If you own a sporting goods store, a marina or even a gas station/convenient store on one of the several beautiful lakes in the area, it’s only a matter of time before warm weather finally arrives and people will be putting their sailboats, power boats, kayaks and canoes on the water. Maybe those boat owners failed to read our earlier blog post about being prepared and doing a thorough checklist of their boats in advance of the yearly launch.

That’s why you need to be prepared for any requests your summertime sailors will throw at you. When it comes to marine hardware, it’s important to have in stock an ample supply of boat snap hooks, rope cleats, double end hooks, rings, and eye snaps with fixed, open and swivel ends.

There are so many things that require repair, maintenance or updating on a boat, whether it is a kayak or a cruiser. For your sailboat and power boat customers, snap hooks are important to keep on hand for anchor chains or trailer safety chains. They may be rusted, bent, broken – which would be unfortunate when trying to hook up to a mooring ball or getting a boat safely secured on the trailer.

Owners of power boats that pull water skiers, tubes and other flotation devices may need to replace their safety hooks, rings and snap hooks. The last thing they want to do is lose their precious cargo in the middle of a busy lake. When your customers pull into your marina to gas up and buy provisions, be sure to ask them if they’ve checked their skiing and tubing lines for signs of wear or broken connections.

Sometimes, summertime boaters are more focused on having an ample supply of ice, fishing line, and fresh brews on hand. You can grow your base of loyal customers by making sure to let them know you are their “go to” destination for a complete line of marine hardware. Before they head out for a day on the water, be sure to ask them if they need their anchors, rope cleats, safety snaps and snap hooks replaced.

Kayaks, canoes and rowboats also need to be secured safely to docks and mooring balls. And, no matter what type or size boat your customers have, they need to check their life jackets and bumpers to be sure that the rings, snaps and hooks are in good working order.

If your store is located near a salt water body, Henssgen Hardware offers a complete line of products that are salt-and corrosion resistant. Our complete line of marine hardware includes brass, steel, stainless steel and die cast zinc. A well-stocked marina or sporting goods store should keep an ample inventory on hand in all these materials.

For marinas that service a large number of sailboats, it’s also a good idea to have a good assortment of rope hardware in stock. Rope cleats, thimbles and clamps in stock can mean the difference between a great day of sailing or a trip cut short because a sailor couldn’t find a marina with the equipment they needed to be “seaworthy.”

Henssgen Hardware has the hardware you need for a safe summer out on the boat. Download our catalog for all our product offerings.