In announcing the new partnership, BoatU.S. Founder and Chairman Richard  Schwartz said, "This strategic alliance with West Marine will accelerate  BoatU.S. membership growth and will allow BoatU.S. to concentrate its  resources on what we do best - marine insurance, BoatU.S. Magazine,  government representation, consumer advocacy, towing, boat financing - and  working to make the waterways safer and cleaner for recreational boaters  throughout the United States."

 By early spring 2003, BoatU.S. members will benefit from this alliance as  they will be able to accrue more frequent buyer points, more conveniently,  at 320 West Marine and BoatU.S. stores from coast to coast, including all  258 West Marine as well as the 62 BoatU.S. retail locations and mail order  service. Specifically, BoatU.S. members will get an increase in future  rewards points on purchases, making it the most rewarding frequent buyer  program in the industry.

 West Marine CEO John Edmondson applauded the alliance with BoatU.S.  saying, "West Marine shares BoatU.S.' commitment to service and  representation for boaters. By partnering with BoatU.S. to generate more  members, we can contribute to the power of their work and that's a big  plus for the boating community." West Marine intends to continue operating  BoatU.S. Marine Centers under the BoatU.S. name. 

 BoatU.S. was launched in 1966 without retail marine centers. It contracted  with employee-owned Boat America Corporation in 1977 to open its first  retail marine center in order to deliver marine gear at discount prices to > its members who frequently had to pay full retail at small chandleries.  "The market for marine gear has changed markedly in the past two decades,"  noted Schwartz. "Discount marine outlets are now readily available and  West Marine, whose primary focus is the sale and merchandising of boating  supplies, has proven its ability to deliver quality merchandise at  competitive prices while sustaining an impressive growth rate of stores  around the country. The time is right for us to partner with West Marine  and to serve the boating public to the best of our respective abilities,"  he added. For more information go to http://www.BoatUS.com/news/releases.

 BoatU.S. Stores Acquired By West Marine

 AL: Mobile: 3654 Airport Blvd

 CA: Huntington Beach: 16390 Pacific Coast Highway

 Newport Beach: 377 East Coast Highway

 San Diego: 3717 Rosecrans St.

 Oakland: 1820 Embarcadero Ave. #12

 Sausalito: 120 Donahue St.

 CT: East Haven: 40 Frontage Rd.

 Norwalk: 5 Washington St.

 Old Saybrook: 1654 Boston Post Rd.

 DE: New Castle:132 Sunset Blvd. #20

 FL: Altamonte Springs: 1140 E. Altamonte Drive #1037

 Bradenton: 5627 14th St. W. Suite J

 Clearwater: 11477 US Highway 19 North

 Ft. Lauderdale: 505 W. Broward Rd.

 Ft. Myers: 12901 McGregor Blvd.

 Ft. Walton Beach: 4 S.E. Eglin Parkway

 Jacksonville: 8595 Beach Blvd. #342

 Naples: 3360 E. Tamiami Trail

 North Miami: 12195 Biscayne Blvd.

 Pensacola: 3810 Barrancas Ave. #3

 Pompano: 451 S. Federal Highway

 Port Charlotte: 4200 Tamiami Trail

 Sarasota: 4229 S. Tamiami Trail

 Stuart: 2595 S.E. Federal Way

 Tarpon Springs: 41286 US Highway 19 North

 West Palm Beach: 1900-B Okeechobee Blvd.

 GA: Doraville: 6245 Peachtree Industrial Blvd.

 Savannah: 11607 Abercorn St.

 IL: Arlington Heights: 63 West Rand Rd.

 Lombard: 567 E. Roosevelt Rd.

 MA: Danvers: 139 Endicott St.

 Fairhaven: 29 Berdon Way

 Waltham: 411 Waverly Oaks Rd., #106

 MD: Annapolis: 163A Jennifer Rd.

 Baltimore: 8821 Pulaski Highway

 Glen Burnie: 6651-20 Ritchie Highway

 Rockville: 5280 Randolph Rd.

 MI: Harrison Township: 38989 Jefferson Ave.

 Kentwood: 2990 28th St. SE

 Taylor: 10610 Telegraph Rd.

 Warren: 2212 E. 14 Mile Rd.

 MN: Bloomington: 8537 Lyndale Ave. South

 NH: Seabrook: 920 Layfayette Road #3

 NJ: Brick: 2770 Hooper Ave.

 Cherry Hill: 1618 North Kings Highway

 Holmdel: 2145 Route 35 North

 NY: Amherst: 1445 Niagara Falls Blvd.

 Cicero: 7909 1/2 Route 11

 Irondequoit: 1850 Ridge Rd. East

 West Babylon: 527 Montauk Highway

 OH: Cleveland: 1577 St. Clair Ave. East

 Port Clinton: 205 S.E. Catawba

 Toledo: 4441 Summit St. North

 RI: East Greenwich: 545 Main St.

 SC: Charleston: 2049 Savannah Hwy #90

 TX: Clear Lake: 18313 Egret Bay Blvd.

 Houston: 7280 Wynnwood

 VA: Alexandria: 880 South Pickett St.

 Deltaville: 34 Irma's Lane

 Virginia Beach: 3750-B Virginia Beach Blvd. #104

 WI: Appleton: 2700 West College Ave. #20