routing wire through the deck, grommets...

[jdeatsch]

Good day folks and others,

Today's query is about holes. Holes in decks. Holes in decks that have wires running through them.

I'm wanting to tidy up the 'wiring' of the DPO (dreaded previous owner) that runs from the radome to the receiver. The DPO ran the wiring through a dorade vent. Yep, right down the hole.

My plan is to do things a bit differently.

I'm thinking a hole in the fiberglass with a sealed 'pass through' of some sort.

For the life of me, I cannot come up with the proper name for this goodie. A grommet won't do the deed methinks as I don't know of a neat and tidy way to seal this 'pass through' from water slopping over the deck.

You know?

Opine away if you would folks.

Many thanks as always,

Jim

 

[Calif. Ted]

I've used and like these: Cable outlets
http://shop.catalinaowners.com/prod.php?7498/Cable+Outlet+-+Chrome+Plated
You just need to figure out what size, how big is the cable and is 1 end small enough to go through?

 

[jdeatsch]

Ted,

EXCELLENT. That is PRECISELY what I needed.

Many thanks,

Jim

 

[Pops]

I was going to use one of these for my solar panel connector. West Marine model # 540732

 

[jdeatsch]

I WAS going to order on here till I saw the absurd shipping charges. I went elsewhere.

 

[JoeWhite]

take a look at this one -
http://www.svendsensmarine.com/category_s/287.htm

 

[philwsailz]

The Blue Sea Systems Cable Clam is a good solution: http://bluesea.com/productline/overview/1
It allows you to make a large enough hole to pass the wiring through without having to cut ends and terminals off. The idea is that you have a large hole through the deck, (properly sealed of course, to epoxy seal any exposed coring), and then the cable clam's base piece mounts directly on top over and around the deck hole. The rubber gasket is drilled and sliced to exactly fit the wiring jacket. Then the top compression ring squeezes and seals the whole thing together.

I personally have used this device numberous times with great success.

 

[woodster]

in all fairness to SBO

I WAS going to order on here till I saw the absurd shipping charges. I went elsewhere.

not to start an altercation here......

we do have a free web site here that some one is paying for...we also have a lot of expert advice here that is valid and free.....

the shipping charges are over come by combining more than just one item .....i am sure that any one can think of two or three things they can buy at the same time......and that usually makes the shipping cost easyer to handle...especially with gas prices being what they are today....i live about 35 miles from the nearest west marine ...so if i bought one $4.00 item and drove to west ...i would have driven 70 miles round trip at 20 miles per gallon totaling $10.85 in gas alone not to mention the other things assoiated with operating an auto....or the time spent on the road (about 2.5 to 3. hrs) so as i see it...its not really that bad.....

hope this helps one see the value in shipping cost.....

regards

woody

 

[Maine Sail]

I WAS going to order on here till I saw the absurd shipping charges. I went elsewhere.

Try not to crap where you eat. Seriously though let's remember you're in NY and SBO is in WA state. I'm sure Defender or other East Coast chandleries might be cheaper for shipping but let's not forget all Phil & SBO offer us..! Also, I believe that tool is an "estimator" only..

Actually just priced shipping from Defender (CT) to Maine and it was $9.25. SBO (WA) to Maine was $10.20 both USPS priority mail. A $0.95 difference for an extra 2000 miles seems like a decent shipping rate to me...

 

[jdeatsch]

Not crap where I eat?

Really.

Well, **** this place then if I can't TELL THE TRUTH.

Go ahead, get charged THREE times what it's worth.

 

[jdeatsch]

Not crap where I eat?
Really?

So, it's against the rules here to tell the truth?

I just paid ONE THIRD the shipping costs by buying elsewhere.

Have fun children.

 

[Phil Herring]

Wow. Did someone forget their meds today?

We estimate shipping via Priority Mail. It's fast, easy to insure, and provides proof of delivery. That said, we look at each shipment individually and if we can ship for less some other way and still get some form of tracking, we will. We also pass along reduced shipping costs to our customers. I'll bet we reduce charges on 1 out of of 4 orders.

Anyway, shipping is always going to look absurd on a $3 order. Just like going to the grocery store, it's best to pick up more than one item at a time.

Just wanted to clarify.

 

[Maine Sail]

Not crap where I eat?
Really?

Apparently you missed the wink at the end of that sentence and the beginning of the next one that started "Seriously though...".. It was meant in good humor but apparently some don't have much of one.

So, it's against the rules here to tell the truth?

No, but it is against the rules to do it rudely. Oh and "crapping where you eat", meaning you come here and use this forum for all it is worth for FREE, without even giving the chandlery a shot at adjusting things or even getting beyond the shipping "estimator" before you buy elsewhere than slam the site publicly, is just flat out inapropriate..

I just paid ONE THIRD the shipping costs by buying elsewhere.

And if you'd simply picked up the phone I am fairly certain SBO would have found a better rate than the sites generic USPS "estimator"..

Have fun children.

You're calling us children? Well then, bye bye.. How's that for childish?

 

[Ron20324]

I WAS going to order on here till I saw the absurd shipping charges. I went elsewhere.

I know what you mean. Over on Peggy's forum I questioned the 10 dollar shipping on a 12-dollar, 4 oz tube. I never got a rebuttle, so maybe it's the way it was worded?

 

[Maine Sail]

I know what you mean. Over on Peggy's forum I questioned the 10 dollar shipping on a 12-dollar, 4 oz tube. I never got a rebuttle, so maybe it's the way it was worded?

Contrary to popular belief shipping is not free no matter how you slice it, someone pays. I have often ordered an .85¢ part and been charged $10.00+ for shipping. Most recently a manufacturer sent me a small plastic cover for an item that cracked under warranty. They paid the shipping on this 3 oz part and it cost them over $9.00 to ship it to me and they ate the shipping costs. the item probably cost them about .70¢ to produce..

When I mail an invoice the piece of paper costs me .008¢ cents and the ink probably .01¢. Even the envelope and mailing label cost more than what the letter costs, yet I pay .42¢ to mail it. Talk about shipping costing more than the item that's 2333% more than the paper & ink costs that I am shipping!!

Ron is absolutely right that the tone was the offensive part not the asking of an honest question.

"Phil,

I notice your shipping is $10.20 and I just priced it elsewhere for about $3.50 in shipping costs. Any chance you can examine your shipping costs or possibly find a cheaper shipping vendor and get back to me? I don't really need it priority and ground is fine if it saves money.

I'd like to thank the members of the forum for showing me what this part was and how to find it!"

vs.

"I WAS going to order on here till I saw the absurd shipping charges. I went elsewhere."

A little difference?

 

[Rick Sylvester]

I find it remarkable

that Mr. jdeatsch complains about truth. Maine and Phil provided informative posts responding to his complaints. Clearly he got his feelings hurt and missed (or ignored) the data provided. There's a difference between being contrary and being hurtful.

Shipping charges when buying on the web can be all over the map. I'm guessing some companies even "subsidize" their shipping charges by charging more for the item. Most of us get it.

Most importantly though, we get that it's not always about saving that last few dollars. There are other issues to consider. I'm sure that was Maine's original point.

Anyway, I wanted to let Phil know I understand his response and support his efforts. Thanks.

 

[Winkfish]

I was going to say something about the OP, but my Mama always said, "if you can't say something good about somebody, don't say anything at all."

Bye!

 

[Phil Herring]

Ron20324,

(Hope I got the numbers right.) Shipping UPS or FedEx Ground, yeah, that's about right. Our estimator now quotes small items via Priority Mail which estimates $5.85.

 

[SailingHarry]

Hmm.... I just put together a small order for some assorted bits of hardware. 20 items totaling $19.15. The shipping was $17 to Maryland. I sent a note to the store that wasn't "nasty" but certainly reflected my frustration. Then I started looking for what others thought about the shipping here, and found this thread. Now I'm feeling a little guilty about my note.

However, in defense of those like the OP (and now me...), we live in a world where we expect certain things. We expect S&H to be reasonable -- I just bought 2 bluetooth headsets with a total S&H of around $7. But, perhaps more, we assume (bad word, I know) that the "shipping estimator" isn't an estimate -- that it is a final number that isn't open for negotiations. If shipping for this order fell from $17 to more like $10, I'd be on it. When we see a number that is this high, we tend not to think about how to "make it work."

This thread has thrown a bucket of water on my opinion which was poor, and I'm a little more open minded now. I guess I should try a telephone call and see how it works out.

Thanks for bringing me back down.

Harry

 

[SailingHarry]

Wow. I'm really feeling like a weasel now! In under 10 minutes, I got not one but three emails from the company. They reiterated that they charge actual shipping costs without markups. They explained the issue with how their system handles (or doesn't!) numerous very small items. They also looked at all the items in my cart (how did they know that???), and found that a 2 oz item was in their database at 1.5 pounds, which they have corrected.