People who live in an area near a body of water or are boat enthusiasts can turn their privilege and passion into a career. One of which is starting a marine business. Likely, marine business owners are passionate about boats and are experts about what they offer.
Operating a boat or marine business near an ocean, lake, or river is quite challenging. Most especially if you’re starting one in an area where a couple of marine businesses are already established. Even if you open one in a city, your business will surely face its own set of challenges.
If you have a small marine business or are planning to start one, it can be hard to finalise your product and service line. Aside from budget constraints, you also have to think about which products would help your business grow and benefit your target market as well.
To help you, here are 5 must-have products for small marine businesses.
1. Waterproof solar deck lights
First, try to observe the boats and vessels that you see in your location. What boat accessories do they have and do you think they must always have? If you notice that a lot of boats operate at night, maybe, a waterproof solar deck light is something important that they can benefit from.
If your marine business is near an area where a lot of fisherman and yacht owners dock their yachts, offering a waterproof solar deck light can be great. Not only will boat and yacht owners benefit from this, but as well as small stores and other residential properties as well.
Waterproof solar deck lights are helpful, especially at night. Also, it is very efficient because it is solar-powered. People won’t need to charge it or connect it to a power source just so it can work at night. During daylight, it can charge on its own and work its magic at night.
2. Life vests for rentals and sale
Here’s a question. If you’re a tourist who is about to visit a boating area, would you spend money purchasing your life vest? Or would you go for a rental instead? We can expect that 60% of tourists would prefer rentals than buying one that they’d have to pack with them.
Tourists want convenience and comfort. Yes, buying one for yourself is better if you regularly go on boat and yacht travels. But, if you only go once or every 2 years, it’s better to go for rentals. Likely, a lot of tourists would prefer rentals as well. Mainly, for convenience.
With that, offering a life vest for rental and sale in your marine business is a must. If you encounter clients who want rentals or want to purchase life vests, you have something to offer. Another target audience you can go for is fishermen. Of course, most boats have life vests on board. Yet, during sails, fishermen don’t use them at all.
You can market your life vests to be thin and light, yet, it does its work to protect you in case of an accident. You can promote safety by encouraging people to always have life vests. Promote it as one of the top must-have boat accessories.
3. Marine anchor rope dock
A fisherman only has a couple of items with them on board. It pretty much only consists of their fishing equipment, anchor, and rope. Ropes are not only useful but necessary in every boat and yacht. Aside from docking and anchoring purposes, it is also helpful in case an accident happens.
If tourists often come to your area for sightseeing, anchor ropes are something that they’ll likely look for. You can also offer anchor chains as well. Some boat owners prefer using both ropes and chains at the same time. They say that it sinks smoothly and places the anchor stably as needed.
If your marine business is near a jetty, having an anchor rope is a must-have. Keep in mind, ropes are necessary and helpful for all boat and yacht owners. It’s good to offer something that people need.
4. Fishing rod and other basic fishing equipment
Aside from sightseeing, people love to go to the waters to go fishing. A lot of people find comfort in anticipating whether there’s something to catch or not. If your marine business is near a known good fishing spot, then offering fishing equipment is a must for you.
As I’ve mentioned earlier, people go after convenience. When they travel, they likely wouldn’t consider bringing a fishing rod, especially if they have other areas to visit after. With that, offering fishing equipment rentals could be a smart business move.
You can also offer a bundle along with your other products available for rental. If a lot of families travel in your area, you can also offer fishing rods for kids. That way, people have the option to avail themselves of your family-friendly rental bundles.
If other marine businesses in your area don’t have one yet, fishing equipment rentals can be your edge. Surely, a lot of families and travellers would go and rely on your business for their travel needs.
5. Paddles and fenders
Last but not least, paddles and fenders. If the area of your business has kayaking and other boat activities, paddles and fenders are a must. Just like with the previous products, I suggest offering these last ones for rentals and sale as well.
Paddles are useful. If you sell them at a good deal, boat owners could purchase from your shop in bundles. Boat fenders are a must for every boat as well. Not only are boat fenders for bumper purposes, but also protection.
Fenders help boats avoid collisions and reduce minimal impacts. From time to time, yacht and boat owners need to replace their fenders. If your business were to offer one, it would be a great source of sales and benefit your customers at the same time.
Start with the basic yet necessary items that every boat and tourist needs when aboard.
There you have it. These are the 5 must-have products for small marine businesses. If you’re still confused, here’s a tip. Start with the basic yet necessary items that every boat and tourist needs when aboard. What boat accessories and fishing equipment should every boat need?
What do tourists usually look for when they visit your area? Research, study, and observe your answers to these questions. Your answers to these are the products that your business should offer to provide convenience and cater to your target market.
Written by: Bianca Banda
Photo by: Lachlan Ross from Pexels
