Anchorlift Windlass Problems

why i dont use ebay... like to be able to have someone to grab when something becomes a piece of junk.

Yep, I always enjoy (and instill) the thought of reaching out to touch somebody when a deal goes south. Up-bringin from da swamp.

While I can't help with your warranty issue, this should help with the rusting issue: Home - Spotless Stainless Removes Rust, Protects Stainless Steel

Apparently whatever took place with Anchorlift left a lot of surplus product floating around the U.S. Right now there are 135 listings on E-bay, mostly by surplus dealers.

Interesting that at the same address of Gulfstream is Nautilus Marine. Both show ownership by same person. Also that person is an inventor of things like windlasses apparently and Nautilus is a company of anchoring systems. So, it would appear that at some point they started selling their own product.

There are many companies in the US that sell Anchorlift products including large ones like West Marine. Their web site only lists distributors.

Frankly, I wouldn't drop the matter so easily. Try the Vancouver number and see what happens there. I'd point out that you had no way of knowing Gulfstream was no longer a distributor and that the matter of who you purchased it from really has no relevance to what has taken place. That is was a product they manufactured and it is within the five years. Did the original paperwork come with it? Any warranty information?

One other thing I'd point out. Apparently there is some widespread problem and you're not an exception. Given the surplus being sold on ebay doesn't surprise me. Maybe the US surplus was supposed to be returned or not exist. But the reason I say this is they put the disclaimer bigger and bolder than anything else in the warranty section on the front of their website. That is highly unusual as it's normally a fine print item and not normally a big concern. Tells me they know there is some substandard product floating around. Whole thing with Gulfstream sounds suspicious but Anchorlift is certainly not helping themselves regardless of what has taken place.

They have very poor legal standing in refusing to service you as the fact Gulfstream was no longer their dealer has no real relevance to the problem. Just perhaps the fact they are now bitter enemies. (That is assuming Gulfsteam didn't use parts they had and make these themselves.).

As to E-bay, one does have to be very careful about new items that should have warrantees as manufacturers will refuse simply because they want to control their channels of distribution. So it becomes important to determine who is selling. Are they a current retailer or selling surplus?

I've had great results on ebay purchasing collectibles. Simple to examine on delivery and then it's all done. As to new products and things like software I'm generally more skeptical. Long ago bought a cell phone for a friend there and it was fine.

Edit: Upon further investigation, apparently manufactured by Bada in China and sold under many names. Nautilus may be importing from same company under their name. Quick is another brand. Tangled web. Sounds like you're the victim of a bitter divorce unfortunately.

Sorry to see what did happen to you; thank you very much to sharing this as a warn.
We more often and, not only here, should advertise bad quality products and/or bad sellers behaviors; it might be, buyers wouldn't be considered only as numbers!

The flip side of this that some of us can only afford to buy these products from Ebay. The Anchorlift windlass is a dynamite product and it is affordable. The only way that the windlass pictured could have rusted like that is from applying On-Off or some other mild acid solution while cleaning the boat. I have never seen 316 Stainless develop circular rust spots from normal seawater.

You buy a product from Ebay for the price. If you need a 5 year warranty for a windlass then you have to pay for the warranty. Of course a suit from Norway is going to disparage an Ebay seller since they are cutting into his bottom line. At the very least this forum should be labeled "misleading complaints about a great product".

This coming from an Anchorlift dealer who sells these products on eBay!

But you have to consider the whole story here if you are going to take sides. Look at the photo and tell me if you have ever seen 316 stainless steel corrode like that from normal use. You cannot blame a manufacturer after careless mistreatment of the product. I am not a dealer. I buy and sell marine products.

Please forgive him for he knows nothing of what he sells, where it came from, nor knows when to speak.
It was a dead dawg till he brought it up again.

The fact that it has rusted like this must surely raise the idea in even the most biased of supporters that maybe the shiny stuff they see is not what it is claimed to be.

It seems clear Sea Eric purchased a cheap China copied knock off from E Bay. China has no rating system for stainless i.e. #304 /#316 etc. Stainless means "Stains Less" in China. As a professional I have procured & installed 5 Anchorlift products over the past 6 years all from Port Supply, the contractor segment of West Marine, every unit to date looks & performs today as they did 6 years ago. Unlike Sea Eric the systems we installed live outside & no cover. So far Anchorlift products have proven to be a lot of bang for your $ & rival the looks of Maxwell, pull just as strong & draw less amps for a lot less $.

Please forgive him for he knows nothing of what he sells, where it came from, nor knows when to speak.
It was a dead dawg till he brought it up again.
Again..

Eric, thanks for the reception to YachtForum. To answer your question RE; where do Anchorlifts come from? Oslo Norway, Norway uses the same metallurgy index as the U S for stainless & in Anchorlifts case the 300 series specifically 316. Of all the 300 series 316 possesses the lowest % of carbon & iron which is why it's so desirable in the marine environment. Mirror polishing any series of stainless closes the pores thus reducing the tendency to rust. A mirror polished part fabricated from true 316 stainless wouldn't show even 10% of the rust on your Anchorlift in 3 decades let alone 3 months! I don't know what you paid for your Dolphin series but currently the MSRP is $1,280 USD, the current Port Supply discount yields a net of appx. $860 USD not including any applicable state & local sales tax, no FRT. CHGS. West Marine / Port Supply operates 280 retail locations throughout the U S including Canada & Puerto Rico, these locations are supported by 2 major warehouse facilities in Calif. & Fla., they are the largest marine retailer in the world at this time consequently their purchasing power affords them to deal directly with the manufacturer, their not dealers buying from a distributer, they are the distributer! Based on these facts I'm fairly confident the last 5 Anchorlift products we've supplied came from Oslo Norway & not China or Taiwan, hope this helps.

Any updates on your pursuing of retribution?

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