Is there a decent Chandlery in your area?

[Vince Brennan]

Here in Philly we no longer have anything approaching a good Chandler's... West Marine is it and it's annoying to walk in and ask some kid who looks like he'd much rather be squeezing a pimple than actually learning what's in stock. I asked them what they had in the way of "small stuff" and the kid directed me to the nuts and bolts section..."They're pretty small", sez he....

I'm told that in Baltimore there's a great old Chandler's still in operation, but I mislaid the name and address of same.

How about the rest of the world? There MUST be a couple of dedicated Chandleries still hanging on ...

[Clyderigged]

Elijah Webb & Son http://www.elishawebb.com/ is where I picked up a lot of gear for the Moshulu re-rigging project in 1995. At that time they had a great deal of small stuff - hambro and codline, spun yarn and marline.

[Lew Barrett]

Seattle has Fisheries Supply, which in this day and age is probably as good a marine general store as exists in the country. Pricing is competitive and they carry the full range of products required to maintain a wooden boat, as well as everything for other types. Everyone who can remember back a few years mourns the loss of
Doc Freman's but their death was long and painful, leaving Fisheries as the sole full line survivor. There are good specialists (electronics/ nav gear, heating, electrical) here as well.

[uncas]

Fawcets ain't bad.. Annapolis.. about a 3.5 hour drive.. Other than that, it is West Marine..

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

This one:

http://www.classicmarine.co.uk/

But Moray says well over 90% of his business is mail order!

Worth looking through Moray's technical notes, on this site, btw...

[Ken Hutchins]

Put some pine tar on some rope, hang it around the computer to add some ambiance, search the web. That is about the only chance of being close to a real chandlery for most of us.

[Bob Cleek]

Sad to say, SF Bay has been "wested" by WasteMarine as well. Swensen's in Alameda is still holding on supplying the smaller yards, but other than that, far as I know, it's grim. Waterstreet Hardware in Sausalito has more useful boat hardware than WasteMarine down the street. WestMarine was once promising, but the corporate beancounters took it over. Now, they sell what promises the highest profit margin: marine electronics, clothing and sunglasses... sigh.

[gert]

I'll bite...

I asked them what they had in the way of "small stuff" and the kid directed me to the nuts and bolts section..."They're pretty small", sez he....


What's "small stuff" ?

[paladin]

small line, seizing stuff...heavy duty thread or similar...or a short midget for working on small sailboat engines...:D

[Tom Robb]

When I last ventured into Cleveland OH's "Flats" area (a formerly industrial / now mostly gentrified area) there was still a commercial chandelry that catered to the Great Lakes' ships and visiting blue water boats. Mad Cow seems to be preventing me from remembering their name at the moment. Maybe Cuyahoga Chuck remembers the name.

[Hwyl]

Put some pine tar on some rope, hang it around the computer to add some ambiance, search the web. That is about the only chance of being close to a real chandlery for most of us.

You're fired.

I do most the shopping for the Yacht Club from www.apsltd.com . I was in a West store and chatted about the West closings to a young man there. He told me that West had a new policy, they were getting major warehouses and stocking less stuff in store. All I had to do was go in and order it and it would be in store in two days. When I pointed out that I could pick up the phone and order it from APS and it would be on my doorstep in two days, thereby saving me two trips to the West Store, he could see no advantage in my method.

We have Hamiltons, which some people rave over, but I'm not crazy about it.

[michigangeorge]

As one who has owned two small chandlery's I would certainly encourage anyone who sees a WEST Marine Store with a vacant space next door (and I mean right next door!) to open a new/ old style chandlery buying/selling used gear- you will actually make some money if you can keep the overhead in line. Due to one of lifes little hick-ups I have just missed such an opportunity:mad:

[paladin]

That was sorta the basis that I approached Scot with at the Woodenboat show...The idea was to have an on-line site where all could advertise their excess hardware for sale or trade for a flat fee per month...but I guess the powers to be decided it wasn't a go.....it would be like e-bay, but a nice clearing house to exchange goods..

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

I work part time at West Marine... but I know their limitations. We also have a chandler in Kingston that is quite knowledgeable, and a smaller one associated with a sailmaker in Belleville. I am aware of the problems West has in finding qualified staff... (no comment)

I for one don't always buy at a chandlery. I find a lot of things like hoses, nuts and bolts, and assorted hardware is also used in industry, and available at large supply houses. They tend to be cheaper than the places that put 'marine' in front of the name of the part.

[Jay Greer]

One thing that is maddening today is the lack of bronze fasteners! I used to be able to get darn near anything at any one of five or six suppliers in town. Now there isn't a decent supplier, that I know of, in all of S. CA., where I am currently working. Going to Worst Marine and asking for something logical is worse than paying for insults from an amateur heckler.
One place I know of, that has real marine hardware, is the Chandlery at the Woodenboat Foundation in Port Townsend WA. They at least know what I am looking for. Even if they don't have what I need, they can find it. For a full line of bronze fasteners the only place I know of that still stocks a full line, is Lavender Fasteners in Arizona.
JG

[Bruce Hooke]

I'm lucky in as much as Jamestown Distributors is just down the road from me. However, the best all-around chandlery I've been to recently was Boxell's Chandlery in South Boston. They had everything from epoxy to charts of much of the world.

[Ocean Spray]

When up in Maine, either in Portland or Searsport, I must say that I enjoy poking around Hamiton's. I like looking at all of the commercial fishing stuff but yet I can pick boxes of bronze screws right off the shelf. The staff at Hamiton's is friendly and helpfull. It may not be your grandfather's chandlery but it's a nice place to spend some time and physically put your hands on all sorts of line, hardware, screws and paint. I always make a point of stopping in the Portland store when we do the annual weekend pilgrimage to the Maine Boatbuilders Show(Dates-2007??) Now that's a good weekend!
I actually buy more stuff(seems like better prices), epoxy, fasteners and paint over the phone from Jamestown Distributors in Rhode Island but I've never been inside their store. I don't even know if there is a retail store.

[Dale Genther]

Rock Hall has nine stores selling marine hardware, including a West Marine. Only one of them has bronze fasteners, which I use a lot of. They have a good selection and the prices are much better than Jamestown's, due to the apparent fact that their stock is old and they haven't updated their prices to reflect the recent increase in the price of copper.

[Bruce Hooke]

I actually buy more stuff(seems like better prices), epoxy, fasteners and paint over the phone from Jamestown Distributors in Rhode Island but I've never been inside their store. I don't even know if there is a retail store.

Yes, Jamestown Distributors does have a retail store, but it is more of a "city desk" than a real retail store. Some stuff is out where you can paw over it but a good bit of stuff is in the back. I'm sure they would bring stuff out if you wanted to look at it, but I think many of the people who shop there probably do what I usually do, which is to call in a "will call" order, which they will have ready and waiting for you when you walk in the door.

[paladin]

I have had very good luck, and good pricing from Defender Industries, and Jamestown distributors, although I deal a lot more with Defender....

[ssor]

When I first wanted some sewing needles and a palm, I went to the Business yellow pages and looked for ship chandlers, I just looked again and there are still five listed in Baltimore. I am sure that there are some in Philly also. Just because you call it a boat doesn't mean that it isn't a small ship.

[Phillip Allen]

Saliorman in Ft. Lauderdale...just around the corner from West marine (the Wal-Mart of marine stores)

[Hughman]

Vince, Clyderigged 's link is in Philly...

Elisha Webb & Son Co., Inc
Marine & Industrial Supplies Since 1894
As one of the oldest marine suppliers in Philadelphia,

[willmarsh3]

I have been looking for various chandleries myself. I found this well kept listing of the used boat parts consignment store type here:

http://www.goodoldboat.com/consignments.html.

I used to be in Annapolis a lot and would often go to Viking Boat supply. Fawcetts had lots of neat stuff. Also there is Port Supply - which I havn't been to. Over toward Bert Jabins (as of 2001) there are some boat shops - one a small used parts store.

Last April I went to Appalachicola, FL and visited an antique marine store. Their stuff is more of the nautical gift type stuff. A lot of it came off of boats and was cleaned up and polished. It is still quite intriguing and good to get ideas for what I want to do for my boat.

In scouring the internet I also found:

http://www.marinershardware.com/

http://spartanmarine.com/

http://pelicantide.com/

There's also some nautical flea markets - evidently many held in various places. A couple here:

http://www.thedaniamarinefleamarket.com/

http://www.nauticalfleamarket.com/

Will

[almeyer]

I've got two West Marine stores within easy driving distance, and several other similar stores within reach. But if I don't need something right now, I'd prefer to mail order from Hamilton or Jamestown. Have gotten excellent turnaround from both of them.
Al

[Don Z.]

I used to be in Annapolis a lot and would often go to Viking Boat supply. Fawcetts had lots of neat stuff. Also there is Port Supply - which I havn't been to. Over toward Bert Jabins (as of 2001) there are some boat shops - one a small used parts store.



Viking closed up shop this year. Seems the owner wanted to retire...

[Vince Brennan]

Gentlemen, an astoundingly good (although, given the members of the board, not at all an unexpected) response to date!

I shall make a list and keep it on my site for "the punters"... By all means, continue to recommend your favourites and I'll add them and we'll have this thread as a reference as well.

Full points to all, and my thanks!