Status of DR Marine?

[rhm]

Hello,

I'm new to the Forum and the DaySailer (I just acquired a 1987 DS3 and am looking forward to the start of the sailing season). What a wonderful community this appears to be.

There are many posts about DR Marine and indeed their website shows a number of parts I need to make my boat ship shape. I've been trying in vain for about a week to place an order online (I get an "internal server error" message each time), leave a voice mail ("mailbox full"), or contact them by email (no response).

Does anyone know the status of DR Marine?

Are there other decent sources for parts?

Many thanks

RHM

[GreenLake]

DR Marine is unrivaled as a source for DS-specific parts. For that reason, we can only hope that any of these issues are temporary. However, I checked, and get the same 505 error.

For "generic" parts, like rope, blocks, cleats etc. my goto place has long been https://fischeriessupply.com. They carry the well-known brands.

UPDATE: I was able to order something by phone, but their website has e-commerce issues - the product list can be viewed, but you'd have to call in an order.

[ArchSail]

I had good luck with DR Marine but it has been a few months since my last order.

Fisheries Supply is amazing and is typically my first go-to now thanks to Greenlake. I’m in the Midwest and can’t believe how quickly I receive my items from them - the post office here takes longer to mail something across the street. Sailrite seems okay too.

I’d be a little cautious when selecting an online vendor. I ordered from Sound Boatworks (in CT) based on Ronstan’s dealer list. Good prices and free shipping for my order. They operate under a few different names. To be fair, supply chain issues are disrupting a wide array of industries, however, I started having concerns that my full order wouldn’t arrive. I think it took 7-8 weeks to get everything.

[rhm]

Thanks, @archsail and @greenlake! Very helpful. I appreciate the leads on parts in general and will follow up on them.

My big concern right now is DS-specific parts for the 87 vintage DS3 I'm now caring for. I found the website for Cape Cod Shipbuilding (which is manufacturing new DSs) but I bet that some of the parts I'm looking for aren't the same and may not work in my older boat -- like spreaders for the mast. I found some aluminum rods at my hardware store and am working up to machining replacements myself, but they won't turn out as well as something professionally made, and with the equipment I need to buy to make them, I won't save much if any $$. It's frustrating to see them on the DR Marine website at a reasonable price. So close, yet so far...

I guess we keep our fingers crossed that this is a temporary thing for DR Marine and that the owner/DS expert, who sounds like a fantastic guy, is okay and just on a vacation somewhere warm!

And any further leads on DS-specific parts still gratefully received.

rhm

[GreenLake]

Spreader bars should not be "rod" but tube. You want stiffness, but no weight, and that's what tubing does for you.

That means that you shouldn't need expensive tools to "machine" them. A hacksaw to cut then down to length and a drill for the holes that fit the pin. (And a combination of both to make a slit on the outside to nest the stay.

If you need to replace the brackets, that would be slightly more involved, but there are probably solutions as well.

[rhm]

GreenLake -- Thanks so much for the info on the spreaders -- the one's I'm replacing were solid. I knew they weren't original but had no idea that whoever replaced them before me changed the design. That makes it a much easier project, as you say. It's great to have a forum like this to learn from.

[jcbartel]

I just looked at DR's wevbsite and had no problem viewing the Daysailer products.
Here's the url I have:
http://www.drmarine.com/categories.asp?cat=64
Phone: 508 644-3001

I ordered a few parts from them over the past two years and had fine service.

Chris Bartel
WIT '82 DSII

[GreenLake]

We can all view the product list, but online ordering does not work.

I just called and talked to Rudy and he's up against the e-commerce gremlins. I was able to order something by phone (but obviously without the website, their phones are going to be a bit busier).

[Mackrelman]

Just bought A Forestay and Shrouds for a "78 DS 2 from D&R. They arrived within a week of ordering and are exactly what I want.
Not only are they knowledgeable about the products , they also give good advice. Suppliers don't get any better than that.
Call , leave message if necessary and they will get back to you
(508) 644-3001

[LikeAPuma24]

Came here with the same question, as I can't even pull up the D&R website (might be a work related block, but my phone can't access it either). Like you, I was looking for spreader bars, as one got snapped by my dear daughter on of first outing (AFTER our successful first sail).

Is cutting down a length of rod good enough? From what I'm seeing on measurements, it should ½" x 21-¾"?

I can either take a look around for a rod of sufficient strength (and suggestions on where?) or I can try to take the 2 hr drive over to D&R. But that will definitely cost more money, as I know I won't be leaving with just spreader bars

[rhm]

Rudy is very responsive and has been great at sending a variety of parts I've found I needed to repair and outfit the DS3 I bought in March. Happy to report I've had multiple successful sails on the West River and Chesapeake Bay south of Annapolis. Regarding the spreaders, I bought some aluminum tubing at the local Home Depot and it worked great. Easy to work with using a hack saw and drill press. I just modeled them off the remaining good spreader and they've been fine. Good luck!

[Alan]

I'm having the same problem - three different D&R pages have been trying to load for several minutes and none of them are coming up. Hopefully it's just a problem with their website host. I'm in California on home wifi and I've never had any trouble loading their website.

If all fails, you can get spreader bars from Dwyer Mast, here:

https://www.dwyermast.com/items.asp?cat ... 28Round%29

If you go the Dwyer route, I'd give them a call. They've been helpful when I talked to them in the past, for example steering me away from an almost-correct-but-not-quite section of mast tubing, to the correct one.

If I lived two hours from D&R, I'd drive over there, but I'd probably leave all but one credit card at home.

[GreenLake]

I've had good success just calling them.

[Alan]

So have I, but the older I get, the more I worry. Let's hope for the best.

[GreenLake]

Last I talked to them, I heard something about how unhappy they were with some aspect of their site. It's a small business. Use the phone, don't expect this to be Amazon. The older I get, the more I enjoy interacting with humans.