Anchorlift Windlass Problems

A very good place to allow this thread a proper burial

I would think the fact he offered to replace reflects positively on him and potentially on the brand. However, there's so much bad product floating around, I don't know how he overcomes that. The brand may have been irreparably harmed regardless of his efforts. I recall looking at businesses over the years and finding out the value of the brand itself was now less than zero, that a new brand would start out in a better situation. I feel bad if either, he failed to manage the brand and control the product or he purchased something with all these issues.

Perhaps his product is still doing fine in his normal channels of distribution. The one way he has of some protection is a registration process by which the legitimacy of the product is determined. However, I note that older product didn't even have parts numbers on the product.

There seems to be no reduction of the product on ebay with some being open that they purchased as surplus. Others, I don't know about.

Now, I've been kind to this point toward the owner of the brand. However, he deserves criticism too. As a business owner, it is your responsibility to control your brand. It is your responsibility to manage any surplus sales and to manage your distributors. Ultimately, it's your responsibility to clean up the mess. It's your responsibility to go to ebay if counterfeit is being sold or to insist non dealers and surplus buyers are so indicated so as to make it clear there is no warranty.

It's somewhat unfair to say this thread hasn't been helpful to his business. No, the way his company and brand have been managed is the problem, not the reporting of that. I read the statement "I'm fairly confident" as to where product is coming from. There is nothing on the anchorlift website saying where product comes from and I feel like if it was all coming from Norway that would be clearly indicated. What it appears to me we have at this point is a product that has been manufactured and assembled in many places and has been sold to anyone who would resell it. You sell surplus that isn't your normal quality and you clearly indicate that on the product. I've sold a lot of irregulars in my life, all clearly indicated. Otherwise you stand behind it. This thread started in November 2013. I see no evidence that anything has changed since then.

Each person will have to decide how to react to all this. My reaction would be that I'd be scared to purchase Anchorlift products. I am not going to be the one as a customer to attempt to sort through the incompetence in managing their business shown by a company.

I also wouldn't buy any branded product off ebay from anyone not an authorized dealer.

I see no reason this thread should be buried. The issue is still very much alive. These products are still being sold on ebay. To my knowledge there is no listing anywhere showing who the authorized dealers are. This was obviously not a small amount of units sneaking through the a high number of units still available on ebay three years later.

It looks like YF Member Brents got shown the delete button before too many keyboard strokes were wasted.

Or turned into the other dealer whose reply still shows. Somehow they'll never learn that doesn't help their case or their business. Carl called out one as an ebay seller.

You would think businesses would learn the negative impact of shills and learn to monitor for their name and then make respectful and honest responses fully disclosing who they are.

I think he was recent as it showed up in my notification e mails and your post No 24 was in it .

I noticed an e-bay ad over the weekend;
"ALL OF MY ANCHORLIFT ITEMS WERE PURCHASED DIRECTLY FROM ANCHORLIFT AS A SURPLUS BUY OUT
THEY MAY OR MAY NOT WARRANTY THESE ITEMS BUT I HAVE HEARD FROM MY CUSTOMERS THAT IF YOU ARE PERSISTENT THEY WORK WITH YOU.
I offer a 45day warranty on all anchorlift parts purchased from me."


Another e-bay ad for the same stuff made no mention of support or warranties. Just who would pay for return shipping.

The small units look just like the old Lofranse Progress 1.

When I read this thread it occurs to me that only one incident of a rusty windlass has been reported by the actual owner of that rusty windlass. I find this odd, it seems to me there should be more reports from different owners. Now, on to the issue that prompted this posting. Does the rusty stainless problem exist over all AnchorLift product lines? The reason I'm asking is because I am considering the purchase of a used (new in box) "Anchorlift". Does anyone know if all model lines are affected or just some, and in that case which ones are affected?

Windlass warning!!
If you are in the market for a windlass, beware of purchasing a windlass from Anchorlift or Anchor & Docking. This unit is a Mako.
See pics/video. This is what I call poor manufacturing & a poor quality product.
Shaft was tested & isn't true so bearing slips up & down on shaft, top is cast unlevel which allows chain to slip and bend pin with every use, capstan top does not seal which allows salt water into unit. Also capstan metal is so cheap that after 3 pick ups of anchor, it was bent.
Warranty isn't worth paper it was written on. Company claims installation error even though certified marine surveyor says the install by a 20 plus year marine mechanic with good reviews was a good install.
Company refuses to honor warranty after saying in email they would if unit was removed from boat & sent back to them. Then they don't even return all parts of windlass.
Don't be taken advantage of!!!