The old saw that boats are nothing more than "holes in the water into which you throw money" has a certain amount of truth to it, but most sailors will nonetheless admit that spending money (mariners call them "boat bucks") on boats is somehow less painful than, say, spending it on orthodontics or auto repair. But all sailors like a bargain, which is why they're so pleased that Wayne Hamilton decided to open up a chandlery back in 1977.

When a back injury caused him to stop lobster fishing, Hamilton decided to start selling fishing supplies out of his garage in Searsport. Thirty years later he's still providing nets, buoys, and life jackets for fishermen. He's also selling global-positioning systems, two-part epoxy paints, and every other gadget the cruising yachtie might want to spend his or her hard-earned money on. In recent years Hamilton Marine (800-639-2715) has expanded well beyond its headquarters at the top of Penobscot Bay, opening stores in Rockland, Southwest Harbor, and Portland. Frugal Maine skippers who pore over every sale catalog that mail-order giant West Marine sends their way swear that in the end, Hamilton's can beat pretty much any deal.

Which just might leave boaters with a little money left over for the less essential items in life - like food, for instance.