Boaters World?

sailingdog · Apr 19, 2009

Ritz Camera, the parent company of Boater's World, declared bankruptcy for the Boater's World unit and put it into liquidation.

A company bought out all the stores and is in charge of the liquidation of them all... be aware that the prices on their products may have been increased only to be marked down...and that some things at their stores, even though heavily discounted are not a bargain. It's been reported in several other threads IIRC.

Rick Webb · Apr 19, 2009

I Got Several Deals

Snatch them up whille you can

48dodge · Apr 21, 2009

Just stopped by the local shop yesterday. pretty much everything that's worth buying has been bought. I may check out the shoes again before they board up, but not much else is left that I'd want.

Maddog · Apr 21, 2009

sailingdog said:
Ritz Camera, the parent company of Boater's World, declared bankruptcy for the Boater's World unit and put it into liquidation.

A company bought out all the stores and is in charge of the liquidation of them all... be aware that the prices on their products may have been increased only to be marked down...and that some things at their stores, even though heavily discounted are not a bargain. It's been reported in several other threads IIRC.

Check your stuff closley. I bought a plastic fuel tank that was damaged. They have refused to doing anything about it. Now I get to fight them through the credut card company.

Tim R. · Apr 21, 2009

My store clearly stated in large signs at the checkout "all sales final, no returns"

Ron20324 · Apr 23, 2009

Forwarded from a sailing club chat room: At Boaters World I found a discontinued Groco seacock that fits where the new ones don't on my boat. It must have been in a warehouse somewhere for years, because it wasn't at that store before. Anyway, it had a price sticker on it that says $89.99. But, when I went to the register, they scanned it and said $104.00. I asked how that was "marked down" and they said it was marked down from $140.00. But, since it was the old design, there certainly is no currently inflated price for it. Even the new ones are not priced at $140.00. Also, there was a tailpiece for it that had a $7.29 price sticker and a $12.99 price sticker on it, that the register prices as $11.99, now.
When I have asked how they justified the prices, they gave me a bunch of different stories at different stores, so it is pretty clear that they are all lies.
I did find that 3-stranded nylon rope was marginally cheaper there, if it was still in-stock, but nothing approaching the "50% off" that the sign on the wall says for rope.

So, know your prices before you go into one of these stores. Or, take our cell phone and, while standing at the register and seeing for the first time what the price really is, call West Marine, Defenders or Fawcetts and check prices. Make the clerk wait and tell all the other folks in line what you find out.

Also, it looks like West Marine is jacking up prices, now. I needed a 1" shaft zinc but only found ones not-to-my-liking at the West store. One was from China instead of Canada, and did not have the copper insert to maintain electical connection to the shaft once corrosion started on the zinc. The other was from Canada with the copper insert, but was 25 mm. (Compared to the Chinese 1" zinc, it looked like it would fit, but did not.) Cost for those TWO zincs was $38.00 at West. Then, while in Oxford, I pickd up THREE of the zincs I really wanted for only $23.70 at Oxford Boat Yard! That is one heck of a price difference! Apparently, there are a lot of people who at not shopping wisely, and some of the local merchants are trying to cash-in on that fact big-time. So, be forewarned.

sailingdog · Apr 24, 2009

Don't blame the people at the stores, as the pricing for the liquidation sale is being done by the liquidation company that bought the rights to handle the liquidation of the Boater's world stores. The fact that they're not going by the sticker prices on the merchandise is likely illegal in most states, since the price on the item or shelf must generally be honored.

As for the prices at WM... having boater's world go out of business can't be a good thing...and you really need to watch WM for pricing...since some of their stuff is marked at ABOVE MSRP prices.

BTW, don't use a 25mm zinc on a 1" shaft...it's a bad idea.

Ron20324 said:
Forwarded from a sailing club chat room: At Boaters World I found a discontinued Groco seacock that fits where the new ones don't on my boat. It must have been in a warehouse somewhere for years, because it wasn't at that store before. Anyway, it had a price sticker on it that says $89.99. But, when I went to the register, they scanned it and said $104.00. I asked how that was "marked down" and they said it was marked down from $140.00. But, since it was the old design, there certainly is no currently inflated price for it. Even the new ones are not priced at $140.00. Also, there was a tailpiece for it that had a $7.29 price sticker and a $12.99 price sticker on it, that the register prices as $11.99, now.
When I have asked how they justified the prices, they gave me a bunch of different stories at different stores, so it is pretty clear that they are all lies.
I did find that 3-stranded nylon rope was marginally cheaper there, if it was still in-stock, but nothing approaching the "50% off" that the sign on the wall says for rope.

So, know your prices before you go into one of these stores. Or, take our cell phone and, while standing at the register and seeing for the first time what the price really is, call West Marine, Defenders or Fawcetts and check prices. Make the clerk wait and tell all the other folks in line what you find out.

Also, it looks like West Marine is jacking up prices, now. I needed a 1" shaft zinc but only found ones not-to-my-liking at the West store. One was from China instead of Canada, and did not have the copper insert to maintain electical connection to the shaft once corrosion started on the zinc. The other was from Canada with the copper insert, but was 25 mm. (Compared to the Chinese 1" zinc, it looked like it would fit, but did not.) Cost for those TWO zincs was $38.00 at West. Then, while in Oxford, I pickd up THREE of the zincs I really wanted for only $23.70 at Oxford Boat Yard! That is one heck of a price difference! Apparently, there are a lot of people who at not shopping wisely, and some of the local merchants are trying to cash-in on that fact big-time. So, be forewarned.

Hermit Scott · Apr 24, 2009

I was wondering about the copper insert on the zinc I put on, because I know you are not supposed to put copper bottom paint, but it's just a BB sized copper so I forgot about it. I bought some antiseize to put in between the shaft and prop, I start painting it on and then read the can, it's copper based. I had to clean it all out and get some nickle based. I did use the copper based on the coupling on the inside of the boat though.
I went to boaters world and bought some exaust hose 1-5/8" for $5.28/foot. I wasn't very impressed with the prices. But I had to have it that day. There is nothing like planning in advance so you don't get taken by those marine stores.

Boaters World?

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