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**Wotname** · 06-09-2013, 06:26

Could try "Yacht Grot" in Fremantle; they used to do both new and second hand but I haven't been there for maybe 10 years

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**Jim Cate** · 06-09-2013, 06:45

There used to be one in Manly Qld called Rock Bottom. Had a store right on the waterfront, full of old bits and pieces... mostly really junk, and the prices were not particularly attractive, so there were not so many buyers. Wondered for years how they stayed in business, and then as Manly became yuppified they disappeared, the place was either knocked down or completely rebuilt and it is now a yuppie coffee shop. Our loss, I guess...

But I sorta think that the reason there are so few such shops in Oz has to do with the overhead costs of running vs what they have to charge for old parts... seems to drive the prices up to where one tends to buy new instead.

And I too wonder what happens to all the hardware from the boats that get trashed on the East coast of the US every year in hurricanes. Surely at least the major bits like winches, windlasses and other deck hardware survive the ordeal and would be salvageable. Maybe West buys them all up at one cent on the dollar and then deep sixes them (kidding... maybe!).

It's a mystery!

Jim

Normanby · 06-09-2013, 06:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wotname

Could try "Yacht Grot" in Fremantle; they used to do both new and second hand but I haven't been there for maybe 10 years

.

Thanks, searched and found:
http://www.yacht-grot.com.au/
There's no catalogue online, so I've emailed them asking about a few specific items I'm after (like a Whale Mark 5 Universal manual bilge pump) - I'll let CF readers know what they say.

I heard back from Marine Exchange, who said no, they have hardly any second-hand gear, specialising now only in new gear via their eBay store.

Normanby · 06-09-2013, 06:52

A good friend of mine in Tassie (a fellow member of the Mersey Yacht Club) has a shipping container of gear he's gathered from the yard over the years, and is always happy to deal, augmenting his pension, no doubt.

Alas, I'm in Melbourne (where the jobs are) away from my beloved club...

HopCar · 06-09-2013, 08:24

"And I too wonder what happens to all the hardware from the boats that get trashed on the East coast of the US every year in hurricanes"

One of my customers works for insurance companies salvaging and storing damaged boats. He buys many of them from the insurance companies and re-sells them to people who fix them up. The ones that are too far gone to rebuild get stripped of the good stuff and much of that ends up in the used parts stores here in the US.

RaymondR · 06-09-2013, 14:02

Like many other things in Australia the dead hand of the bureaucrats has killed the second hand market for boat bits.

A few years ago I went in search of some engine mounts at a chandler in Queensland that previously had kept a fairly extensive range of used boat bits. The owner told me that he had given up because the government had bought in an extensive range of new regulations regarding proofs of identity, records etc complete with draconian punishments for non compliance and it just was not worth it to continue.

Wanderlust · 06-09-2013, 18:05

Thanks Raymond, that makes sense.

So while it may seem government regulation is a bit over the top, the benefit is less attraction for thieves to help themselves to the goodies on our boats. In this case at least, it seems like a good idea.

**Jim Cate** · 06-09-2013, 18:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wanderlust

Thanks Raymond, that makes sense.

So while it may seem government regulation is a bit over the top, the benefit is less attraction for thieves to help themselves to the goodies on our boats. In this case at least, it seems like a good idea.

Yes, but what about e-bay, Craig's list and so on? Those outlets for purloined goods seem to slip right through the gov's clever mesh, and eliminate the middleman's cut of the loot.

I don't think that this law is very effective for our situation, and makes the distribution of used boat bits difficult. Drat.

Jim

RaymondR · 06-09-2013, 22:16

None of that stuff stops, or probably even inconveniences, the thieves, they have a well established bartering system. However it certainly inconveniences the honest members of the public and a lot of good equipment which would once have been recycled by amateur boat builders will now end up in dumps.

Wanderlust · 06-09-2013, 22:47

While I think it may make a dent in stolen goods, and maybe that is where some of the stuff in the Qld chandlery came from, I accept that it would not be much of a dent.

So, as I'm generally against more regulation I now agree with you and Jim. Bad govt regulation.

**Boracay** · 07-09-2013, 01:15

I try to be as thrifty as possible but as has been noted the price of second hand marine gear in Oz is so high that it may actually be cheaper to buy new.

It does pay to keep an eye on the market though. As an example I used quite a few galvanised bolts as stainless stuff was outrageous. Now my friendly Nuts Bolts Screws Online store is selling stainless for what looks to be a lower price.

There are a few "bargains" that appear in Gumtree and Ebay and even my local mega chandler has specials that I stock up on as I can.

The real savings in Oz though come from careful shopping in the international online market.

From time to time I am pleasantly surprised when a local business gives a very realistic price on a small job. I just wish it were more reliable.

For mine the online shopping experience means not having to deal with bored disinterested salespersons, not in the marine and related field though, more in the small business area. It's as though they know I don't plan on spending any serious money and just wish I'd go away.

One of the trials of getting old.