What makes marine parts different?
Products that are made specifically for the marine industry need to survive some challenging conditions. Generally, “marine” products are designed for use in ocean-going boats and ships, which means they’re expected to be exposed directly to saltwater or saltwater spray. Saltwater is highly corrosive to most metal components, which is why most marine-grade products are made of stainless steel (specifically, type 316 stainless), or plastic. There are some products made of aluminum or die-cast zinc, but those would be used inside the cabin where water or spray would be less likely.
Southco’s line of marine hardware is very well-suited for all kinds of marine applications, including interior hardware as well as a range of deck (exterior) products. For example, the M1 series push-to-close latch is available in two types of stainless steel and in black or white nylon material. In fact, many pontoon boats, personal watercraft and fishing boats use the plastic M1 latches in their compartment doors and rod lockers. Larger boats (yachts, cabin cruisers, houseboats or other types of passenger ships) use the MA, ME, MF, MG and MM series interior door latches as well. Whether you’re designing a fishing boat for the weekend warrior or an ocean-going cruiser for that high-end customer, Southco has the access solution for you!
Southco’s selection of marine hardware isn’t just for new boats! If you’re looking to upgrade the latches on your fishing boat, we probably have something that will work for you. If you’re outfitting a boat with new rod storage compartments or a battery box, we have the latches for that too! The possibilities are endless!
What manufacturers are these good for?
Most manufacturers of fishing boats, pontoons and personal watercraft already use Southco products. You’re likely to see a Southco M1 latch on the Sea-Doo Challenger boats and on the driver’s console of many pontoon boats. We’ve also noted the C7 flexible draw latch on many Sea-Doo personal watercraft on the access panels to the engine and storage compartments. Most pontoon boats, and cabin cruisers also incorporate many Southco latches and hinges in their designs.
See the Southco – Marine Brochure.
Are marine parts more expensive? Why?
Some “application-specific” latches do cost more. Access door latches that are made specifically for cabin doors (the MA, ME, MF, MG and MM series interior door latches, for example), are designed to meet requirements for size, operation, and performance. And because these types of latches typically aren’t used in large quantities, the cost to manufacture them tends to be higher. This is just a fact of manufacturing. But for the rest of Southco’s “marine” hardware… while some of the material requirements make some latches more costly (316 stainless steel, for example), this type of hardware isn’t generally more expensive because it’s more widely used across many industries, and therefore manufactured in larger quantities. For example the M1 series push-to-close latch is widely used in many other places besides the marine industry. The same goes for the R4 electronic latches, the C7 draw latches, and most of the hinges shown here.
