[TakeFive]

Black Friday has come and gone, but many of the sales continue through the weekend. Please post your good ideas here.

Pep Boys usually has some great deals on little things that are useful for the boat. This year was no different. I bought a handheld rechargeable spotlight there for $4 after rebate 3 years ago, but last winter the SLA battery froze and burst, and replacement battery would have been $20, so I waited to see if it came up on sale again. Sure enough, it did, $4 for an equivalent (updated) model.

While there I saw a nice little jump starter for $20 after rebate. I already have one (Vector 012C), but it's 10 years old and losing some battery capacity. Just like the flashlight, a replacement battery ($36+$15 shipping) is much more than Pep Boy's price for a whole new unit, so I grabbed it. This one is actually nicer because it doesn't have the worthless "inflator," so it's smaller and much lighter. It also has a real nice % charge indicator. My overnight test of its capacity indicates it has approximately the same 18A-h capacity battery as the bigger, heavier jump starter that I already have.

By the way, I don't use the jump starter for my motor since I have a pull-start as backup on my outboard. For some reason, my CPAP machine has difficulty starting up on 12v flooded batteries, but does much better on SLA batteries, so the jump starter is used for the CPAP while on the hook, camping, and during power outages at home. That's why I care more about A-h capacity than cranking amps.

I see that WM has an offshore inflatable PFD for $99. I might consider picking up one, but would like to know your comments on whether it's any good.

 

[4arch]

West Marine also has the Garmin GPSMAP 741xs for $899 and the radar pack for $1899. I'm not necessarily interested in these for myself but they're the lowest I've seen them for anyone who is. I seem to recall last year they were selling the older and less capable 740s for $799.

Milltech Marine has several AIS transponders on sale including the venerable XB-8000 for $666. As tempting as that discount is and as much as I'd like to have a transponder, it's still a little rich for my blood. But maybe this is a sign that prices for transponders are going to start easing. It seems for a few years about $500 has been the price floor for an entry level Class B transponder. I'm also holding out hope that a VHF radio with a built in Class B transponder will be released in the near future. I think any manufacturer who can make such a device will have a hit product on their hands that will bring a lot of AIS fence sitters into the fold.

Sailrite LSZ-1 machines are $150 off.

Renogy solar had their 100w bendable panels for $186 shipped yesterday only. That was one deal I was happy to jump on.

 

[MastUndSchotbruch]

Black Friday has come and gone, but many of the sales continue through the weekend. Please post your good ideas here.

Pep Boys usually has some great deals on little things that are useful for the boat. This year was no different. I bought a handheld rechargeable spotlight there for $4 after rebate 3 years ago, but last winter the SLA battery froze and burst, and replacement battery would have been $20, so I waited to see if it came up on sale again. Sure enough, it did, $4 for an equivalent (updated) model.

While there I saw a nice little jump starter for $20 after rebate. I already have one (Vector 012C), but it's 10 years old and losing some battery capacity. Just like the flashlight, a replacement battery ($36+$15 shipping) is much more than Pep Boy's price for a whole new unit, so I grabbed it. This one is actually nicer because it doesn't have the worthless "inflator," so it's smaller and much lighter. It also has a real nice % charge indicator. My overnight test of its capacity indicates it has approximately the same 18A-h capacity battery as the bigger, heavier jump starter that I already have.

By the way, I don't use the jump starter for my motor since I have a pull-start as backup on my outboard. For some reason, my CPAP machine has difficulty starting up on 12v flooded batteries, but does much better on SLA batteries, so the jump starter is used for the CPAP while on the hook, camping, and during power outages at home. That's why I care more about A-h capacity than cranking amps.

I see that WM has an offshore inflatable PFD for $99. I might consider picking up one, but would like to know your comments on whether it's any good.

Thank you! I looked into the West Marine PFds. The Practical Sailor page is notoriously difficult to navigate (IMHO) and I could not find a recent test. There is a test from 2008 which liked the WM PFD but it complained that it had just enough buoyancy to fulfill USCG requirements (22.5#). Otherwise they thought it was good. (oh, they also said that WM PFDs are made by Stearns). The one listed for $99.- has 35# buoyancy so I suppose this is good. Certainly the price is unbeatable, half of what you usually see for a self-inflating PFD with harness.

So I placed an order for two of them. I have two PFDs (Stearns) which work great (I wear mine every single time I go out) but they are over a dozen years old. Seems like this is a good time to replace them. Or, rather, put the existing ones on the light-duty schedule (for guests) and the new ones for regular use.

Next thing I will do is look for re-arming kits. I like to have a couple around.

Thanks again for the useful post.

 

[jzk]

I saw some nice looking deals here. I might try the macerator pump:

Marine Now Quality Marine Products

 

[TakeFive]

Thank you! I looked into the West Marine PFds. The Practical Sailor page is notoriously difficult to navigate (IMHO) and I could not find a recent test. There is a test from 2008 which liked the WM PFD but it complained that it had just enough buoyancy to fulfill USCG requirements (22.5#). Otherwise they thought it was good. (oh, they also said that WM PFDs are made by Stearns). The one listed for $99.- has 35# buoyancy so I suppose this is good. Certainly the price is unbeatable, half of what you usually see for a self-inflating PFD with harness.

So I placed an order for two of them. I have two PFDs (Stearns) which work great (I wear mine every single time I go out) but they are over a dozen years old. Seems like this is a good time to replace them. Or, rather, put the existing ones on the light-duty schedule (for guests) and the new ones for regular use.

Next thing I will do is look for re-arming kits. I like to have a couple around.

Thanks again for the useful post.

We have two of the WM Coastal Auto-Inflate PFDs from 2010, but they are a newer design than featured in the 2008 review. I'm happy with mine, but it rubs my wife's neck in an uncomfortable place, so I bought her a Helly Hansen model. I expect that they have the same 22.5 lb. buoyancy, since they are only designed for coastal use.

I had been holding out to buy a Mustang Deluxe with Harness with the HIT mechanism, but I decided to bite on this one for $99 instead. The HIT offers the advantage of working in a total deluge without inflating, but for the very infrequent use I'll get out of an offshore PFD, I can't justify paying well over $200 for HIT. I still have no plans to go offshore. Also, the starch bobbins for our current PFDs (all of which have Halkey Roberts inflators like the WM Offshore model) have never even come close to dissolving in five years of use. I'll just be using the new PFD when singlehanding, when greater buoyancy and integrated harness will be most beneficial. It also will be our fourth inflatable, so everyone can wear an inflatable when we have four aboard.

I'm not sure of this, but I believe that the Halkey Roberts may have a benefit over HIT because it can be converted to manual-only use. Some experts believe that PFD/harness combinations should only be manual-inflate to minimize the possibility of inflation when hanging over the side on a tether. I'm not sure whether HIT can be easily disarmed, so take my speculation with a large grain of salt (or perhaps that should be a large tablet of starch ).

 

[MastUndSchotbruch]

...
I had been holding out to buy a Mustang Deluxe with Harness with the HIT mechanism, but I decided to bite on this one for $99 instead. The HIT offers the advantage of working in a total deluge without inflating, but for the very infrequent use I'll get out of an offshore PFD, I can't justify paying well over $200 for HIT. I still have no plans to go offshore. Also, the starch bobbins for our current PFDs (all of which have Halkey Roberts inflators like the WM Offshore model) have never even come close to dissolving in five years of use. ...

Well, mine has. It was a real downpour but POUF it went!

No big deal, I like to replace the bobbins and CO2 cartridges about every other year (I know, supposed to do yearly), so I just did it a bit earlier.

I'm not sure of this, but I believe that the Halkey Roberts may have a benefit over HIT because I can be converted to manual-only use. Some experts believe that PFD/harness combinations should only be manual-inflate to minimize the possibility of inflation when hanging over the side on a tether. I'm not sure whether HIT can be easily disarmed, so take my speculation with a large grain of salt (or perhaps that should be a large tablet of starch ).

Maybe. OTOH you definitely want it to go off when you get conked in the head by the boom and fall overboard. I like the automatic feature.

On a more general note, I am surprised that not more deals showed up in this thread. Guys/gals, nobody found something they are willing to share?

 

[4arch]

On a more general note, I am surprised that not more deals showed up in this thread. Guys/gals, nobody found something they are willing to share?

There may not be much to share. My experience with marine retailers has been that the deepest discounts tend to be in the late winter/early spring and, to a somewhat lesser extent, around fall boat show season. In the past WM did more discounting in the final days counting down to Christmas, but that's about it.

 

[TakeFive]

Time to wake up this thread again. Let's share all the deals out there.

Pep Boys is not advertising the rechargeable floodlights for $1 this year, but they do have the very useful jump starter for $20. Great for running accessories in places where you might not have a 12v adapter, or for accessories like CPAP that have a high draw on initial startup and thus don't do well through long wires. And who knows, it might save your a$$ someday if your starter battery dies:

https://blackfriday.com/stores/pep-boys/ads/black-friday/page-2

Oops, fine print says it's online only. You might

What other deals have you found?

 

[4arch]

West Marine is pretty decent this year -

• 15% off online orders on Thanksgiving Day,
• $99 Lifesling 2
• Good deals on inflatable life jackets again
• $1,799 Garmin GPSMAP 741xs/GMR 18HD Radar Pack
• $499 PRU-3 Roll-up Dinghy

Milltech Marine again has several AIS transponders on sale still including the XB-8000 for $666. Unfortunately, the $500 price floor for an entry level Class B transponder mentioned in my post 2 years ago still seems to be holding firm. The VHF radio with a built in Class B transponder that I hoped for finally exists, but with its expected $800 price tag combined with the fact that it requires either dual VHF antennas or an external splitter, it's not going to be the device to bring AIS to the masses. But at least it's another step in the right direction.

 

[senormechanico]

Flexible marine rated 120 watt solar panels for a buck a watt:

https://www.solarblvd.com/product_info.php?products_id=3082

I bought all my home's solar grid tie from these people.

 

[MikeOReilly]

Don’t suppose anyone knows of a good deal on a quality MPPT controller? It’s the one big thing on my list right now. Looking for a (as per Main Sail’s recommendations) at: Victron Solar Controllers, or MidNite Solar, or Outback Smart Harvest Controllers, or Morningstar Controllers, Blue Sky Solar Controllers & Western Solar Controllers.

 

[senormechanico]

Just match it to what you think your max current generation might be.

Midnite Solar 150 in the house grid tie/backup with 700 aH LiFePo4.
Boat with BlueSky 2512 IX/IPN Pro display/programmer and 200 ah LiFePo4.

I like 'em both.