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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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West Marine Cigarette Lighter Fails

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redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/17/2010 : 05:50:23

I wired in a new West Marine cigarette lighter. I was thrilled with the placement and was using it to charge my cell phone, but it was difficult to install from the dumpster. What a pain. I was hunting down a short and was pulling out the connectors on the back of the plug and the whole back of the plug came off. Crap From China if you ask me. I had to remove the whole receptacle and glue the back back together. I like the design and it would seem like a simple enough thing, but it also seems a little like it was designed to fail.

It urks me to be told I'm paying a lot for "Marine" grade and then find inherent design failure. But then receptacle only cost 10 bucks...

Ray in Atlanta, Ga.
"Lee Key" '84 Catalina 25
Standard Rig / Fin Keel

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 05/17/2010 : 06:13:55

I avoid West Marine in general, but I really avoid anything they have private labeled.

Sony's "Marine Grade" speakers rust! And if you leave them installed long enough (don't ask how I know this) the rust will start to run down the gel coat!

Meguiar's polishing glaze for cars (in the tan bottle) is better than the polishing glaze for boats (in the blue bottle.) Guess which one costs more money.

That little anchor symbol on the 5 gallon bucket of Peel-Away will cost you at least 50% more than the label without - for the same product.

I can almost hear marketing managers in their strategy meetings "those stupid drunken boaters, we'll repackage the same (or worse) product and double the price and they'll never know the difference - easy money! hah!"

Edited by - on

DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2015 Posts

Response Posted - 05/17/2010 : 06:42:08

Yep, this kind of thing chaps my ............ as well. Many times there's as good or better without "marine" attached for half the price. And I also agree to avoid house brands because they almost always have a China sticker on them, which means the quality is not there. Ace Hardware and Radioshack are the same way.

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Ed Cassidy
Captain

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USA
365 Posts

Response Posted - 05/17/2010 : 07:23:56

If you need something for black alge in the pool, it will set you back $40 but if you read the lable, its just a $15 package of shock. Anyone hear that Poliglow is simply Mop-n-glow floor wax and Poliprep is 'Fantastic' cleaner?

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jbkayaker
Captain

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USA
299 Posts

Response Posted - 05/17/2010 : 08:38:34

Ed,
It reads like you are just speculating about Poliprep and Poliglow. Have you actually compared the products side by side on your boat ?

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Ed Cassidy
Captain

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USA
365 Posts

Response Posted - 05/17/2010 : 09:41:39

No, I haven't tried (yet). I was doing a search to see if there was a product to use instead of Poliglow and found a number of people that claim the stuff is simply floor wax. I was hoping someone else might have tried it. I don't see what it could hurt.

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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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3758 Posts

Response Posted - 05/17/2010 : 09:54:25

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Poliglow is simply Mop-n-glow floor wax and Poliprep is 'Fantastic' cleaner?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I think you will find that is not true. Some house labeled products from WM are excellent; obviously, some are not. I'm not religious about it, but I base many choices on Practical Sailor tests. The great thing about WM, other than the fact that they usually have what I need, is the return policy - take it back if you aren't satisfied..

Edited by - Dave5041 on 05/17/2010 09:55:12

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 05/17/2010 : 10:06:32

Yepper... WM has been really good to me.. especially given the fact that they are the only game in town. Kinda scares me.

Mostly I just wanted to let folks know if they bought that lighter they might want to check the back "before" the install. Overall I like the design better than an all metal one I had used before. The cover cap works better.

Kinda like the LED Economy Dome lights I installed and posted, saying the color was great. The ones I bought this year seem to be the same light, but the color has a green hue to them.

Production changes from the factory ( read china ) from year to year, batch to batch so much it is kinda hard to blame WM.

So I'd say these forums are more important than ever to get feedback on the crap they are selling, or the good stuff they are selling, whatever the case.

I blame the vain.

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OJ
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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 05/17/2010 : 12:01:40

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by redeye
 . . . WM has been really good to me.. especially given the fact that they are the only game in town . . . <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
The three items I referenced above I ordered from the internet for less $ and saved money even after shipping.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> Mostly I just wanted to let folks know if they bought that lighter they might want to check the back "before" the install..<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">No way, if we get a chance to cream a vendor here - we're going to do it!

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Production changes from the factory ( read china ) from year to year, batch to batch so much it is kinda hard to blame WM . . . <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> Nope, I blame WM's lousy quality control

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> . . . I blame the vain . . . <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> I blame that fact they are a public company and increased sales and ever increased profits are unsustainable with all the competition out there.

Edited by - OJ on 05/17/2010 12:02:33

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 05/17/2010 : 14:27:38

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I'd say these forums are more important than ever to get feedback on the crap they are selling, or the good stuff they are selling<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I totally agree. We don't want to buy junk, but we don't want to miss good value either. More expensive is not always better and sometimes you get what you pay for, but somebody's experience is often the only way to know the difference.

Edited by - Dave5041 on 05/17/2010 14:28:14

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4024 Posts

Response Posted - 05/17/2010 : 15:50:07

I use this type, All stainless and rugged for the same price. http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_82688_225003006_225000000_225003000?cmCat=CROSSSELL_PRODUCT

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