West Marine Announces Webcast and Conference Call Regarding Second Quarter 2005 Results

Business Wire, July 7, 2005

WATSONVILLE, Calif. -- West Marine, Inc. (Nasdaq:WMAR) will hold a conference call and webcast on Thursday, July 28, 2005 at 8:30 AM Pacific Time to discuss the second quarter 2005 results. West Marine's Earnings Release will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under cover of a Form 8-K.

The live call will be webcast and available in real time on the Internet at www.westmarine.com in the "Investor Relations" section. The earnings release will also be posted on the Internet at www.westmarine.com in the "Press Release" section on the Investor Relations page. Please allow extra time prior to the call to visit the site and download the streaming media software required to listen to the Internet broadcast.

Interested parties can also connect to the conference call by dialing 800-230-1085 in the U.S. and 612-332-0630 for international calls. The call leader is Eric Nelson, Chief Financial Officer.

An audio replay of the call will be available July 28, 2005 at 12:00 PM Pacific Time through August 4, 2005 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time. The replay number is 800-475-6701 in the U.S. and 320-365-3844 for international calls. The access code is 788862.

West Marine is the country's favorite retailer of boating supplies and accessories, with nearly 400 West Marine stores and BoatU.S. Marine Centers in 38 states, Puerto Rico and Canada. Our catalog and Internet channels offer customers approximately 50,000 products -- far more than any competitor -- and the convenience of exchanging catalog and Internet purchases at our retail stores. For more information on West Marine's products and store locations, or to start shopping, visit westmarine.com or call 1-800-BOATING (1-800-262-8464).

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements that relate to West Marine's future plans, expectations, objectives, performance, and similar projections, as well as facts and assumptions underlying these statements or projections. Actual results may differ materially from the results expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements due to various risks, uncertainties or other factors. Risks and uncertainties include the Company's ability to increase sales at its existing stores and expand through the opening of new stores, competitive pricing pressures, inventory management and shrink issues, the market share erosion faced by the Company's Direct Sales division as West Marine and its competitors open new stores, the level of consumer spending on recreational water sports, boating supplies and fluctuations in fuel prices. The Company's operations could be adversely affected if unseasonably cold weather, prolonged winter conditions, natural disasters, such as hurricanes, or extraordinary amounts of rainfall occur during the peak boating season in the second and third quarters, and other risk factors described from time to time in West Marine's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including West Marine's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the period ended April 2, 2005. West Marine assumes no responsibility to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.