Davis Sextant Service

[Sandyh]

Greetings All!

For those of you who are up with the news, I've washed the red dust off Crew Rest, but they say there may be more on Sunday!?

My conundrum is this. I'm buying one of the sextants Val is selling on this forum. It's being shipped to LA for collection and I thought, since the Davis factory is just down the road, I'd get him to send it via the factory and they can do a service check on it before further shipping it for collection.

Great idea, but NO! They won't have anything to do with "international transactions"; payment shipping or whatever. I can deal with the agent here. Well, I already do this [Boat Books, the agent, are a fantastic seller of maritime books, charts and paraphernalia] and Boat Books tell me that they can't send one back to Davis for service! So, if you buy one outside the USA and can't fix it yourself [the agent can get parts], then you're stuffed!!

Contrast this with the aviation industry where I send equipment to US manufacturers for repair and they do a great job. Are these guys letting the side down or is there some other way? [I can do this with multiple shipping between mates in the USA and them paying with their credit cards prior to collection to bring it home, but WHY??]

So, any thoughts?

Cheers

[GordMay]

That sucks, but at least they do post their manuals on-line:

Mark 15 & 25 Sextants User's Guide
➥ http://www.davisnet.com/product_docu...0_IM_00025.pdf

Mark 3 Sextant Manual
➥ http://www.davisnet.com/product_docu...0_IM_00011.PDF

If you are outside the USA or Canada, please contact your local dealer or distributor first. Many of our overseas dealers and distributors have complete factory-authorized service centers, and are fully prepared to answer your inquiries. Please contact us only if you cannot get satisfaction from your dealer.
International Sales Department
Phone: (847) 358-5525
Fax: (847) 433-9971
e-mail: export@davis.com

Australian Dealers:

OBIAT PTY LTD
Unit 19/45-51 Huntley St., Alexandria
N.S.W. 2014 Australia
Telephone: 61-2-95503777
Fax: 61-2-95503722
E-Mail: obiat@primus.com.au
Website: Obiat Pty Ltd for Aemc Corp, Amprobe, Fluke, CIE, Meterman, Silvertronic, Htitalia, Appa and California Test Equipment

ZEDFLO AUSTRALIA
UNIT 1, 8 Baretta Rd, Wangara,
Western Australia 6065
Telephone: 61-8-94097566
Fax: 61-8-94097153
E-Mail: sales@zedflo.com.au
Website: Process Control Instrumentation Australia, Test & Calibration Equipment Perth, Western Australia, Clamp-On Ultrasonic Flow Meters, Australian Pressure & Temperature Switches WA - Zedflo Australia

[barnakiel]

If not broken just check it and use it. If broken and Davis does not want to repair then look for a different make next time.

What broken?
b.

[Sandyh]

Gord: Thanks for your research! You've gone deeper into the website than I did [which is why I called them] for a good result.

b.: nothing's broken, just thought if the sextant had to pass the factory on the way here, why not get it serviced into the bargain.

Cheers

[barnakiel]

Ah, yeah - it is very rude by any manufacturer (sextants are not something we dispose off after single use, nor something sold by zillions, are they) to refuse support. Use what you have and if you buy another in the future - get it from a more serious company.

b.

[SkiprJohn]

After refurbishing and tuning up a dozen Davis sextants, both 15s and 25s I've only found one thing that is a bit irritating and that is the size of the replacement mirrors might just be a little bit large. It is easily fixed with a scalpel or razor blade since the part it fits in is made of plastic. Not much goes wrong with them unless distorted by extreme heat or dropped and broken.
They are a good value even though you've come up with some factory nonsupport. Parts are easily purchased for them.
regards,
John

[blubaju]

DAVIS - once and a lifetime never again!!

may be ok if you are US and STAY in the US.

I am in the Philippines right now, at cleaning some nuts & springs where lost, no problem I thought.

Not only they charge a hell and send it at a fortune with a courier instead of just dropping them in an envelope, no they cancelled the order telling me, they would not accept foreign credit cards (my one are from Europe). But they do not accept Paypal or Google Checkout either.
my order# 2026-1758-1547, I added several other items just to justify the cost of transportation


My Davis Mark 25 is for trash, I bought a German "real" sextant made of metal, not as cheap, but they will sell spare parts.

[Sandyh]

Sadly, it's time to call it quits!

I rang the two Oz dealers on Gord's post [above] and neither of them deal in sextants. My Boat Books reference is therefore valid, but no service centre available.

It seems that I could get parts but that's it. Maybe shipping to Hawii for SkiprJohn's tender care would work if I had a problem, but it's all too hard!

In another life, I was going to look at using Davis products for weather information on what could have been a good contract. Forget it.

Thanks to all of you for your replies. This forum is just great for the spectrum of advice available.

Cheers