Distribution of Marine Accessories
 

Hi,
I am looking for advice on the distribution of Marine Accessories
Aftermarket. (Planning to introduce a unique marine storage & reeling
solution for water hose - for boats and Marinas)

Key questions that I am searching for answers on are the following:

• Do the marinas buy the water hose and supply them with the slip?
• Have you seen Marinas which provide any thing more advanced
solution than a Hose hanger (perhaps a Reel?)
• Are the same distribution channels selling to the marinas and to
the retail?
• Which are the main/major retail distributors for marinas and for
the retail?
• How the value chain is organized (Vendor – distributor –
dealer/retail, customers?)
• Any information sources website for on the “Mechanics� of
marine distribution?
• Any personal advise from personal experience on the do’s and
don’t do when introducing a new product to the Marine Accessories
Aftermarket. How do you test the water? (Literally in this caseï?Š),
where do you start? With the big guys or with the smaller ones? etc.
• What are the key success factors from your perspective?
• How to estimate the market size?
• Any ideas or advice would be highly appreciated and welcomed!

Thanks & Best regards,

Ben. A

Please feel free to touch base directly as well at

Distribution of Marine Accessories
 

In article .com,
"BenMar" wrote:

• Do the marinas buy the water hose and supply them with the slip?

Not a chance! People supply their own, usually what they can find at the
hardware store.

On the boat, we carry a flat fabric hose on its own reel to minimize
stowage space for something we don't use much. You can find similar at
any marine store, though I believe I got it at the hardware store a
couple of decades ago.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

Distribution of Marine Accessories
 

I found the hoses that roll up flat to be a nuisance. Even if you just
needed 6 feet to hose out a bucket you had to unroll the whole 75 feet
and roll it back up.

Distribution of Marine Accessories
 

I found the hoses that roll up flat to be a nuisance. Even if you just
needed 6 feet to hose out a bucket you had to unroll the whole 75 feet
and roll it back up.

I agree, it's a pain to have to unroll it for trivial stuff. But if you
don't know how much length you'll need flat hoses are a much better use of
storage space. I have a 50' regular hose that stays on the dock at our
marina and carry a 50' flat one for travel. If we're away from our marina
and all I need to do is full a bucket it's trivial to just walk to the
pedestal and fill it there. Or use the shower hose on the swim platform.
I've found it's a good idea to put brass shut-off fittings on the hose ends.
At the dock it keeps gunk from getting into the line should someone
accidentally drop it into the water. That and having at the boat-side end
of the hose gives you an extra shut-off should you have forgotten to turn it
off at the pedestal. Just DON'T get a plastic one, they're notorious for
splitting. I had two of them crap out here at home.

An angled one is really handy, like this one:
http://www.poolandgarden.com/brass-g...-shut-off.html
(I just found that site using google, I bought mine at a hardware store)

If you're sticking something else in-line with the hose at the boat it may
make for a tighter fit in the locker. The angled connector helps keep the
hose from being bent into too tight a curve. YMMV of course.

-Bill Kearney