Great customer service- Walker Bay

[Sailabel]

I've been cruising for the past year in Mexico with a Walker Bay Genesis hypalon inflatable as our dinghy. Not surprisingly, the dinghy was getting hard use.... used several times daily and with surf landings. I've been quite pleased with the performance and characteristics of the dinghy.

A couple of months ago, one of the rear tubes started to seperate from the transom. Nothing critical at the time, and with some glue, I could probably fix it. But the boat was still under warranty and it shouldn't have this problem. When I was returning to the US, I contacted my boat dealer- Alki Beach Boats in Seattle, and described the problem. They asked for the hull number and a couple of digital pictures of the problem. Nope... no repairs and not going to send glue to me. The dealer stated that they wanted me to get a new boat. Right. Within a few hours, I was contacted by Walker Bay to arrange for the delivery of a complete NEW BOAT!! No runaround, no hassle, no shipping charges. I was able to get the old boat to another dealer in San Diego, and a new boat was waiting for me.

It's great to know that there are manufacturers and dealers willing to really stand behind their product and to go out of their way to exceed a customer's expectations. Oh, and the glue separation... evidentially there were a few boats (only a few) that had a defect in the gluing at the transom.

And the usual disclosure statement.... I have no connection with Walker Bay or the dealers, except for being an extremely satisfied customer.

[GordMay]

Interesting dichotomy:
I'm pleased to hear you had a better experience than Steve Pope.

WALKERBAY WARRANTY, YEAH RIGHT!!
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...bes-16453.html

[Ancastle]

We have not been nearly so lucky. We have had two instances of a crack appearing in the hull of our Walker Bay. First time WB provided a new hull and shipped to dealer in LA area, Sunset Inflatables. That whole process took a lot of time but we got back a usable dinghy. Then just a couple of years later the same thing. That was in February of this year. WE STILL DO NOT HAVE OUR DINGHY BACK.
The guy at Sunset suggested in an email that we purchase one of the new dinghies "It is a fiberglass hull so it won't have any of the same issues as the plastic hull ".

Great acknowledgement that their previous product was defective.
Still no dingy and no offer to pay us so we could get a new dinghy.
Worst customer service I have ever experienced.

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Interesting dichotomy:
I'm pleased to hear you had a better experience than Steve Pope.

WALKERBAY WARRANTY, YEAH RIGHT!!
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...bes-16453.html

Gordo--Perhaps Walker Bay learned something from the blow back on that and other posts and mended their ways? We, for one, crossed off the Walker Bay Genesis as an alternative while looking for a replacement dinghy after reading that and other posts on the company, on this forum and others.

Ya think?

[goat]

I guess things have changed at Walker Bay since the last post eight years ago.

Sent from my SM-T710 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Ancastle.

Perhaps Walker Bay did learn something from the blow back ...

[roberttigar]

not my experience. 3 months ago I emailed them to ask what material the blow-up floor was made of...because I had a seam leak (in a 3 year old unit).
6 emails later, they have asked and I answered every silly question. They inform me that my unit isnt under warranty.

However they still havent told me weather the floopr is PVC or hypalon.

I never asked about warranty coverage because I know it isnt, and even if it was they wouldnt fulfill it.
2 more questions to get them to tell me it was pvc.

WB...great styling...good price...poor quality....awful customer service.

Life is too short to deal with that kind of a company...Bob