Who makes West Marine inflatables?

[gobigkahuna]

I'm looking at getting a West Marine AL 390 inflatable ( http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...?&cid=chanintel&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=294431 ), seems to meet all my requirements. I called the local store (they don't stock them so I'm going to have to order one) and was told that they "think" they're made by Zodiac, but it sure doesn't look like anything Zodiac makes. Anyone have any guesses who makes these? The fabric is a "German-made" 1250 denier PVC and the seams are glued.

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Who makes West Marine inflatables?

It is really hard to say. The east European manufactures use this German made material in many of their boats, as do the better Chinese manufactures.

One (there are dozens & dozens) of the larger inflatable companies in China is exporting close to $5 million (wholesale prices) a year and has been doing so since the early nineties.

http://www.sinoboat.net/index.htm

http://www.sinoboat.net/how to order.htm

It is funny that these companies all do so much business with the west, but no one in the west has one of their boats.

In America products have to have a “Land of Origin” declaration. It should be easy for West Marine to find out who, or where the manufacture is located, if they want to.

If they don't want to tell you, it is a good chance they are manufacturing in China.

At the very latest you will find out after you receive your new boat.

As much as the brand name manufactures try to cover up the fact that they are doing so, they are almost all producing some of their boats in China. It is only a matter of time till all mass-maufactured inflatables in this price range will come from there.

 

[gobigkahuna]

Re: Who makes West Marine inflatables?

I think it was more a case of the salesman at West Marine not really knowing rather than avoiding my question. I had an 11' PVC boat of theirs a few years back and it clearly said on the plate that it had been manufactured by Zodiac. I was really just trying to get a bit more info on the boat before ordering it. With the heavy duty fabric and aluminum floor, it should be pretty durable (I hope). At least with West Marine if I run into a problem I know I can take it back to the store and they'll do something about it (fix it, replace it, or give me a refund).

 

[Expidia]

Re: Who makes West Marine inflatables?

I'd bet China. Most everything is made there now even if it has a name brand on it. Especially from boating retailers like West, Overton's, Bass Pro etc . . .

Example: just ordered the new Ipod Nano as a gift for my Daughter on 9/10 . . . Check out where it was shipped from: SHENZHEN China! Damn, they don't even "stock" them in the U.S. they just drop ship them directly from the manuf. plant and it gets to my door from China in 5 business days with free shipping. Probably faster than if I ordered it from a reseller in NYC.

Any wonder why the U.S. has lost so many jobs! Think most of our U.S. domiciled companies (many of which we give tax breaks too) have long ago sold the U.S. worker right out of the picture


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Int'l shipment release
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[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Who makes West Marine inflatables?

I wouldn't worry about the quality if you have a local dealer you can count on to be there, and you trust if you have problems.

It is really hard to get that kind of information on re-branded products, if you checked the second link in my last post, you will see that you just type in the information/specifications you want, upload your company logo, and fiz bang presto metyphisto, you are a inflatable company. They like to protect their sources in some cases, or hide them in others. It just depends on the quality that the are selling.

These boats are made to a price point, set by the company ordering them. It can be very cheap, or very good. Even many of the worlds most famous brands now outsource at least some of their production to China.

If you are happy with the price, go for it.

Let us know how you like it, and how it compares to the Zodiac.

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Who makes West Marine inflatables?

I'd bet China. Most everything is made there now even if it has a name brand on it. Especially from boating retailers like West, Overton's, Bass Pro etc . . .

I hear you!

I get so sick of the State Departments, U.S. Commercial Services Department people here (Germany) saying they are supporting American companies interest overseas, when these companies don't even do anything in America anymore except sell things with American names on them. At the same time snubbing their noses at the real small and medium sized America businesses. “We are saving American jobs”, yea right. You are pushing the companies the Washington lobbyist are paying you to push.

AmCham (American Chamber of Commerce/Germany) is just as bad, if not worse. They claim 3000 companies as members here, they support 17. Go to there meetings, a room of several hundred and you will probably be one of the only Americans in the room

International Mega Conglomerates, yes, American companies, uh, no, not anymore. American names maybe. They should just be honest, and I would understand, I wouldn't like it, but at least I wouldn't get the feeling, that they think I am too dumb to figure out what they are doing.

 

[gobigkahuna]

Re: Who makes West Marine inflatables?

To answer my own question I went to the local West Marine here. There were three boats out front that looked like last year's models (2 ribs and one slat floored) and all were marked "Made in France" so I'm guessing they're Zodiac OEM boats. The newest model inside the store was marked "Made in China" on the plate.

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Who makes West Marine inflatables?

To answer my own question I went to the local West Marine here. There were three boats out front that looked like last year's models (2 ribs and one slat floored) and all were marked "Made in France" so I'm guessing they're Zodiac OEM boats. The newest model inside the store was marked "Made in China" on the plate.

Sorry for ranting like I did in your thread gobigkahuna, and thanks for the update.

Try to get one of the "made in france" modells. It may not be of better quality, but it will hold it's resale value better.

Are they all the same price?

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Who makes West Marine inflatables?

Is the one inside, a aluminum floor model like you wanted?

 

[gobigkahuna]

Re: Who makes West Marine inflatables?

Sorry for ranting like I did in your thread gobigkahuna, and thanks for the update.

Try to get one of the "made in france" modells. It may not be of better quality, but it will hold it's resale value better.

Are they all the same price?

No, the models that were outside look like '07 models of the 8' slat floored and
10' RIB and the boat inside is the new '08 HP-V 350. All are displayed at full list price. They don't stock the aluminum floored boat I want and I save a couple hundred $$ by ordering it on-line (I found a coupon for 12% off for any on-line order, although, now that I think about it I might be able to get the same discount in the store by asking them to price match).

 

[Sea Rider]

Who Makes Who ?

Who Makes Who ?

Just a comment:

I'm in the inflatable boat industry for some years, have sold Zodiac, Quicksilvers and now Sea Riders. Contacting different Companies mostly in China, Korea have seen that all of them offers the same products with slight differences. Even have same style web page, share same photos, information etc.

So concluding, there a lot of persons who has started "Companies" that show themselves very nice on Internet reselling second party ribs/sibs with fancy own names. Would be a matter of finding out which is the "mother factory". When buying, compare prices between "Company" resellers for best quality/price. Korean inflatables are more pricy than China inflatables, although most China Companies works with Korean Products, a matter of hand labor costs. All of them work with your money payed well in advance, no stocks available, made on your order, so no need to invest money on huge inventories.

Even reputed brands as Quicksilver, Sea Eagle, Star, makes all of their boats in Asian Markets.

Happy Boating

 

[stev09]

Re: Who makes West Marine inflatables?

thanks for the information guys.,.,
happy boating

fedex tracking track number ground​

 

[BeaufortTJustice]

Re: Who makes West Marine inflatables?

I'd bet China. Most everything is made there now even if it has a name brand on it. Especially from boating retailers like West, Overton's, Bass Pro etc . . .

Example: just ordered the new Ipod Nano as a gift for my Daughter on 9/10 . . . Check out where it was shipped from: SHENZHEN China! Damn, they don't even "stock" them in the U.S. they just drop ship them directly from the manuf. plant and it gets to my door from China in 5 business days with free shipping. Probably faster than if I ordered it from a reseller in NYC.

Any wonder why the U.S. has lost so many jobs! Think most of our U.S. domiciled companies (many of which we give tax breaks too) have long ago sold the U.S. worker right out of the picture


Fedex Tracking:
Arrived at FedEx location
NEWARK, NJ 9-13-08
4:33 PM
Departed FedEx location
INDIANAPOLIS, IN
2:45 AM
In transit
INDIANAPOLIS, IN
1:57 AM
Int'l shipment release
INDIANAPOLIS, IN
1:21 AM
Arrived at FedEx location
INDIANAPOLIS, IN
Sep 11, 2008 2:49 PM
Departed FedEx location
ANCHORAGE, AK
1:37 PM
Arrived at FedEx location
ANCHORAGE, AK
8:00 PM
In transit
SHENZHEN CN
12:58 PM
Left FedEx origin facility
SHENZHEN CN
5:55 AM
Picked up 9-10-08
SHENZHEN CN
4:19 AM
Package data transmitted to FedEx

Sorry to rain on your parade, but I think you purchased a chinese, reverse engineered knock-off of an ipod nano. I am pretty sure the real deals are made in California, USA. Apple may order some parts from overseas, but they are assembled in USA. I could be wrong, but all of my ipods said something in/on the package about "made in California, USA." I could be wrong, though.

I know this is off-topic, but maybe this info will save someone else from getting ripped off.

UPDATE: I dug out one of my old packages and it says, quite prominently, "Designed by Apple in California" but on the barcode tag, in tiny lettering it does say "assembled in China." I guess I was misled / mistaken by that initial phrase. Sorry for the false alarm. Please do not tell my wife I was wrong...

 

[Stachi]

Re: Who makes West Marine inflatables?

I really have to laugh when I see opinions about merchandise manufactured in China and other foriegn countries.....yes , we get what we pay for , but thats how we wanted it , low price, regardless of what it did to American companies. We, the consumers, are responsible for out sourcing by not being willing to pay for the American workers wage, and only buying from companies that manufacter goods here in the USA......if we were truly concerned, and willing to pay the extra $$ for what we want to be made in the USA, merchandise would still be made here in the USA......I'm guilty as well... this is something that we all did .

 

[justchange]

Re: Who makes West Marine inflatables?

Have you tried checking Zodiacs and other inflatable sites? Should give ya a good idea where the one you're interested comes from.

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: Who makes West Marine inflatables?

We, the consumers, are responsible for out sourcing by not being willing to pay for the American workers wage, and only buying from companies that manufacter goods here in the USA......if we were truly concerned, and willing to pay the extra $$ for what we want to be made in the USA, merchandise would still be made here in the USA

Just a outsider comment, the issue is that American Companies likes to get big money, huge margin profits for a cheap product bought on outside markets and locally sold, as an example, bought a canopy in Korea for $ 50, that same canopy sells in USA for as much as $ 200, a different point would be to make same products in USA and go for a less Company margin profit so to pay higher salary wages to workers, but no, Companies likes the most profitable option. The point is : No one renounces for the big margin profits that have already been making