They've arrived! Every year, their appearance marks the beginning of the season. The fittings catalogues remain a kind of bible for all boaters. Some draw from them the equipment they need, others dream in front of those they will never have.
There are 3 major fittings networks in France: Accastillage Diffusion, Big Ship and Uship. In addition to these networks, there is a player that also offers a very complete catalogue. This is the German SVB which, although it does not have a physical store and sells via the Internet, has a large stock which enables it to offer fast deliveries.
Sitting on the desk, we were able to compare these four catalogues.
| Diffusion fittings | Big Ship | SVB | Uship | |
| Number of pages | 440 | 384 | 544 | 410 |
| Number of references | 12.000 | 6000 | 16.000 | 10000 |
| Broadcast | 160.000 + 50.000 | 100.000 | ? | 170.000 + 30.000 |
| Number of stores | 120 | 41 | 1 | 123 |
The figures in this table are those provided by the power plants. We have no way of verifying them.
The biggest catalogue
With 544 pages and 16,000 references, the SVB offers the widest range of products. However, with 100 extra pages, this catalogue is no thicker than the catalogue of Accastillage Diffusion, which uses paper of the highest weight.
The largest catalogue
This is difficult to say, because Diffusion Fittings and Uship, which are almost the same size (3 mm larger for Uship), are narrower than SVB, which is 1 cm shorter. There is no doubt that Big Ship is the smallest.
The most widely distributed catalogue.
We have not obtained this information from the SVB. Of the other three, Accastillage Diffusion has the largest circulation, with 160,000 copies in French and 50,000 in Spanish. Note the presence of Uship in Italy, which has a circulation of 15,000 copies in Italian.
What's new for 2017
Uship decided to put what they called the Ushipeurs on the cover. Rather than targeting a sailboat or a motorboat, the Mediterranean or the Atlantic, they have chosen to focus on the yachtsman. Four different covers, but one and the same catalogue! Free for everyone to recognize themselves in the young woman, the bearded sailor, the young child or the dinghy sportsman. The organisation of the catalogue has been overhauled by highlighting the pleasure of sailing with sections such as comfort or clothing to end with maintenance (always less glamorous). The products are presented with advice and some comparative tables. Large red cupboards try to highlight some flagship products.
This year Big Shi p celebrates its 30th anniversary and puts it on the cover. For the first time, this powerhouse is abandoning its black cover for a red cover with gold writing. No boat or sailor in a catchy visual, but the sea. This catalogue, which is smaller than the competitors, stands out with a very simplified and fairly clear layout. Tabs give access to the different sections and the table of contents (in French and English) is well accessible at the end.
At Diffusion fittings ...we're playing the card of being open to the entire boating community. The catchphrase "Sailing your way" to bring all boaters together. The tips on the pages are kept to a minimum and are accessible on the website via a Flash Code.
SVB is probably the most effective. No frills, but lots of text to present the products. You find products here that you don't see anywhere else.
All these catalogues are free of charge. Available in stores or on the internet. Enough to furnish your bedside table for the coming nautical season!
