I love your story about trying to buy line @ Walmart - that's a classic!

As for saving money, here are some ideas.

Motorboat market is much larger than the sailboat market. So, anything that's on your sailboat that may also be on a motorboat is usually cheaper at a motorboat place, or at a place that sells stuff to motorboaters, many of whom are fishermen. Example - trailer parts & hitches, outdoor apparel, etc.

Some examples : Walmart sells trailer balls, hitches (for some common models, & trailer wiring).

Academy Outdoor - local TX outdoor & sports type store - no sailboat stuff, but has a motorboat & fishing section. I bought a stainless steel needle nose pliers in the fishing dept for $7.99. I can't even buy a pair of regular steel pliers @ Sears for that - and the stainlesss pliers in West Marine are $18.00 or more.

Home Depot - obviously, for some Stainless hardware, but how about this - I bought a swaging tool @ Home Depot for less than $20. It's not stainless, but that's no problem for me. In sailboat catalog it's almost $75 for the same thing.

JC Whitney - auto parts catalog - has trailer tires in wide range of sizes, pre-mounted or tires only, in several load ranges.

Happy hunting, and don't forget to support your dealer!!!!11