Westaway Sails poor customer service

oldmanofthehills said:
Clearly you dont work in engineering. No major project has ever finished on time though many have pretended to.
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Do you seriously think that a major engineering project is in any way comparable to making a set of sails (or supplying a secondhand sail or making a sail cover)?

I am in need of new sails right now.

After my own experience with Westaway sails some years back, and the more recent stories here, I will most emphatically not be asking them for any quotes.
 
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bitbaltic said:
Had these sorts of problems with our local sailmaker over a canvas order long ago. When we wanted a new suite of sails we didn't consider him and went to Sanders. The latter have always been impeccable- in fact they deliver top quality not only on time but usually ahead of time.

You certainly do not have to put up with carp service from a sailmaker.
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Plus 1 for Sanders for sails had first rate service for 2 sails on our last boat and very friendly to deal with and discuss requirements plus many positive reports from others gave us confidence to trust him and his advice as a newbie customer for new sails.
 
ashtead said:
Plus 1 for Sanders for sails had first rate service for 2 sails on our last boat and very friendly to deal with and discuss requirements plus many positive reports from others gave us confidence to trust him and his advice as a newbie customer for new sails.
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+2

Sanders is a really high class operation, totally professional and reliable.


I had a horrifying experience with Westaway a few years ago. Sold me a used sail which did not exist, sent me something not even vaguely similar, wasted days waiting for it in Cuxhaven, then I had a lot of trouble getting my money back. Never again. There are plenty of excellent sailmakers in the UK.
 
Sneaky Pete said:
This story reminds me of a similar experience I had with Nicolson Hughes Sails. Promises promises but can’t deliver on them. Clearly business is so good that they can mess customers around all it gets is bad publicity for the service provider which is great name and same hopefully they can learn from their experiences. My experience of this was full refund and go elsewhere.
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We had a new sail from NH this year we ordered it with plenty of time and it was delivered on time at a very competitive price and with a lot of discussion on cloth and what we wanted but because it was not replacing an existing sail but trying to get as much area into a non overlapping area with a new track it fouled the shrouds .
After test sailing with us they trimmed the sail twice to get it right (including removing and refitting overnight each time) and is now a perfect fit and also offered to either build a new one or full refund .
We are very pleased with the service and attitude.
 
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Sneaky Pete said:
This story reminds me of a similar experience I had with Nicolson Hughes Sails. Promises promises but can’t deliver on them. Clearly business is so good that they can mess customers around all it gets is bad publicity for the service provider which is great name and same hopefully they can learn from their experiences. My experience of this was full refund and go elsewhere.
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I'm very surprised, because they supplied my new sail.
 
ashtead said:
Plus 1 for Sanders for sails had first rate service for 2 sails on our last boat and very friendly to deal with and discuss requirements plus many positive reports from others gave us confidence to trust him and his advice as a newbie customer for new sails.
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I have been using Sanders Sails since 1987 and have always found them competitive, professional and they deliver great sails on time if not early. I have no hesitation in recommending them as a very satisfied customer. They are an honest family business and they still make their sails in Lymington,
 
I received absolutely diabolical service from Westaway Sails. I was just about to go legal and they returned my money!! But this was only after MONTHS of calling and writing to them. My advice would be to stay WELL CLEAR OF THEM!!
 
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Which sail maker ?

Can you clarify, lanqv, please ? Were your comments for Sanders Sails, as in the previous post, or for Westway Sails, as in the (automatic) title of your post.
 
Re: Which sail maker ?

Ive also had a diabolical experience with Westaway sails earlier this year. I needed a Trisail for racing and spotted on the perfect size on their second hand pages, we agreed a price and I was told the sail needed a tack strop and new slides which was an extra charge. I paid straight away and expected the sail in a couple of weeks. After MONTHS of chasing, lots of excuses about delays on fitting new slides, the shittiest trisail arrived, it was white when I was told the sail was orange, it was old , dirty and had no tack strop. After more complaints they said it was a mix up , they picked up this sail and the original order arrived. The sail itself was fine but it was clear the tack strop and slides were original , not newly fitted so all talk of waiting for slides was an excuse to stall shipment and the tackstrop and excuse to add on more to the cost. Net Never again. I dont think it was a mix up I think they were trying to fob me off.
Compare that to Ulitmate Sails who have supplied me a main, 2 jibs and a A2. They are totally professional. met all timings commitments, are knowledgeable about the sail set up, came out twice sailing for the day to check out the sails and give me lots of tips on making them go fast. So no hesitation to recommend Ultimate. Ive also had a cruising chute from Crusader who were also very good. Ive not used Sanders but hear they are good. Net lots of good sailmakers out there, no need to use the shit one.
 
JALDI said:
I have been using Sanders Sails since 1987 and have always found them competitive, professional and they deliver great sails on time if not early. I have no hesitation in recommending them as a very satisfied customer. They are an honest family business and they still make their sails in Lymington,
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Yes + 4 on Sanders. Gave them a look after good reviews on here and recommendation from forum member Flaming. Bought a couple of headsails which are both brilliant. Going back for a main soon.

Back to Westaway.....why could they possibly need all the money up front? A 50% deposit is enough to show you're serious.

A very basic problem exists with this business model, they have absolutely no incentive to make the sails once they have been paid.
 
I ordered a new mainsail from Westaway a few years ago. The sail arrived late but not too late. The problems were with the sail not the ordering or payment process. It was too short in the hoist by about 2 feet, too long in the foot by several inches and the sail number was wrong. All this after their representative measured my rig! The sail was modified to fit but always looked odd. NEVER AGAIN!!
 
xyachtdave said:
Yes + 4 on Sanders. Gave them a look after good reviews on here and recommendation from forum member Flaming. Bought a couple of headsails which are both brilliant. Going back for a main soon.

Back to Westaway.....why could they possibly need all the money up front? A 50% deposit is enough to show you're serious.

A very basic problem exists with this business model, they have absolutely no incentive to make the sails once they have been paid.
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+1 for Sanders - super fully battened main and a very patient man dealing with a numpty going back from power to sail (that's me)
 
I thought it would be good to re-invigorate this thread. Having not seen this, nor the others regarding Westway, I ordered a second hand spinnaker from them on March 23rd, 2020. After I placed the order, someone pointed me to these, which prompted me follow up weekly. Consistent with what I've read, I got the same run around week after week until I finally cancelled the order. Thankfully, I got my money back (I understand that not everyone does).

The silver lining is that I was prompted to register with the forum to jump-start the thread. In doing so, I saw a spinnaker for sale that was exactly what I needed and more than likely of better construction having come from Incidence Sails and made for a 6.5 Proto...and it was less expensive and received in 4 days.

I caution anyone before doing business with Westway. If you do, expect a lot of frustration at a minimum.
 
Hi every one,

I believe that a good way to prevent new bad things from Westaway Sails is to give them a note on Google, and on Yell.
 
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