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Shopping at "The Boat Show" vs shopping online...
I've just bought my first sailboat, and am waiting for spring so I can launch
her. It will be a long wait. In the meantime I have to re-outfit her safety gear since I bought her in the USA and imported to Canada where some of our safty gear requirements are different. I see 4 ways to go about getting the necessary gear: 1. Wait until spring and go to some of the local "boot sales"/swap and sell's/garage sales. This would be really inexpensive, but its safety gear, do I really want to depend on other folks' castaways? 2. Wait until January and go to the boat show. While show sales may make things less expensive, I have a love/hate relationship with trade shows and wouldl come away feeling exhausted. I'd also be lucky if the first mate went along since she fares poorly anyplace there is a crowd. 3. Shop at local chandleries. Thisis likely the most expensive way to go about things, but would giv eth ewarm fuzzy feeling of supporting local economy and so on. Trouble is the local chandlery is an hour's drive away in the city. Not something fun to do. 4. Shop online. I could buy all the kit in one fell swoop save some bucks, and have it shipped to my door. seems most convenient, but takes away from learning new stuff from folks who should know and I always seem to end up with the hassels of returns. What are your preferred shopping methods - and what would you do? -- Message posted via BoatKB.com http://www.boatkb.com/Uwe/Forums.asp...iling/200711/1 |
#2
posted to alt.sailing
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Shopping at "The Boat Show" vs shopping online...
Prospestor,
You don't say how long you have been sailing and by the question, I would guess not long... I have. In this order: Get on the web. Find the real Canadian requirements, most of what you have may well be approved for Canadian or Solas anything Solas will be good. Get catalogues from all that will provide one. Learn as much as you can about what you really do need. Resist the urge to buy things until you have sailed the boat some time - a season is good. Go to the spring boat show, but leave you wallet home. Unless you Know you have to have it, don't buy it and your websearch will have given some idea what a good price might be. Don't buy anything at retail that you do not absolutely need. (There is seldom any price break on the good safety gear.) Flea markets and garage sales are great sources, but learn about what you are buying early. Some safety gear requires inspection. Sometimes that inspection is very expensive. These things show up "cheap" at flea markets. Fair wind and Smooth Seas Matt Colie - Lifelong Waterman, Licensed Mariner and Perpetual Sailor Prospector via BoatKB.com wrote: I've just bought my first sailboat, and am waiting for spring so I can launch her. It will be a long wait. In the meantime I have to re-outfit her safety gear since I bought her in the USA and imported to Canada where some of our safty gear requirements are different. I see 4 ways to go about getting the necessary gear: 1. Wait until spring and go to some of the local "boot sales"/swap and sell's/garage sales. This would be really inexpensive, but its safety gear, do I really want to depend on other folks' castaways? 2. Wait until January and go to the boat show. While show sales may make things less expensive, I have a love/hate relationship with trade shows and would come away feeling exhausted. I'd also be lucky if the first mate went along since she fares poorly anyplace there is a crowd. 3. Shop at local chandleries. This is likely the most expensive way to go about things, but would give the warm fuzzy feeling of supporting local economy and so on. Trouble is the local chandlery is an hour's drive away in the city. Not something fun to do. 4. Shop online. I could buy all the kit in one fell swoop save some bucks, and have it shipped to my door. seems most convenient, but takes away from learning new stuff from folks who should know and I always seem to end up with the hassels of returns. What are your preferred shopping methods - and what would you do? |
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