West Marine Catalog

Application: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch
Function: Marine, boating and fishing supplies
Rating: ****
Cost: Free

West Marine has been the leader in the marine supply of electronics, fishing, sailing and boating hardware for as long as I can remember.  The company has recently updated their catalog app which is a must have if you own a boat or spend much time on the water.

As boaters we know stuff eventually breaks or wears out.  This app will come in handy to help you find the right replacement part. In the past I had not purchased many products through West Marine.  I found that their prices were not always that competitive.  Recently though, I have notice that they are much more competitive which make it easier to buy with confidence.  I have also always found the West Marine Advisor sections in the catalogs helpful in guiding me to purchase the right product for my boat.  Their retail stores are also well stocked and have knowledgeable people willing to help with your projects.

Features:

• New Bookshelf access
• Stream catalogs with an Internet connection
• View catalogs offline by downloading them to your device
• Easy search for any item
• Push notifications for new catalogs
• Pinch to zoom,
• Finger navigation
• Full or facing page views
• Table of contents
• IOS 6 and iPhone 5 support

The app has a main page called the Library where you can view or download specific eCatalogs. The three that are available are the 2012 Annual catalog and the specific Fishing and Sailing catalogs.

If you are connected to the Internet you can stream the catalogs by selecting the Read Now option. If you want to take the catalogs with you on your device for offline viewing, select the Download option.

There are four soft keys at the bottom of the screen. The Library key takes you back to the main Library of catalogs.  The Contents key takes you to the table of contents for the catalog you are viewing.

The Search key allows you to search with in the catalog you are viewing.

The catalogs are easy to navigate. The table of contents is broken up into the major categories that you will be interested in. 

At the bottom there are arrow keys to move forward or backwards in the catalog. You can also use your finger to swipe left or right to the next page also.

The catalogs contain nice colorful pictures and narrative descriptions of each product, so you know what your getting.  

Once you have found the item you are looking for in the catalog you can purchase it by simply tapping on the item. You will then be taken to the West Marine Store site. At the store site select the quantity you want and add them to your shopping cart and check out.

There is also a store locator if you want to purchase your item through one of their retail stores.

It does not get any easier that this to find the marine products you need.  This free app is definitely worth adding to your collection.

~~~~Sail On~~~ /)

Mark