West Marine

Boats have always had the power to inspire people. They have been the impetus behind countless songs, paintings, works of literature and early retirements. West Marine’s founder and chairman, Randy Repass took his passion for boating, channeled it into a prosperous business and revolutionized the way people shop for boating supplies. What has become the world’s largest boating supply retailer started modestly enough in a garage in Sunnyvale, CA. Mr. Repass saw an opportunity to improve the way people shopped for boating supplies. According to Mr. Repass, he was frustrated by the experience of shopping in local chandleries for the parts he needed to outfit his modest daysailer. “Boat supply stores in those days were usually dark, disorganized places staffed by a couple of salty, but indifferent clerks who preferred swapping sea stories with one another to helping customers find what they came in to buy.” In 1968 he began selling nylon rope by mail order under the name West Coast Ropes. Occasionally, adventuresome customers would even drop by to pick up their orders in person. “I decided from the beginning that I wanted to take care of people,” says Mr. Repass. “The high-tech industry I had been working in didn’t provide me with an effective way to do that. But the boating industry gave me the opportunity to really enjoy my work and interact with customers who shared my interests. I was having a blast and building a business at the same time.” The first West Coast Ropes store opened in Palo Alto, CA in 1975. Besides carrying the quality rope the business was built on, the original store stocked a small selection of basic boat supplies including anchors and fenders. Though the selection was meager at first, the service was outstanding. “We were, and continue to be, a company of boaters helping fellow boaters. From salespeople to top-level management, our associates are intimately familiar with the boating needs of our customers,” says Mr. Repass. “We believe that it’s just as important to offer knowledgeable service and support as it is to offer top-flight products.” As more and more customers discovered the store, they asked for a wider variety of products: antifouling paint, cleaners, electronics, safety equipment, foul weather gear and the like. The staff listened and the product line grew. In 1977, the company acquired some of the assets of Boston-based West Products, a well-known mail-order business, and changed its name from West Coast Ropes to West Marine Products to reflect its expanding selection. In 1978, West Marine introduced its own wholesale division, Port Supply. This allowed the company to sell products directly to boat yards, charter fleets, boat dealers and government agencies. Buoyed by the success of the first store, West Marine began adding others all over the West Coast, both through acquisition and expansion. By 1987, there were 15 stores with a growing assortment of marine products. To better represent West Marine’s growing product line, it was decided to present the Company’s entire selection in one comprehensive, easy-to-reference volume. In 1987, the Company introduced its first master catalog— 330 black-and-white pages packed with boating gear. In the fall of 1991, West Marine opened its first stores on the East Coast in Florida and Maryland. More stores followed in Virginia, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Then in 1993 the company went public under the symbol WMAR on the NASDAQ exchange. In 1996, West Marine merged with one of its oldest and most respected competitors; E&B Marine. West Marine marked another milestone in 2003, by acquiring the retail and catalog divisions of long-time competitor BoatU.S. Dynamic expansion continued and West Marine opened their first of five franchised stores in Istanbul, Turkey in 2008. West Marine opened the biggest boating store in the U.S. in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 2011. This 50,000 sq. ft. store, not only had an expanded selection of core boating products, but it offered a large selection of footwear, casual and technical apparel for those who enjoy being out and on the water. Customers’ responded positively to the larger store format where they could get everything they needed for a great day out on the water, in one location. Today, West Marine is the largest specialty retailer of boating supplies and accessories, with over 300 stores located in 38 states, Puerto Rico and Canada. The company now carries more than 75,000 products, ranging from the rope that started it all, to the latest in marine electronics, technical apparel, footwear and accessories. In addition to its retail stores and Port Supply wholesale divisions, the company serves water lovers in more than 150 countries worldwide through its mail order and Internet divisions. Throughout the years, West Marine has continued to rely on outstanding customer service, selection and quality as its anchor and that’s been the secret of its success. Shop all Fishing Products at West Marine

Where To Shoot A Wild Boar Part 1

By: Adrian Padeanu There are many hunters out there each year hunting down wild boars, mostly because they want to stay in practice when the deer season is closed or because they simply like hunting this type of game. In addition, hogs can be a real nuisance in some areas and eliminating some of them might ease the pressure. Due to the reason that most of the hunters that pursue hogs are in fact deer hunters, they do not know where to shoot a wild boar to get its vitals. In this article, we will try to explain where the best shots are. The best shot would be in the shoulder area, preferably lower. However, you must pay attention not to aim so low because you might hit under the swine. If the hog is quartering away or towards you, you will want to place the shot so that the bullet will end up in the vitals, right between the shoulders. Of course, this means that the bullet must penetrate well. There have been many discussions among hunters about shooting a hog in the head. Indeed, it is deadly efficient, but only if you hit the animal in the brain. The downside is that the wild boar has a small brain and this means that the likelihood of making a deadly shot is much reduced. In addition, its brain is very well protected by a thick skull, which means that you will need a tough bullet in order to penetrate. Probably the most debated topic is of the old behind-the-ear-with-a-22 story, although not many have practiced it. This works great, but only if the shooter is next to the boar, but it isnt very efficient nor should it be tried at bigger distances. The bullets used in rimfire cartridges, especially in the 22 long rifles, are in most cases quite soft, and do not have enough power in order to penetrate very well. In this case, the bullet will most likely flatten out on the bone of the boars skull, meaning that it wont get the job done as you had hoped. A broken shoulder will certainly put a wild boar down on the spot, just as it will do with basically any other type of game. This can prove to be of great help, as you will be able to do a follow-up shot, if it is necessary. The best case scenario would be to kill it quickly and efficiently, avoiding trailing the animal. In the case of a mature hog, you certainly dont want him to approach you with its sharp tusks. The question is: how much gun do we need to take down a hog? The answer is not that simple as it depends upon the boar and the placement of the bullet. A general rule says that first-time boar hunters should start with any of the cartridges in the .30-30 Winchester as they offer enough power for most of these animals, especially with the 170-grain bullets of proper construction. Lesser cartridges can be used for smaller hogs. Join us in the second part of the article where we will discuss about choosing the appropriate ammo for taking down a wild boar. Author Resource:-> Find a comprehensive guide about wild boar hunting (http://www.wildboarhuntinginfo.com/) at www.wildboarhuntinginfo.com - your best provider of boar hunting with dogs (http://www.wildboarhuntinginfo.com/boar-hunting-with-dogs.php) tips and tricks.  

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