+ Wheel pilot complete - $750.00
• Raymarine ST-50 digital depth sounder - $50.00
• New vertical capstan anchor windlass including solenoid switch - $425.00
• Sendure 2 pass engine heat exchanger - $50.00
• Two Lewmar ST30 winches - $400.00

Those are only the ones I remember and not a single transaction issue among them. Maybe I'm just lucky??

BTW, my comment on financial considerations when throwing gear off the boat compared the old school M-O-B pole and horseshoe to the Switlik system @ ~$1000 mentioned in the third post. I thought the price reference made it clear but apparently not.

[old-sailer]

Your lucky...

Historically I've done over 800 transactions on eBay and in doing so I've been screwed time and time again via eBay. My own rating is 100%. I have sold all kinds of items and I always treat people fairly. But buying.... never again. Now I've finally given up and no longer bother to buy at all. I will still sell however.

I just today filed yet another Paypal dispute. An item I ordered a month ago now; was never sent or arrived. No response to Emails.... I usually get my money back but it's a waste of my time to deal with these people.

The abolute worst I've endured are in two places: California (sorry old son) and Puerto Rico. There doesn't seem to be anyone honest in either place if I was to judge by my own experience.

I now purchase through kijiji as I can meet the person face to face, pay cash and get my stuff. eBay can bite me.

My only comment to you would be: wait... you'll get screwed eventually.

EBay has been very good for me. Some of my boat related purchases over the past several years:

• Complete Edson pedestal steering system - $400.00
• New 11 gallon stainless water heater including engine coolant heat exchanger - $125.00
• PAR belt driven water pressure pump, the Holy Grail of pumps - $50.00. I added another $15.00 for a rebuild kit for $65.00 total.
• New Raymarine ST4000+ Wheel pilot complete - $750.00
• Raymarine ST-50 digital depth sounder - $50.00
• New vertical capstan anchor windlass including solenoid switch - $425.00
• Sendure 2 pass engine heat exchanger - $50.00
• Two Lewmar ST30 winches - $400.00

Those are only the ones I remember and not a single transaction issue among them. Maybe I'm just lucky??

BTW, my comment on financial considerations when throwing gear off the boat compared the old school M-O-B pole and horseshoe to the Switlik system @ ~$1000 mentioned in the third post. I thought the price reference made it clear but apparently not.

[ndutton]

Hmm, Californians, they're a pretty shifty bunch.

My only comment to you would be: wait... you'll get screwed eventually.

Yeah well, until I do it remains an excellent resource - for me! Fortunately my large-ish expenditures are done so any predicted risk is minor from here on.

Hey Mo! Did you hear anything? Click - clack!

[old-sailer]

After thinking about it it's possible your having better luck because you're buying sailing items, and dealing with sailing folks. I'd like to think these are a very different sort of people as in my experience with sailboat owners has been very positive.

Maybe I'm getting the wrong stuff from the wrong types. hmmmm

Hmm, Californians, they're a pretty shifty bunch.
Yeah well, until I do it remains an excellent resource - for me! Fortunately my large-ish expenditures are done so any predicted risk is minor from here on.

Hey Mo! Did you hear anything? Click - clack!

[sastanley]

I haven't had any trouble with e-bay either...

I've bought all kinds of stuff and sold a few too. I also tinker with cars, so my other e-bay area is car stuff.

I don't plan on starting a s#!t fight about it..if it hasn't worked for you, it is not my place to try to convince you.

Sorry you've had bad luck O-S.

[old-sailer]

Actually eBay themself are Ok.

I just took a walk through memory lane looking through my transactions. I've had to go through the Paypal dispute process with 32 transactions.. can you believe that 32 of them. All but one have been booted off eBay. So there is justice in the process.

Maybe there's hope..

I haven't had any trouble with e-bay either...

I've bought all kinds of stuff and sold a few too. I also tinker with cars, so my other e-bay area is car stuff.

I don't plan on starting a s#!t fight about it..if it hasn't worked for you, it is not my place to try to convince you.

Sorry you've had bad luck O-S.

[Mo]

OS
I've used ebay quiet a few times...even bought a truck from the US on there...never had a problem. The only thing you have to ensure is that you specify that UPS courier not send it. US postal service and Fedex do the best job.

I ordered a new furler summer 2009 and told the guy NO UPS. He sent it UPS anyway and when it didn't arrive I called him and told him to keep it. He sent one right then via Fedex. The Fedex shipped one was at my house the next morning and the UPS shipped one showed up the next day...it was 2 days late and it was turned around to go back the same snail pace it arrived.

Told the guy at Furlex if you want to keep your business better work with people who can get it done.

[old-sailer]

Yes, I've always said no UPS. I figure I'm paying I get to choose. But then I get told "if I don't like the deal and the shipping don't bid".

I refuse UPS. They're slow, then they fee us to death. A brockerage fee, taxes, and then because they're collecting money a COD fee. It ends up more than theoriginal article.

Like I said, 32 disputes and I've won them all. One of them was Fraud. A seller called "doctors-deals" sold an item that simply didn't work. I returned it and after a month with no action on their part either a refund of replace the item and no response to my Emails I left them a Negative. Then I get an Email telling me because I left a Nagative they won't do a thing unless I issue a retraction to have the negative removed. I reported them to eBay who verified this had happened and and suspended them for a year.

Right now I'm involved in another one. Francisco Mercado from Puerto Rico sold me a cellphone then went silent. It's been over a month and no phone... He's now being investigated. (I was using this cellphone to connect to a microprocessor to use in our boat to text me if the bilge was to high or there's smoke etc, it's all built I just need the phone)

I just can't win. 'course... that's only .5% out of all I've dealt with. Maybe I'm too critical.

Kijiji is far better.....

OS
I've used ebay quiet a few times...even bought a truck from the US on there...never had a problem. The only thing you have to ensure is that you specify that UPS courier not send it. US postal service and Fedex do the best job.

I ordered a new furler summer 2009 and told the guy NO UPS. He sent it UPS anyway and when it didn't arrive I called him and told him to keep it. He sent one right then via Fedex. The Fedex shipped one was at my house the next morning and the UPS shipped one showed up the next day...it was 2 days late and it was turned around to go back the same snail pace it arrived.

Told the guy at Furlex if you want to keep your business better work with people who can get it done.