West Marine

I wanted to buy a cover, winch and strut for my bass boat today a Monday. They say their hours are starting at 10 am each morning. Actually they are closed on Mandays and Tuesdays so this was a total waste of gas and time.
How about an update on your site West?
RM

My boyfriend (now husband) used to own a sailboat, and West Marine is the default go-​to for most sailors in this area. We were used to hitting up the West Marine near where we docked our boat, so imagine our delight when we discovered that there was a West Marine near our old office.
We have since sold the boat (sad), but my husband’s brother in law recently boat a motorboat, and we wanted to get him something for it (plus it was his birthday).
This West Marine was just as helpful as I remembered. It’s almost always empty, which makes finding someone to help you pretty easy, and most standard items are almost always in stock.

Over the years I’ve enjoyed shopping at West Marine and have spent lots of money there. At the store in Rockville, the store personnel are generally quite friendly and helpful — but I’ve now found that this positive attitude ends once you buy something substantial. My wife purchased a Garmin GPS/​Depth Finder last Christmas season, and we had it installed after our boat was de-​winterized in the Spring. It did not work (no depth readings), and the question was whether the malfunction was due to (a) the transducer, or (b) the unit. In addition, the malfunction could have been in the electronics from West Marine or in the installation from an independent boat mechanic (whom we contracted with on our own). West Marine — again quite helpful — told us to buy both a transducer and a new Garmin, re-​install, and then return the previous units for a refund. When we did that they refused to refund our money (well over $ 600) but would only give us a «store credit,» pointing to a 30-​day return policy. Not only had we not been told that to begin with, when we were advised to buy the replacement items — and return the originals for a refund — it well after the 30-​day period had expired. There are numerous problems with this «policy,» not the least of which is that it is opportunistically employed and disingenuously invoked to avoid living up to what West Marine personnel tell their customers. I spent days and days this past year trying to get their merchandise to work — the Garmin Fish Finder still only delivers depth readings sporadically, going on and off — and did exactly what they told me to do to fix it. I am disgusted with this store and this company.

As many of you know I love the idea of having a boat. Notice that I said idea of not actually owning the difference being one has less headache than the other. Perhaps one day I will know the first hand joys of boat ownership. Until then I must just enjoy other people’s boats whether rented time on one or friends of friends who own. However that does not keep me from finding these places to get cool boating gear and clothing. The skies were getting ready to open up as wife and I left out of Loehmann’s in her ever quest for good deals. I figure well since we are here let me have some fun too. «Okay we’ll go in but it’s getting ready to really pour out here» wife reminds me since I decided to park the car so far away in the parking lot.
We were greeted immediately at the door by a lady who looks like she was born at sea, you know the real salty ship’s captain type. We briefly talked about the weather and then she was quick to point out the many sale items in clothing since we stated that we don’t own a boat yet. They do have a nice selection of merchandise not only for boating motor or sail. According to the lady they are the only boating place in the local area that is not near the water. «We get alot of people passing through on their way to the harbors and do a quick stop off here at West Marine for supplies» explained the lady.
They have all kinds of things here from inflatables with out board motors to fishing equipment, to equipment and supplies for all boats great and small. I pointed out a on boat grill to wife and she laughed «typical… that is definitely you» she said. While we were there they had some sort of class or instructional session with a group of people. Probably new boat owners learning some lessons. Anyway we couldn’t stick around long enough to find out just then the drizzle started «skies are getting ready to open up» exclaimed the lady. Wife and I made a mad dash to the car so far away just as the heavens poured down upon us. I’ll be back and maybe next time I’ll have my boat by then.