West Marine, Inc. operates as a specialty retailer of boating supplies, gear, apparel, footwear, and other water life-related products primarily in the United States. The company offers core boating products that comprise of maintenance, electronics, sailboat hardware, anchors/docking/moorings, engine systems, safety, electrical, plumbing, boats/outboards, ventilation, deck hardware/fasteners, navigation, trailering, seating/boat covers, and barbecues/appliances. It also provides apparel, footwear, and clothing accessories; and fishing, water sports, paddle sports, coolers, bikes, and cabin/galley merchandise. As of December 31, 2016, the company operated approximately 254 stores in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It serves retail and professional customers, such as businesses involved in boat sales, boat building, boat commissioning and repair, yacht chartering, marina operations, and other boating-related activities, as well as government and industrial customers through stores, e-commerce Websites, catalog, and call center operations. The company was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. As of September 14, 2017, West Marine, Inc. was taken private.