"We are all very happy here," reads the email I just got from a contact at Raymarine, and that sure makes sense. The agonizing process of getting sold is over, and in the end they were bought by a strong company which is not a direct competitor but is "very serious about commercial and recreational marine." That phrase, already demonstrably true, comes fresh from Lou Rota, FLIR’s VP for Maritime Business Development.  Rota also told me that there are no plans to move or substantially change Raymarine operations, and that FLIR is very hopeful that it can continue to work closely with manufacturers like Furuno, Simrad, and Garmin in terms of integrating its thermal cameras into their navigation electronics. I suppose that Garmin, which recently made a very public bid for Ray, may be unhappy about this turn of events, but…

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Amazing!  Garmin just announced a very public and serious offer for Raymarine.  The Wall Street Journal has the 30 page (!) announcement here, but this London Stock Exchange link is easier to read. Garmin is offering 15 pence per share, which is way up from what we’ve heard recently (see comments here), and it’s waived any further due diligence.  There are only two factors that could stop this deal from happening, I think:  the displeasure of either Raymarine’s board or the European anti-trust regulators.  And by being so public with the offer, Garmin is expressing a lot of confidence that both those parties will find the offer acceptable.  Maybe it’s time to think about a marine electronics world where two of the biggest brands are one.

Read the comments at Panbo

Almost 400 marine electronics users have already taken the survey announced here earlier this month, and Marine Technology Analysts (MTA) has done a little preliminary data crunching.  Users were asked to name up to three of their favorite sources and, while 152 outlets were named, the top 11 seen above appeared in 60% of the surveys.  MTA also tells me that some strong patterns are developing in terms of what users most desire from those sources, not to mention what they want in terms of products.  But more data would be great.  Please take a 10-15 minute break to fill out the survey today; chances are good that the effort will help the marine electronics industry, Panbo, and ultimately you.

Take a look, if only to spot my daughter’s first nationally published photograph!

The magnetic compass has been with us on the water for a thousand years or so. Recently, though, it has often been overshadowed by the near magic of GPS. For the serious sailor, however, it is the most basic and the most essential navigation instrument. When all else fails—the engine, the electrical system or the GPS itself—the compass still works, showing us the way to safety.

The availability of spare parts and service facilities for compass maintenance is becoming a problem. On Dec. 18 of last year, one of the major U.S. manufacturers notified dealers that it would cease production and support as of Jan. 1. Danforth, a mainstay of yacht navigation for more than half a century, has exited the compass business. Employees were laid off at the start of the normal two-week Christmas shut-down of the company’s plant in Gloucester, Mass.

Most compass repair facilities received leaked information about the pending closure several months ago and stocked up on parts. Negotiations are now underway to establish a source of aftermarket parts through a highly regarded shop in southern New England.

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If Navagear makes an offer to buy Raymarine, it will definitely be on credit. We just don’t have enough cash on hand to buy Raymarine outright. But we could hit up some relatives, take out a second mortgage, and try to get some money together, I guess.

So there it is: Navagear is considering buying Raymarine! Tell Reuters. Tell Panbo.

Of course, just like Garmin, there is “no certainty an offer will be made.” I’m just saying…

I’m not sure how to feel about this. As a consumer, I’ve got a boat equipped with lots of Raymarine gear, and I have mixed feelings about some of it.

And on the other hand, I’ve got my eye on some Garmin products, but I don’t have much experience as a Garmin customer. Is Garmin’s customer service is “better” than Raymarine’s? Would such a deal be a “win” for consumers?

This is starting to get serious!  While this Reuters article also notes Garmin’s disclaimer that “there was no certainty an offer would be made”, yesterday Garmin had no comment at all.  Personally I have no knowledge of this deal whatsoever, and can tell you that the product people I know at both these companies seem to be full speed ahead.  But I’m starting to monitor the financial news closely.  Somewhat strangely, the most complete and original reporting seems to be coming from a Reuter’s guy in Bangalore, India; his piece yesterday helped me understand why this acquisition might make sense for Garmin:  Foreign distribution and an “OEM footprint” (in case the boatbuilding business ever comes back to life).  But how would the product lines be “rationalized” and what would a big Garmin/Raymarine combination mean to the relatively little recreational marine electronics industry?  Let’s discuss.

While driving through Ballard the other day, I was somewhat shocked to see that Seaview Boatyard East was full of boats!

I thought we had a big recession on. What gives?

Click over to read the post at PugetSoundMaritime.com.

Marty McOmber at Three Sheets Northwest has the story:

Seattle’s Pacific Yachting PNW—the American arm of a popular Canadian boating magazine—is publishing its final local issue this month, another sign of the economic troubles gripping the region’s maritime community.

Canada’s Pacific Yachting has been a staple of the B.C. boating community for four decades. Two years ago, the magazine’s publisher launched Pacific Yachting PNW to build on its already strong reputation and attempt to capture a bigger share of readers and advertisers south of the Canadian border.

But the publication isn’t disappearing entirely from Washington. Instead, OP Publishing, which owns both magazines, will send American subscribers the Canadian version of Pacific Yachting, but with a dedicated local news section covering Puget Sound and surrounding waters.

Click over to read the whole story.

Closing Our Doors
Friday, February 13th
All Inventory Must Go!
Due to a number of circumstances — not the least of which has been a remarkable drop in sales over the past couple of quarters — after nearly seven years of operation, we have decided to close The Offshore Store.

Friday, February 13, will be the last day that The Offshore Store will be open for retail business.

Although the store is being closed, we do plan to keep our main telephone number, E-mail accounts and web site operational. While we will soon be reduced to a minimum of staff, we are giving consideration to the possibility of continuing to offer some equipment repair and onboard servicing. Most retail customers and individuals in the local marine industry who have given us feedback have indicated a greater need for continued access to the services, rather than products, we’ve offered. We feel this may provide an avenue for maintaining some form of business until such time as we might again be willing and able to open a store.

As a valued customer of The Offshore Store, we would like to invite you to our “Closing Our Doors Sale” taking place now through Friday, February 13, 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM. You may preview a partial listing of our special offerings at http://www.offshorestore.com/optimum/products/specials.htm.

Thank-you for your support over the years!
The Offshore Store                Phone: 206-632-3025
3400 Stone Way N                     FAX: 206-632-0971
Seattle, WA  98103            www.offshorestore.com