Boat Used Part Search (BUPS) was developed as a boat/motor parts search engine. Someone searching for say, a replacement stainless steel prop, would go to the BUPS website, BoatUsedPartSearch.com, and enter the information to define the parameters of the search. You then just send the information on what you are searching for to [email protected]. The results of the search will be emailed to you listing the relevant item and where the item can be bought. Once an item, in this case, a stainless steel prop, appears in your search results you can review the list and make contact with the seller directly.
What makes BUPS different than any other free search service?
That’s a very good question. Why would you go to the BUPS search as opposed to say, Google? The answer is really rather simple. Boat Used Part Search sites are “cherry-picked”. Only if sites are US-based and have boat parts online and are either used, re-built, vintage or clearance priced will they appear. The end result is this niche search engine matches buyers and sellers of “below retail” boat parts in the U.S.
Sample search for “SFN Prop”.
Does BUPS do anything else to find parts quickly?
Actually, Doug McQuilken the founder and developer of BUPS says there are several more search-enhancing operations going on all the time. McQuilken says,
“As mentioned above, we cherry-pick used, etc. boat parts sites. Ebay is one such site. Our other fine-tuning operations include:
– BUPS only does the matching and is not involved in the transaction.
– Only “recent” inventory is retained by BUPS, older inventory is dropped.
– Searches are saved.
– Thousands of pages are checked every day, Usually, about 10,000 items are added to the online marketplace daily.
– Alerts are sent directly via email. This is important because you would want to be among the first to know should a hard-to-find part become available.
– Sites are continually being added but only those which meet the criteria above are “picked-up.”
McQuilken also said there are sample search results available on their website, BoatUsedPartSearch.com, to get an 
idea of what the results look like and the information listed.
Okay, what’s the catch? Nothing is “free”.
Actually, the BUPS highly defined search engine for used boat/engine parts is free to use. No catches.
McQuilken explained, “I sort of stumbled into this. I wanted to learn traditional (aka wooden) boat building skills as a retirement hobby. Once I got started with a project boat, I needed parts. The available methods were less than effective, so, I constructed my own solution. Once I put the time and effort into it, I chose to make it freely available rather than go to waste.”
Give it a try
McQuilken added, “Go to our website and try a search or two. The results you get will make you wonder why BUPS is free! Also, If you are concerned this is an elaborate scheme to collect emails for spamming, don’t let that deter you. It’s not. But be prepared – you may well get over 90,000 search matches.
