Is Defender is loosing it?

[Iggy]

I am venting!!

I just up graded my bow thruster. So now I need a 12v to 24v, DC to DC charger and a IP22 30A charger and to new replacement props for the new thruster. So total order would be in the $570 range.

On that note, the IP22 30A on Defender is $202.30 Everyone is selling it for $182.75 Now to add insult to injury, I paid $50 for Defender 1st.

So now the price goes down to $192.18 Basically the same with the DC to DC charger I want. So I called and they were very nice and understanding but with no price change. Other than, We will price match but it must be with a local competitor. They said like WM or Bass pro.

WM and Bass Pro do not carry Victron. I said, that Bass Pro is for the small boaters and there not even in your league. Why even mention them?

I am done with Defender!

 

[CharlieO.]

Once they sold I quit going to them, I quit going to WM until one of my kids got a job there and I got a significant discount. Now my kid doesn't work there I shop around and usually make purchases off eBay especially if they actually have a store front. Amazon is usually my last choice. I am actually surprised how much marine stuff can be ordered from Walmart.com. Really nowhere locally for me to shop.
.

 

[Mainship Pilot]

There’s a reason we call WM Tiffany’s!

 

[Sailor of Fortune]

There’s a reason we call WM Tiffany’s!

OMGawd... If WM is Tiffanys.... Sooo Glad I'm not an owner now...

 

[kchace]

A lot has changed with Defender since their sale. They no longer usually have the best price, but they still sometimes do and they now offer free shipping on most orders over $99. The revamp of their website didn’t help either. It now takes 5 times longer to find just about anything. I shop around much more than I used to….

 

[rslifkin]

I definitely order from them far less than I used to. Their pricing on some items is still good, but they're no longer the cheapest source for many things. And their website is definitely harder to find things than it used to be.

 

[magna 6882]

I have never used defender but we have a good local store, Fisheries supply, That seems to always have everything and priced fair.I have been seeing a change in the business models of a lot of our construction vendors. Some of these vendors have been active for 70 years then i see this year they are running 20 percent over what i can get at home depot. This is for truck load items. It is causing our project managers to now question all our pricing and not just placing orders.

I suspect this is going to be a new normal. Companys are figuring out they dont need to sell to every customer. There overhead will be down if they sell to half as many people but double profit by raising prices 20 percent. I dont see prices coming down until they loose some percentage of customers.
Fortunately we have the internet and there will always be companys wanting to increase there customer base it just means we will have to shop harder.

 

[STB]

I find myself using...

Overton's
Hodges Marine
Jamestown Distributors
Wholesale Marin
Go2Marine

 

[SeaDogAK]

Lately I’ve been getting the best prices from Go2Marine (LFS). Good rates on Alaska shipping too.

 

[STB]

Lately I’ve been getting the best prices from Go2Marine (LFS). Good rates on Alaska shipping too.

I've ordered from them also with good luck. Just forgot them in my list above! Added them to mymlist via an edit for more completeness. Thanks!

 

[LarryM]

I strongly recommend you check the price of that IP22 at Hodges Marine. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

I've purchased the electronics suites and other equipment for my last two boats from them. They have consistently had the best prices and customer service in all my dealings with them. They've become my first call, but of course, YMMV.

 

[Greg QS]

It pays to shop. Ebay seems to have a from china shipping thing . I needed new valve cover oil fill caps . The rubber was hard ant they would not tighten properly. The Mechanic shop wanted 150 each. 61 each from amazon ( aftermarket l) and ebay for 31.58 w free shipping in a cummins box! Had to wait about 3 weeks for the part witch is ok.

WTF 150- 31.58 for the same part in a factory cummins box!

 

[rslifkin]

At this point, I generally shop around between Defender, Go2Marine (LFS), Fisheries Supply, Hodges, MarinePartsSource, and Amazon. I'll usually give West Marine a look as well. Despite their usually ridiculous pricing they're occasionally a good deal for certain items (or certain things become worth buying when they go on sale). Depending on the item I may also check Ebay or search around more widely.

 

[TBill36]

My local WM will match Amazon as long as it's free shipping. Even without that, I still like to be able to run over there and get something right away. Brick and mortar stores must be having a hard time competing.

And as far as a rant, I totally don't understand how I can order a part from China and have it shipped here with less shipping cost than I can ship something across the street. I suspect the american taxpayer is somehow subsidizing it.

 

[Mac G]

Defender also revamped and totally ruined their retail outlet which is one of our "local" stores since live nearby.
No longer enjoy going there.
In addition to the other outlets prior posters have mentioned, check out Hamilton Marine.
One of their retail outlets was near the boatyard in Maine were we bought our current vessel and found they are also a big mail-order operation like Defender.
Bought bottom paint from them last year at a lower rate than could find anywhere else and they shipped it to us.
Cans arrived somewhat dented but otherwise fine.

 

[rwidman]

It's dumb to say that you are done with a particular vendor. If you have Internet access, you have the ability to shop for price and value for just about any product.

I recently bought a dinghy from Defender because they had the best price (including shipping which was free in this case). I often shop at my local West Marine because I can get what I need today, I can actually touch, feel and measure the item and I can buy extra items for a project and return the ones I don't use, rather than having to make several trips for things I didn't know I needed.

But, I nearly always shop the Internet for expensive things or things I don't need today or tomorrow.

Keep your options open.

 

[Greg QS]

I do agree defender is higher. However they seem to have more in stock. I was recently looking for a maretron clm 100 . They were the only source that had it in stock.

 

[twistedtree]

Brick and mortar stores must be having a hard time competing.

Yet the most popular marine supply outfits are all brick and mortar stores. Fisheries, SeaMar, LFS (GoToMarine), Defender, Jamestown, Hamilton, BOW, etc. The only places I can think of that are NOT brick and Mortar are Amazon and eBay

 

[rslifkin]

Yet the most popular marine supply outfits are all brick and mortar stores. Fisheries, SeaMar, LFS (GoToMarine), Defender, Jamestown, Hamilton, BOW, etc. The only places I can think of that are NOT brick and Mortar are Amazon and eBay

A lot of those places do a huge amount of their sales online. I'm not sure how well they would do as only brick and mortar. However, there's definitely a subset of items that are well suited to a brick and mortar chandlery, mostly the "I need it now" kind of stuff rather than the purchases that are planned well in advance.

 

[twistedtree]

A lot of those places do a huge amount of their sales online. I'm not sure how well they would do as only brick and mortar. However, there's definitely a subset of items that are well suited to a brick and mortar chandlery, mostly the "I need it now" kind of stuff rather than the purchases that are planned well in advance.

It would be really interesting to see how much actually is online vs over the counter, including commercial accounts. But I think all are private companies so we will probably never know.

 

[marcs]

I've stopped using Defender for multiple reasons unless it really is the only place to find something.

For electrical stuff, especially Victron, I recommend PKYS. They are an authorized dealer and technically knowledgeable.

https://shop.pkys.com/ip22-charger-12-30-1

 

[lipets]

I remember when they were in White Plains, a dump of a place but had everything at the lowest prices.

When the moved they were great, no more

 

[Unwinding]

Bow

Just to chime in on "alternatives" to Defender et. al. Highly recommend Boat Owners Warehouse aka BOW. http://https://www.bow.com/

They were local when commissioned in Stuart, FL in 2017/18. Since then they have expanded some but free shipping over $99. As with most, they don't carry everything but good selection. No affiliation ... but highly recommend.

Gary
KKY 58EB Unwinding

 

[Iggy]

I strongly recommend you check the price of that IP22 at Hodges Marine. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

I've purchased the electronics suites and other equipment for my last two boats from them. They have consistently had the best prices and customer service in all my dealings with them. They've become my first call, but of course, YMMV.

Thanks for the input. But there price is the same as everyone else. Other than Defender which is more!

I just bought it from Blue Marine with 10%off code that they e-mailed me.

 

[TJM]

We are also local to Defender and used to frequent their awesome warehouse store and springtime warehouse sale. I am DONE with them. No more bargains, customer service and as noted the showroom change is foolish. The original owners must be laughing since the "sale". Hamilton Marine is my go to know.

 

[Capt Ray]

Best to "spread it around" ... I have more than one go-to.

Defender came through for me with a new head from stock, an anchor and chain from stock... it was worth the trip across on the ferry from Long Island to save on shipping the anchor and chain. They also have a large selection of RIBs ... again, in stock. Which is half the battle when shopping for RIBs.

But I'd never by electronics from them. Hodges gets my business for lots of my Raymarine purchases. A place that specializes in marine solar systems that offers a lot of good pre-sales engineering... Then there is: https://www.milltechmarine.com/ for AIS stuff. West is convenient when you need to run out and buy a new water pump (any place anywhere) or something... again, something locally in stock. I know they are there, anywhere, as I cruise north & south.

But I'm as frugal an online shopper for all the stuff I can wait a few days or a week for, and I have no loyalties to any one place!

I will also say, there is an independent marine parts place on the south of Long Island NY that was < 5 minutes away from my marina slip, when we lived there. I purposefully patronized / favored them for cleaning chemicals and other consumables, and occasional marine hardware just because they were so darn convenient, and I wanted to support them for those reasons. If the local business all went away because of Amazon, I don't think we'd be better off or happier, to be honest. Right?!

We all know our boating costs a lot... "hole in the water... etc."

Different vendors earn my business for different reasons. I prefer to feel grateful to them for their contribution to my lifestyle as I pay it out to whomever.

"Its all in how one chooses to look at it."

 

[LarryM]

Thanks for the input. But there price is the same as everyone else. Other than Defender which is more!

I just bought it from Blue Marine with 10%off code that they e-mailed me.

You are correct, thanks for catching that. I now see I neglected to select the 30A version when comparing the prices.

 

[Stephan]

Defender losing it??

The original owners must be laughing since the "sale".

-TJM. I would not make that presumption as I am not laughing at all and I continue to see slow improvements and modifications taking place as the new Owners find their footing. Running Defender was extremely complicated. I did it for 40 years and my father did it for 45 years before me. Maybe it will never be what it was, but there are some really good people still working there. People who do care about the boating community as much as I did.

I remember when they were in White Plains, a dump of a place but had everything at the lowest prices.
When the moved they were great, no more

-lipets. Defender was in New Rochelle after it moved from NYC in the late 1960's. The original New Rochelle location was not nearly as much of a dump as when it was located in Manhattan, where it all started, and after it opened the nation's first Marine Retail Superstore in 1987, a huge upgrade was created. The genesis of the Store that was created in 1996 when Defender moved to Waterford, CT.

Fair winds to you all. Hope to see you on the water.
Stephan Lance
Former Owner, Defender [now enjoying retirement and boating, a lot!!].

 

[STB]

-TJM. I would not make that presumption as I am not laughing at all and I continue to see slow improvements and modifications taking place as the new Owners find their footing. Running Defender was extremely complicated. I did it for 40 years and my father did it for 45 years before me. Maybe it will never be what it was, but there are some really good people still working there. People who do care about the boating community as much as I did.


-lipets. Defender was in New Rochelle after it moved from NYC in the late 1960's. The original New Rochelle location was not nearly as much of a dump as when it was located in Manhattan, where it all started, and after it opened the nation's first Marine Retail Superstore in 1987, a huge upgrade was created. The genesis of the Store that was created in 1996 when Defender moved to Waterford, CT.

Fair winds to you all. Hope to see you on the water.
Stephan Lance
Former Owner, Defender [now enjoying retirement and boating, a lot!!].

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I'm glad you are enjoying retirement. You should feel really good and proud of the business your family built and all of of the people you took care of along the way. I, for one among countless many, am glad you were there!

 

[Stephan]

Thank you, STB!! My wife & I are very much enjoying our freedom. Traveling, reading books (instead of Industry Rags), watching the sun rise (or set), working out during the day instead of at 4am. Though, I do miss contributing to the boating community and will find a way to do so after I've had a nice break.
All the best!
S-