Yacht Exchange Sails / Westaway Sails

[G12]

Google "Reviews" on the company, feature one by John Pollard, the boss. Can you believe, he gave himself five stars?

I'm sorry to say that I have genuinely had the worst experience with these guys recently.

In 2014 I gave them two mainsails to sell. They were both vertically rolled mainsails off the same boat. One was very new, the other was very worn out. I never expected them to sell really and sure enough they didn't. This January I asked for them both back as I'd decided to use both to make something.
When (after many phonecalls) I finally got to speak to John Pollard himself it transpired that they had "Lost" one of my sails but would return the other one. At this point I told them to find the other one and return both at the same time... Fast forward several months and still no sails after many many more phonecalls. Finally John agreed to give me £300 to settle the matter as it appeared that they didn't have either sail. After supplying the address for the cheque and waiting nearly three weeks for it to turn up I had to send him a very blunt email indeed. A cheque was dispatched forthwith which I paid into my account a couple of days later, only for it to bounce. The bank resubmitted it and I'm still waiting for confimation of it clearing.

I have never ever had a company lie to me in such a manner before and make no mistake these were not just small mistruths but blatant lies and continual stalling in the hope that I would give up chasing them.

Needless to say I wouldn't touch them with someone elses money now. Genuinely my worst customer experience by far, ever.

My personal opinion is that he probably sold them or used them for something else in the hope I wouldn't bother chasing them.

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Dreadful delays and false promises when I bought a new genoa from them 2 years ago, but the sail when it finally arrived it was very good, and better than the main I later bought from Crusader. I might use them again but would never pay in full until I receive goods and I would speak to the Office and avoid John Pollard

 

[Seajet]

Jesus !

And to think I was a regular customer - when in their heyday they were a good reliable loft, standard fit on Sadlers...

 

[Red Europa]

I'm not on a crusade ( really!) , but if you have had a bad experience with this company please call the trading standards number and/or citizens advice and log a complaint. How many others have been ripped off by this crowd that are not on this forum? Yacht Exchange Sails have been getting away with it for years ( as far as I can see) and I think the customer needs protecting from them.
Also, don't trust the lady in the office - I dealt with her, I think her name is Karen Pollard. I was eventually promised a refund by cheque and she made a big fuss about trust when I told her I would only return the sail ( not the one I had actually ordered) once the cheque had cleared and the money was in my account. Needless to say no cheque has ever arrived. Fortunately I had paid by credit card, so if the threat of legal action didn't work the credit card company were prepared to deal with it.

 

[nicappotamus 2]

I was looking at getting a s/h sail a couple of years ago and yatcht exchange/westway had a similar reputation back then too (from internet search) - reports seem to be consistently that they are either a bunch of amateurs, or perhaps worse

 

[Praxinoscope]

I’m surprised by the numerous accounts of poor service from Westaway, things must have changed dramatically in the last 5 years. I had a new Genoa made by them about 5 years ago, and found them both helpful and reliable.
The sail was ready in the time-scale they had promised and I certainly had no complaint about the quality.
But as I said this was 5 years ago so things may have changed.

 

[Seajet]

They were a very good loft, most of my sails are by them - inc rarely used ones.

I'm sad I wouldn't risk putting my money their way again, there's a local Womble I'll be going to when the time comes.

 

[JumbleDuck]

I’m surprised by the numerous accounts of poor service from Westaway, things must have changed dramatically in the last 5 years. I had a new Genoa made by them about 5 years ago, and found them both helpful and reliable.

Reports generally suggest that the new sail side of the business is fine; it's the used sail side which is at best shambolic.

 

[savageseadog]

I bought a used sail some years ago from Westaway via ebay. The sail was given to me complete with brand new bag not shown in the listing which alone worth more that I paid for the the sail. It was about 6-7 years ago though.

 

[G12]

I
Also, don't trust the lady in the office - I dealt with her, I think her name is Karen Pollard. .

Agreed, this woman lied to me directly over the phone on numerous occasions and never answered the phone unless my number was hidden. Proper snake in the grass.

 

[rszemeti]

I ordered a sail from them and it was promised for despatch on the Friday of the next week.

The amount they took from my account was not the quoted amount, they added on VAT. And shipping, that was supposed to be free.

The Friday came and went, and on Monday, nothing turned up. I contacted them for a trackignng number and got a load of waffle, and eventually they admitted it hadn't been sent. They agreed to send by the end of the week.

Monday next week, a sail arrived .. but nothing like the right size, and frankly older than the ark and quite worn out.

I phoned again, and they agreed the wrong sail was sent and they would find out where my sail had got to. More time passed and they said my sail had been located and after more phone calls over the next few days, they confirmed it was on it's way to me.

What I got was, again, not the sail I ordered, it was however a decent sail (a nice bi-radial Hood) ... just not quite the right size. It works well enough as a good upwind sail, and is a decent make in good condition, but the amount of alteration has left it long in the leech, so it sits close to the bow end of the genoa track and makes it difficult to use even slightly reefed. I'm not sure why they told me the "we found your sail and are getting it back" story. They did return my £10 shipping charge that I asked for.

In short, although I got a decent sail in the end, it was not the one I selected from thier list, but I do feel they did at least try to make sure I got something useable. I'm reasonably sure that the first sail sent was simply a sop to give me something while they worked out what to do. I suspect they are struggling financially in some way and fire-fighting on too many fronts to be able to cope.

I think there is some basic intention to actually do the right thing, but they are simply up against it and unable to cope. I am not unhappy enough to return the sail, and I used it for an 850 mile cruise with only a few problems, but I would not deal with them again unless I was collecting in person and handing over payment on the spot.

I'll keep this sail as a good Number 2 Genoa, and next season purchase the new Number 1 Genoa that I actually wanted, probably a Hyde.

 

[Balbas]

I had good service from them once - a long time ago. On the basis of that I recommended them to a friend. And I truly wish I hadn't. He tried to get a new sail from them and despite paying up front he was given the run around for months and months. I believe he got his money back eventually, but was massively irritated by the whole affair.

I now use Ullman sails in Plymouth and have had nothing but great service (and to be fair - good prices) from them, including an urgent job they turned around for me very quickly (note, I have absolutely no link to Ullman apart from being a satisfied customer).

 

[flyboy2508]

I ordered a cruising chute and sheets. Cruising chute they sent was incorrect and they admitted they had sent the wrong one. The sheets sent by TNT ended up in a German Ski resort. I had to send back the incorrect cruising chute which the promised to pay for the transport and refund sheets but they still have not paid after numerous emails and calls. I am getting the run around. How can anyone run a business like this. I am still chasing my refund and calling daily. I have their address and may have to visit in person. Terrible stressful experience to deal with this company and would not advise going near them.

 

[Dutch01527]

I bought a laminated mainsail from Yacht Exchange Sails. My experiences were very good. Sail was rated 8/10 but was in fact looks new or very nearly new. Good customer service and delivery. They had my boat model on file and checked the sizing for me.

Cost about 1/3 of having one made new. Very happy.

 

[phantomlady]

Bad experience here on a second hand main...wouldnt use them again

 

[oldmanofthehills]

I just bought a used trisail. Negotiated the price a bit, collected it in passing and paid by card on collection. Tiny wait while they worked which storeroom it was in but free sail slides. Jobs a good-un. Dont pay in full if goods wont be ready soon i.e. need making. They have cash flow issues, we boat owners have cash flow issues, but they make and stock good sails.

 

[dancrane]

Interesting. Perhaps they are best regarded exclusively as a sail retailer?

If I visited them and they had what I wanted, there for me to see and touch, at a price I was willing to pay, why wouldn't I?

But if I had to trust them remotely, to describe exactly what they have and then to send it to me, I would not, ever again.

 

[NealB]

Interesting. Perhaps they are best regarded exclusively as a sail retailer?

If I visited them and they had what I wanted, there for me to see and touch, at a price I was willing to pay, why wouldn't I?

But if I had to trust them remotely, to describe exactly what they have and then to send it to me, I would not, ever again.

My thoughts, too, having been once bitten.

 

[PurpleKate]

Ive also had a bad experience on second hand sails, never ever ever again and I've warned everyone I know. I'm surprised they have any business left at all as I would imagine these stories get told a lot,
Similar experience to others, ordered a trisail over the phone what looked and was described as a good quality sail, charged extra for the right sliders and a tack strop.
After 2 months of chasing up, and numerous excuses about the sliders being on back order, was finally sent a shitty old trisail that was nothing like the description (for a start they one I ordered was orange and this was white with an orange top..... so not rocket science to spot the difference) it had no tack strop and not the right sliders. Complained like crazy, got some bull shit excuse about a mix up then finally got sent an almost new , lovely Crusader trisail. My only complaint being the hanks and tack strop were clearly on there from the start and not recently fitted.
Net if he had charged the full amount (no bullshit about fitting things) and sent it immediately I would be one happy customer. Instead he has a very vocal women telling absolutely everyone she knows how shit they are.
If trading standards are setting up an investigation I'm happy to contribute... send me the contact or link.

 

[Bluebird29]

Hi everybody,

I saw this topic, of course, after having paid John Pollard, for a sail I never received. After being a bit aggressive on internet reviews, he finally sent me back the money much quicker than any police or justice procedure.
That said, I'm affraid that :
1- he won't change
2- outside of this topic, nobody knows.

So, in order to avoid other problems, I invite all those who had issues with Westaway Sails - Yaacht Exchange sails to let future buyers know about it,
by writing reviews, and voting for relevant reviews on the following websites :
- Google
- Yell // Westaway Sails & Covers, Ivybridge | Sail Makers - Yell