Repair & maintenance: Dinghy Chandleries

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Dinghy Chandleries

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: General
Forum Name: Repair & maintenance
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URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9433
Printed Date: 14 May 25 at 4:14pm
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Topic: Dinghy Chandleries

Posted By: rb_stretch
Subject: Dinghy Chandleries
Date Posted: 28 May 12 at 8:54am

I spent half a day yesterday going round various chandleries trying to find a replacement for a harken cleat, but none seem to stock dinghy kit - they all service larger boats very well indeed.

I know where I live in Surrey about the only chandlery that stocks dinghy spares is Guildford Marine, but they are not open Sunday or Mondays. I will be down the South Coast this afternoon, so would like to try a chandlery down the there, but from memory all the ones I know (Marine Superstore, Marine Warehouse, Force 4, Hardway Marine) don't cater for dinghies either.

So my question is which is the best "dinghy parts" stocked south coast chandlery?

Replies:

Posted By: olly_love
Date Posted: 28 May 12 at 9:06am

rooster, rs, marine superstore are good,
most of the manufactures are down here so just give them a call and most will sell to you

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TWO FRANK-Hunter Impala

Posted By: rb_stretch
Date Posted: 28 May 12 at 10:13am

Thanks.

I think my question is more around whether they carry stock. The cleats I need to replace have nothing written on them (although the bridge over the pawls say Harken) and having checked the Harken website it doesn't fit with any of the sizes listed, so the only way to tell will be to compare to real samples.

Maybe I'm asking too much in these recessionary times?

Posted By: olly_love
Date Posted: 28 May 12 at 10:20am

rs should carry most things in stock and they are fitting out there as well, if not, force 4 in hamble carry most things and if they dont their is always deacons in bursledon,

or even the chandlery barge

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TWO FRANK-Hunter Impala

Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 28 May 12 at 10:42am

Datchet is reasonably reachable from Surrey, esp if N and W, so that's another option.

Posted By: winging it
Date Posted: 28 May 12 at 10:42am

I'm afraid I buy most of my stuff rom ebay these days. It sounds like the cleats you need might be old stock or a design not made any more, in which case it's worth doing an ebay search. Not an instant solution, but often affordable.

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the same, but different...

Posted By: Roger
Date Posted: 28 May 12 at 12:00pm

Depending on where you sit this is a very typical situation and a sad or fair repflection of where dinghy sailing is currently, and probably says more than GRF could say in a 100 post long thread.

I think the last time I stepped into a true dinghy based chandlery was 6-7 years ago when I was picking up a new boat from the same establishment (and that was probably the first time in as many years before), everything else I have bought online. Not necessarily because I want to, the price has been no different than I could have got from travelling miles to the nearest retailer without carriage, its just that those retailers are just too far away to even contemplate a visit.

I am convinced that more dinghy focused chandlers have been forced to close than there are left, with lets be honest the main concentration in the midlands.

Of course much of this is due to the changing habits we have all embraced in this and other areas, shopping online and not visiting the high street.

However dinghy sailing has other issues for any retailer with the necessity to stock many ranges of similar product to cater for even even a percentage of the possible customer base, the guy with a ronstan fitted boat isn't going to happily accept a harken cleat to replace the one that broke at the weekend, and visa versa, so to offer the service you need to stock them all, and many others too.

The same for my mind applies to clothing as fits seem to differ a lot between brands.

The business model for survival in the current climate seems quite clear, an establishment supplying new boats, sails, covers, chandlery and clothing, together with repairs and upgrade service all under one roof with a significant percentage of business done online or via the phone, not a typical start up business as the reputation is vital as is a very substantial capital investment, but possibly the only way for now.

Its not difficult to get free copies of company accounts these days, go have a read, although small company accounts are not that comprehensive they will tell you a little about how our suppliers are performing.

The other way is of course that well used phrase a "lifestyle business" which when you translate it means a business that barely keeps you going but in an environment you love. I'm sure many of these will survive and may well grow if and when our sport and the economy generally recovers.

Posted By: Paul B
Date Posted: 28 May 12 at 3:18pm

Hill Head Chandlery used to be "the" place to go for this sort of thing. Was owned by Jon Pink's parents... pretty sure they retired and it no longer exists, but I'd be happy to be told otherwise.

Posted By: gordon1277
Date Posted: 28 May 12 at 3:48pm

Hi Paul
Margaret Pink Sold it and it only lasted one more year, then they built a new house on it.
Hill head Chandlery was just fantastic for all dinghy kit, for an old wooden shed it had loads of stock of all the really good stuff and if not in stock Margaret would order it for you and prices were very good.
I am sure all Hillhead, seafarers, Stokes bay and our members and visitors have missed it.
Now if only we can persuade John to reopen it somewhere.

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Gordon
Lossc

Posted By: rb_stretch
Date Posted: 28 May 12 at 10:18pm

Hillhead chandlery - now that brings back memories. I remember it from the late 70s/early 80s - they always did a good line in Norwegian jumpers iirc.

My parents still live in Hillhead and it is a shame how every single shop in the area (apart from just the one opposite the Osborne view) has a house on it now. Between Hillhead Chandlery and Hillhead Sailboards all my water needs were met!

Posted By: patj
Date Posted: 29 May 12 at 1:48pm

Force 4 does have dinghy bits though not as much as a dinghy only chandlery. LDC (i.e. RS) is now in Romsey and the chandlery barge up river at Bursledon is always worth a rummage if you want old fashioned or secondhand bits.

Posted By: catmandoo
Date Posted: 30 May 12 at 8:46am

Why not e mail picture of your old cleats to harken , they will tell you what they are and then you could search e bay etc for others the same ,post in forums asking exactly what you seek , failing that they could tell you the replacement which you could google , and use google shopping to find best price , order online and recieve to your door without trolling the countrside , cant see how the above is a retrograde step in buying dinghy equipment , no matter how much stock a chandler could hold , they could never have the resource at your finger tips now ,

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Posted By: giraffe
Date Posted: 17 Jun 12 at 8:58am

www.pinbax.com

high stock levels, good service, variety of manufacturers, sensible advice

store in northampton, or use www

note that many www suppliers do not hold stock, but want to take your credit card details!

Posted By: MartinWillitts
Date Posted: 07 Aug 12 at 9:08pm

I hope you don't mind me asking this question here. I've been developing an idea to help find sellers for obscure items that the local chandler doesn't stock. I have a website to which you can upload a photo along with keywords about the item you seek. Suitable sellers that wish to respond make a comment on the site and that enables you to contact them should you wish to do so. Can I ask if this is something you would find useful?

Posted By: patj
Date Posted: 08 Aug 12 at 1:30pm

Personally I'd just post it on the boats and bits wanted section of the cvrda forum where all the old boat folks hang out. Those who have one but weren't actually trying to sell it usually see any request there too.