Force 4 Chandlers, Lymington.

A

alant

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Been trying to help a mate with a small tender, needed rowlocks.

Force 4 had nylon ones & usual I/2 inch glavanised ones (£14.95 each :eek:).
They also had about 5 different shapes/sizes of 'holders'.

However, none of the rowlocks &/or holders matched, so were completely useless!

What a way to run a business.:rolleyes:

PS
Found some the correct size in Keyhaven boatbuilders (3/8 galv) @ £7/pair.:)
 
Yes, I've had that experience, too! The nylon rowlocks are useless if you need to do any rowing and ther selection of brackets and rowlocks yielded no matches. I'm still using a canoe paddle to manouevre, but God help me if the outboard fails!

Part of the problem is that, having bought out all the competition, there is no incentive left to get it right.

Rob.
 
The customer is always right and you have perfectly legitimate complaints.

But, I think there is still plenty of competition out there to keep Force 4 on their toes and, for the most part, they seem to do a good job - certainly in my experience of them.

It must be a huge problem, when you stock more than 50,000 products or whatever it is they stock, to keep on top of everything. How they, or any of the big chandlers, handle technical enquiries about the more obscure of their products I'll never know!
 
One of the problems with bigger companies is that they will have a buying department. If the buyer has not had to row 3 people across a harbour in a force 6, he will have little idea of what is needed in terms a good rowing system, and will therefore default to the product when he can buy to give him maximum margin. The fact that it is of no use will not occur because he does not understand
This is why the boat builders had the correct product at half the price. It is called "experience" and is priceless
 
We bought an unused but 2nd hand Zodiac. The thwart was almost unusable, The rowlocks even more so and the ends broke off all the floor slats. When we went to see the agent at the Southampton boat show, we were told, in no uncertain terms, that this was entirely our fault, as we were using it for purposes that it was never intended for. As a dinghy.:eek::mad:
 
alant said:
Been trying to help a mate with a small tender, needed rowlocks.

Force 4 had nylon ones & usual I/2 inch glavanised ones (£14.95 each :eek:).
They also had about 5 different shapes/sizes of 'holders'.

However, none of the rowlocks &/or holders matched, so were completely useless!

What a way to run a business.:rolleyes:

PS
Found some the correct size in Keyhaven boatbuilders (3/8 galv) @ £7/pair.:)
Click to expand...

Worst Chandler on the southcoast. Have to be desperate to enter their hole.
 
When it comes to their mail order business, I agree they do a splendid job. But as that is probably the majority of their business and they have bought out all other chandlers around the Solent, calling into one of their premises can be a disappointing experience. Whatever your line of business in the retail trade it just isn't good enough to have non-matching parts on the shelf, which I have experienced more than once at the same store (Bursledon).

Unfortunately half of the sales space is taken up with electronics displays but day-to-day chandlery that you might need to stop the boat sinking on the next tide may or may not be available "...in that pile over there."

Rob.
 
Chandlery Barge

If you want an alternative to Force 4, you might try the Chandlery Barge at Bursledon, about 100 yards upstream from Force 4 at Bursledon. Its up that little lane by the railway bridge. They have a big and random stock of all sorts of new, used and end-of-line stuff.
 
Yacht Yogi said:
If you want an alternative to Force 4, you might try the Chandlery Barge at Bursledon, about 100 yards upstream from Force 4 at Bursledon. Its up that little lane by the railway bridge. They have a big and random stock of all sorts of new, used and end-of-line stuff.
Click to expand...

covered in s**t and priced as if it was gold dust.
 
Force 4 took £1000 of me the day I placed an order and then took 10 weeks to deliver it, despite constant nagging. It was more than ten years ago, but I'm still angry.
 
In my opinion, like most modern chandlers Force F4 Can be frustrating but are competitive on on price for like for like items.

It does not mean they have what you want in stock, they tend to stock to the latest stock lines. Or what is selling not what you might want, or is the best on market.

As I generally know what I want but do not know where to find it or what is available I try to visit Chandlers:
1) In the Winter,
2) On a week day,
3) Certainly not of an Easter weekend.
4) I tend to avoid early summer Weekends,
Then I find most are happy to look through catalogues and advise.

Why should they spend 20 mins serving me of a weekend, trying to save a few pounds and loosing another customer that is ready to spend hundreds?
 
Brilliant Service.

I have been buying from Force 4 in Lymington for the last three years.
The prices have been very good and the service first class.
Any problems have a word with Pip the manager.
Thank you force 4.

iowman
 
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