I wanted to send PS an update regarding the Dutchman Boom Brake recall that PS announced in the May 2012 issue. First of all, Dutchman Sail Hardware (www.mvbinfo.com) is standing behind its product 100 percent and going beyond normal warranty.
My brake was four years old, but I called, and was told to UPS them my old boom brake. About two weeks later, the brake was back on board with a first-class repair. Good job, Dutchman!
Tim Junod
Champagne, Hunter 456
Newport Beach, Calif.
We have carried (and abused) a Norcross Hawkeye handheld depth sounder (PS, November 2010) in the dinghy bag for years-it is great for scoping out the deep water in the back bays, instead of keel testing. Recently, we had a AA battery leak, corroding the Hawkeye battery carrier to the point of no return. A simple email from us resulted in a no problem/no charge response from Patrick in Norcross customer service. The new carrier arrived shortly, and the box included a dispenser of Norcross microfiber clothes. Nice. Thanks, Norcross (www.norcrossmarine.com)!
Kim Brown
Trust Me, C&C 35-3
Ft. Myers, Fla.
I purchased PortVisors from Seaworthy Goods (www.seaworthygoods.com) for all of my portholes and installed them per their directions. Just a few weeks later, I was disappointed to find two had come off and fallen overboard while the boat sat idle in its slip.
I wrote Seaworthy Goods and asked whether they could offer any insight into why the PortVisors came off, and they replied: This is a normal installation, from which we would not expect bonding failure. The fact that the failure occurred while the boat was idle indicates there is a problem with the initial bond of the tape to the cabin surface. Seaworthy offered tips to avoid poor bonding, and offered to replace the lost PortVisors or to refund their cost. I requested and received the replacement PortVisors, and have had no trouble whatsoever with them.
Mike Martinson
Perspective, Nordic 44
San Francisco Bay, Calif.
I have a Fynspray galley handpump that required new seals, so I contacted the maker, White Star Products in New Zealand (www.whitestarproducts.co.nz), who sent out a seal kit. Unfortunately, it was the wrong part. White Star then put me in contact with Peter Nolet, product manager at Imtra Corp. (www.imtra.com), and with just one phone call, Peter sent out the required part at no expense to me. Thank you very much Imtra for your excellent service!
Ian Marshall
Via email
Milwaukee Tools (www.milwaukeetool.com) did a super job on a warranty repair. I sent off a power screwdriver and a VHF handset for repair at the same time, and I mistakenly mixed up the mailing addresses, so Milwaukee Tools got the handset and the electronics company got the screwdriver. When contacted, Milwaukee sent the handset two-day delivery, at their cost! Their repair of the screwdriver, once they got it, was less than 48 hours. You can’t beat that service.
Rick Kain
Via email
