Who says so?

Part of Writes and Wrongs of Passage by Suzy O'Keefe

Who says so? Okay, so you read it somewhere or the boat "next door" has one. Does that mean this product is the one you should buy? No! Absolutely not!!! But, on the other hand... maybe so.

If it's a "marine" product, it likely costs 3 times as much. It's got tinned wiring and good sealed connections. It's shock resistant and rust resistant. But, cost may have less to do with it than you think. The most expensive may not be the best for you. It may have many features that you're not interested in having. It may be far to complicated. It may be too big or use too much power. Please don't be too quick to buy. Look at the options. Compare the products. Even consider buying a used one. Many things (both mechanical and electronic) are still in fine working order when you find them in the classified or at the local marine swap meet.

My point is, do your damn homework. Research the market. Look at what's different and what's the same with all the different brands.

GPS's, auto pilots, radars, inverters... several companies market products in each of these areas. Someone designed each one based upon what they think folks want, what people will pay, and how "they" think the user interface should work. Just as some folks prefer tiller steering over wheel and Macintosh over PCs, the preferences vary.

Ask questions, read up on specs, and let the dealer know that what you like and what you don't like about his product. Clear up any misconceptions before you buy! A really great example here might be vane steering... most don't work well with hydraulic steering unless you connect the emergency tiller and disconnect the hydraulics. Yet, people with hydraulics still buy vane steering without realizing this.

Some products are made so well that even the non-marine version is fine for the boat. One example that comes to mind is a line of faucets made by Price Pfister. I might never have considered their product except that there was a nice faucet of theirs installed in the galley of the boat we bought. It's drip less, operates hands free (as in with an elbow), has a built in filter cartridge, and a 20 year warranty. It's comparably priced with the fancy marine version that has none of these features.

Another prime example of a non-marine item is a set of Radio Shack "Space Patrol" radio headsets. There are 2 in the box for about $25. It's a kid's toy, but you know what that means? It means that they are built to take it! They are not affected by wind noise and you can talk while you listen. And, at $25, they're cheap enough that if you do lose one overboard, you really don't mind so much.

Golf Cart Batteries work very well on board. They are truly deep-cycle and far less expensive than their marine cousins. An excellent source that we've found is Sears Automotive Department. They are, of course, 6 volt so they do require 2 to be wired in series. If you do your homework, you'll find that these batteries are made by Exide.

Some of the most wonderful innovations are those that have been borrowed from somewhere outside the marine industry.

I have no affiliation with any of the companies referenced above.