Marine Supply
 

New boat: What's the best bet for marine supply: lines, anchor, bumpers, etc. The big marinas are fine, but I suspect charge a premium for accessories. Advice appreciated.

Watermark in Laconia is good.

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Supreme Marine is likely to have the best pricing you'll find around the lake; much more affordable than any of the big marinas on the lake. They are also a West Marine pro dealer so often have (or can most certainly get) just about anything you'd find from West Marine, and typically for less.

Sports and Marine Parafunalia in Gilford.

They have what you need at good prices.

All depends what you're looking for, right? Like, nobody in the area sells Mantus anchors, (arguably) the best made, but Parafunalia sells Fortress, which many like.

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Agree with this. Bart at Parafunalia is highly service oriented and a fair dealer.

Cheapest?
 

I don't always go for the cheapest, as I like convenience too. Both Irwin Marine in Lakeport and Parafunalia in Gilford get my business. I check online at West Marine, but have never bought anything from them. The dealer where you bought the boat should be able to give you a package price for lines, PFD's, anchor and rode, etc.
To me, establishing a relationship with a parts dept. can be a bonus later on.

....... Walmart in Gilford
 

The Walmart on the Gilford/Laconia border has a big array of boat ropes. anchors, gas lines and tanks, paddles, pfd's, cleats, 2-stroke & 4-stroke oil, outboard oil filters, fish-finders, cleaner, wax, lights, ...... various do-it-yourself boat items. It has a much larger boat maintenance/install items than most other Walmarts because the area is big with boaters.

Your boat will not know the difference between a bowline that came from Shep Browns or a bowline that came from Walmart because it is the exact same item, except for the price. Ditto that for outboard oil and many other items ..... ;)

Finally something we agree on.
Also, Parafunalia fits in to the lakes region perfectly. It is a major rip-off. So is West Marine.

I don't know why Walmart slipped my mind! Id much rather support the Walton's than any of the local families who own, operate and go out of their way to return to the community! :rolleye1:

So ........ which local business ...... the Gilford Walmart ..... or all the local boat businesses ...... have more local employees with a full time 52-week/year job ..... who-who-who! ....... Live Free or Die!

All the local "boat businesses", without a doubt. Id also venture a guess that those employees are much more satisfied with their career, and likely also make a much more livable wage.

For four to five months, November 15 to April 5, the local boat businesses operate with a skeleton staff ..... many get laid off for the winter off-season ..... some boat technicians go south to Florida for work in the winter.

And, besides all the seasonal issue of boat business employment, the Gilford Walmart may have more total employees than the summer boat businesses at its summer time peak. If you count all the local Walmarts in Tilton, Plymouth, and Gilford ..... I suspect that would be the case.

And, Walmart may be controlled by the Walton family, but there's thousands of different owner, share holders, who benefit by holding Walmart stock and getting their safe, quarterly dividend.

Quality?
 

Rope isn't just rope. If you have a 15' aluminum row boat, Walmart lines may be OK. If you spent Tens of thousands on a new bow rider, you likely want better grade (higher test strength) lines and other equipment made in the USA. Need something not on the shelf? The local boat businesses will get it for you before next weekend.

Locally made, excellent quality: https://www.knoticalmarinelines.com/

https://boatsnmotors.com/
In Wakefield Mass.

They make the "lines" as needed, any length, any hardware, any strength right then and there. Costs much less than West Marine and Parafunalia.

Unfortunately they don't have "Ropes" just marine grade lines. :laugh:
I go to Home Depot to get "ropes"

Right behind Parafunalia

Freedom!!!
 

It's a pleasure to see all the different opinions of where to buy what. It's called competition, and it's a beautiful thing. Capitalism works every time it'd tried...

Yes, have had a good experience there before. Thanks

Great idea, I know that area, never seen the retail location. Interested in supporting a local operation.

I don’t believe they have a retail location. Their website shows retailers in the area that sell their lines.

Yeah, you may want to scope them out...

:emb:

NE Ropes
 

You can support a local (well New England) business and get high quality lines from https://www.neropes.com/

West Marine carries them but as others have said, I usually find that West Marine is over-priced.

Yes, until the bitter end............. :coolsm:

Hamilton Marine opened up a store where the old Jackson Marine was just over the NH border in Kittery on the east side of Route 1. They have a really nice selection of quality stuff and a sharp staff.

Defender Marine in Waterford, CT is an awesome store. We go there once a year for fun. Their annual warehouse sale is more fun than the Boston boat show.

Less than 10% take on that!

Speaking of rope (and yes, "rope" is an OK term on a boat), I have fallen in love with 8 plait rope lately. It's such a pleasure to handle and it looks great. A bit more work than three-strand to splice, but the benefits far outweigh the extra effort. I have a 300 foot 8 plait 5/8" rope that I add to my 200 feet of chain to make a 500 foot rode for anchoring in deep water. It stores easily in a small duffel bag and does not tangle. Unlike three strand, it does not naturally twist and does not have a memory. Defender always has 8-plait in stock.

Thumbs-Up for Defender Marine...and Catalog Sales...
 

Buy rope to make lines for your boat. :coolsm:

Or you can always make a spring rope. :eek2:

Too many lines
 

Too many lines here, Dave, so I held back. Everybody will have to make up their own (punch) line about somebody they dated who didn't twist and had no memory. (LMAO-ROF)

The west marine brand ropes are actually New England ropes. They even have the tag on them in the box. And west often has sales on them.

I can never pass up buying a few. If I recall the story from the owner. They were brothers and he’d send ropes to his brother to sell out of his garage….which later turned into west marine :).


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FYI….WM (ne ropes) lines are in sale now.

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-...05_151_002_501


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Gear for boat
 

Learn to splice, then do what ApS said - make your own lines. Make a set of lines specifically for your regular mooring location, and then carry some auxiliary lines for use at other locations where ever you are boating. All the rest of the stuff you need, paddle, boat hook, fire extinguisher, noise maker, spotlight, anchor, chain, many feet of anchor line, PFDs, chart, etc., maybe get at your local marina, or any marine store. Start out with just the basics, then add to your boating supplies by talking with other boaters and learning from them.

Marine supplies
 

Almost all the marinas have basic supplies. When I bought my boat at Lakeport Landing and another at Irwin, the added all the accessories I needed to go boating at no cost. A sweet deal!

Watermark, Sport Parafunalia, and Supreme Marine have additional marine supplies not usually find at the marinas. Watermark and Supreme Marine are West Marine retailers.

I have a West Marine about 12 minutes from my boat and a Hamilton Marine about 25 minutes away. When it comes to the stuff I need, West Marine almost always disappoints and Hamilton has been fantastic, so far. I do lots of marine electrical work and Hamilton has an incredible selection of electrical parts and supplies. Hamilton is just over the NH/ME border in Kittery and not far from the southern end of Route 16/Spaulding Turnpike, so if you come to the lake that way, it is fairly convenient.