Wow, APS recently switched to apparel only (I wasn't thrilled with that decision) and now with COVID-19 issues, they're going to close up shop entirely. It's a shame, but does give you the chance to grab any sailing apparel you might be looking for anyway - and now at 30% off.
Shop sailing foul weather gear, apparel and accessories at the world leader in outfitting sailors. We provide expert advice from our helpful staff of sailors. Free shipping on orders overs $50.
Well I'm a LONG way from Annapolis so the store was never a realistic option.
I'm debating getting some neoprene gear from APS for sailing in cooler weather, but yeah, getting the right sizes is concerning to me as well.
If you don't want to risk it with APS and no returns, Ronstan has a 25% off sale on sailing gear until the end of May.
With over 69 years of experience in producing high quality marine equipment, Ronstan today is proud to offer over 2000 products developed for all diverse types of sailing.
Uh-oh, another casualty on the business front... not the first, and it probably won't be the last.
As for the earlier switch to apparel only, somehow that reminds me of Yvon Chouinard & Patagonia: Chouinard got his start making climbing hardware, the best available at the time, but he made his fortune with Patagonia, the clothing line. Good stuff too, hard to find its equal nowadays... I had a synthetic-fleece-lined windproof Patagonia shell or jacket that was the absolute bomb for mountaineering, thing weighed next to nothing but totally performed in the wilderness. I sure got my use out of that jacket too, it served me well on many outdoor adventures. I almost miss that thing, can't remember whatever happened to it...
I should add that Yvon Chouinard was not only a bad@$$ technical rock climber & mountaineer, he also used a lot of the money he made to promote worthy causes around the globe, especially where outdoor activities were concerned. Despite having more money than Croesus, Chouinard wasn't infected with the sickness of greed which causes so much grief in this modern age. Giving back to the world & humanity, what a concept, aye? I kinda wish there were more like him in the world today, it would undoubtedly be a better place...
Sad, but they couldn't compete with Amazon given their margins on hardware. I believe they even looked at giving it a go as an Amazon Seller, but with Amazon's cut the numbers didn't make any sense.
Their big hit this year was with High School and College sailing being canceled, they had no cash flow starting in Feb. Ideal for the PPP loans, but as a a retail/mail-order shop with low employee count, the 70% requirement is hard.
Some of you might be old enough to remember that Land's End started out selling high end sailboat hardware, Their yearly catalog was one of the slickest publications ever. Then they added some foul weather gear, some padded hiking shorts and shortly thereafter (like APS) switched to all-clothing.
They had to compete against the likes of LL Bean but prospered owing to decent prices, quality merchandise and great customer service, especially telephone sales. But I still miss their catalog.
Sailboat hardware is the ultimate niche market, and the number of dealers is down to a handful. Sunfish Direct and Intensity get most of my business these days. I wish there a few more.