Hi long time lurker first time post.
noticed a post on Whitworths and it sparked me into putting an experience I just went through.
Not that my financial standing should mean anything either way it still is not a good experience if you are spendIng your own money.
I am an old age pensioner on fixed income, only said as this amount of money was a major investment .
I was lucky enough to buy a cheap yacht and headed off to the nearest Whitworths, and as we all do spent a considerable amount of money.
In particular I invested in a drum of 8mm tested chain and thought my kedge anchor wouldn't need that expense so bought 10m of the cheaper 8mm which I was told the only difference was it wasn't tested.
Bought a storm anchor and a kedge anchor etc etc.
roll on 5 months the 10m of non tested chain on my kedge anchor has gone to rust, so far my main anchor chain is ok.
Finally the rust on my deck got to me so I rang the guys at Whitworths who said they would ring Head office and ring me back in a few days which they did.
now this is where it starts please remember this is a product that they sell nothing is personal to them . I am a customer with a complaint.
Starts out friendly , then it becomes my fault , how often have you used the chain?
how long has the chain been in the water?
do you rinse the chain after every use.
i explained the chain is my kedge anchor set up , it has been in the water has been used regularly and no I didn't rinse it after every use.
i tried to explain I had bought the chain as advertised as anchor chain which wasn't easy as there wasn't much chance to now put my argument forth . Being a kedge anchor it is a light set up on rope and chain to be used regularly and fast , not as a mooring or permanent as being accused.
I ended up making the decision to end the conversation as I was continuously being made out to be the guilty party and said I would leave it up to Whitworths moral compass and politely said goodbye.
I thought this was all crazy to be fired at and accused over a 10m piece of chain that had gone rusty over 5 months . As most long term live aboard sailors we love and trust our anchor gear even choosing to regalvanise our old chains which have been used regularly for years, as chain is an expensive investment.
So i then made a huge mistake and rang head office and talked to the manager .
not going to deep into it but I had to ask him please not to be combative and that I was just a customer reporting a product I wasn't happy with .
thankfully it is only a small 10m section I would rather walk away from than the stress it has put me under.
Money is extremely tight specially now .
i to have experienced aloof treatment from Whitworths staff while shopping .
i do wonder if they realise the customer is what keeps the doors open .
i didn't want to use online shopping and I now see the error of my ways , the little guy at the marina has always treated me well and though he may be a bit more expensive in some items he remembers his customers.
i believe I should be able to expect more than 5 months use for chain advertised as anchor chain other wise I wouldn't have bought it.
My chain was definitely sold as anchor chain , I believe all galvanised chain in drums in Whitworths has that description
Quality aside the experience of how how you are dealt with in a business I believe is the building blocks of a good business.
how I react to a situation is my responsibility I refused to engage in the drama , rather lose financially , another experience of getting old in this world .

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MAGNESIUM said..
Hi long time lurker first time post.
noticed a post on Whitworths and it sparked me into putting an experience I just went through.
Not that my financial standing should mean anything either way it still is not a good experience if you are spendIng your own money.
I am an old age pensioner on fixed income, only said as this amount of money was a major investment .
I was lucky enough to buy a cheap yacht and headed off to the nearest Whitworths, and as we all do spent a considerable amount of money.
In particular I invested in a drum of 8mm tested chain and thought my kedge anchor wouldn't need that expense so bought 10m of the cheaper 8mm which I was told the only difference was it wasn't tested.
Bought a storm anchor and a kedge anchor etc etc.
roll on 5 months the 10m of non tested chain on my kedge anchor has gone to rust, so far my main anchor chain is ok.
Finally the rust on my deck got to me so I rang the guys at Whitworths who said they would ring Head office and ring me back in a few days which they did.
now this is where it starts please remember this is a product that they sell nothing is personal to them . I am a customer with a complaint.
Starts out friendly , then it becomes my fault , how often have you used the chain?
how long has the chain been in the water?
do you rinse the chain after every use.
i explained the chain is my kedge anchor set up , it has been in the water has been used regularly and no I didn't rinse it after every use.
i tried to explain I had bought the chain as advertised as anchor chain which wasn't easy as there wasn't much chance to now put my argument forth . Being a kedge anchor it is a light set up on rope and chain to be used regularly and fast , not as a mooring or permanent as being accused.
I ended up making the decision to end the conversation as I was continuously being made out to be the guilty party and said I would leave it up to Whitworths moral compass and politely said goodbye.
I thought this was all crazy to be fired at and accused over a 10m piece of chain that had gone rusty over 5 months . As most long term live aboard sailors we love and trust our anchor gear even choosing to regalvanise our old chains which have been used regularly for years, as chain is an expensive investment.
So i then made a huge mistake and rang head office and talked to the manager .
not going to deep into it but I had to ask him please not to be combative and that I was just a customer reporting a product I wasn't happy with .
thankfully it is only a small 10m section I would rather walk away from than the stress it has put me under.
Money is extremely tight specially now .
i to have experienced aloof treatment from Whitworths staff while shopping .
i do wonder if they realise the customer is what keeps the doors open .
i didn't want to use online shopping and I now see the error of my ways , the little guy at the marina has always treated me well and though he may be a bit more expensive in some items he remembers his customers.
i believe I should be able to expect more than 5 months use for chain advertised as anchor chain other wise I wouldn't have bought it.
My chain was definitely sold as anchor chain , I believe all galvanised chain in drums in Whitworths has that description
Quality aside the experience of how how you are dealt with in a business I believe is the building blocks of a good business.
how I react to a situation is my responsibility I refused to engage in the drama , rather lose financially , another experience of getting old in this world .

That's an absolute disgrace.

No way would consumer affairs support Whitworths. 5 months is totally ridiculous even if it was constantly underwater for that period. Or not rinsed every day.

At the very least you should leave them a 1 Star review and say that they refuse to stand behind anchor chain that you bought there and went to a pile of rust in 5 months. To do this just Google the store you went too and then click "reviews". This is what it looks like when I went to Whitworths Mona Vale on Google in my phone. You just have to click on the blue oval button entitled "reviews" and then leave one. There are quite a few blue oval buttons so you might have to scroll to the right a bit to find the reviews one.

Whitworths have sold quality chain in the past but are always keen to either squeeze the supplier for a better price and buy in bulk or dump the supplier in favour of a cheaper product which they will then sell for the same price. There is chain available everywhere now which is made in China. The local chain manufacturers will or have to fold.

I would suggest your chain would have been stored in its black or bare steel form outside the factory or transported and began to corrode before then being galvanised. The galvanising won't adhere to the oxidised chain for very long.

It is Whitworths who chose the reputability of the supplier after dumping their reputable Australian manufacturer PWB. PWB did take responsibility for any bad batch found, I know.
The WW GM won't take responsibility because its too hard to return goods to China so its easier to blame the customer. Even though the customer was never given any care instructions at the point of sale.

There would be brocken bits of gal on your deck and in the chain locker to prove it hadn't been manufactured then immediately gal dipped. Take photos and present the chain back to Whitworths and state "This product is not fit for purpose" it has corroded well before its expected lifespan and I would like my purchase refunded.

Brilliant post thank you.

I used to work for them.
Since you haven't got satisfaction find out who the supplier is, as every product has a supplier code and I am sure a staff member will give it to you.

You could send a half metre off to an independent Australian chain supplier for their opinion and a re-galvinising place too, i am sure they will give you a free report on yet another dodgey chain import.

Then armed with their reports, you can dump it on the counter and demand it be sent back to their supplier for a proper warranty assesment. You should then be offered your purchase price minus the metre cut off if they refuse to send it back.

It is what I would do.

I returned a 3 month old 45kg fake plow anchor and got my money back on the spot as I proved it was not fit for purpose. It dragged almost every anchorage around Tassie. I was told later by management when I worked there, that it was my return that led them to seek better anchors and signed up Manson.

Best Regards

Never had much drama with Witworths, though some stores are better than others with their customer service. Regardless, I had a similar bad experience of late.at their main Brookvale store. I.E., the customer is always WRONG! Not sure if it is them or just the typical attitude these days?

A reasonably new bilge pump float switch failed. I had to quickly install another using the same bolt holes, so reluctantly brought the same one again. Their cheaper brand.

At the counter I asked the younger sales assistant if anyone else had problems with the same product. NOT hassling for a refund as it was probably over 12 mths old and I hadn't kept the docket. More minimising the chances of the boat sinking. Kid didn't even know what it was!

So to satisfy my concerns, I asked a senior employee the same question. "Has anyone else had a problem with these switches?" The "coversation" went like this,

Him- So where did you have it
Me - in the bilge! (Go figure ??)

Him - diesel can effect them
Me - I have a petrol outboard motor with the tank in the cockpit

........,,,, blah blah, more reasons it was my potentially fault.

Talk about wasting my time banging my head on a brick wall? I got the hint, said something appropriate about boats sinking and killing expensive batteries, though not too abusive with no swearing, and left.

Strangely, the RTM catalogue had a similar product by the same brand, but when I went online they had discontinued stocking the item????

In passing, the galvinisation on chain these days is utter crap. I have bought Witworths expensive rated short link. Not even a year and it was seriously rusting. Admittedly I was constantly anchoring often on sand. These days I buy a few more millimetres in diameter so I have some margin for corrosion before I have to dispose of the garbage.

I can only back up the poor quality of chain stories. Even in Europe almost impossible to get good chain. We needed a new chain 2 years ago. After some research and talking to chandleries and friends we went stainless. 3 times the price. Not my money but had to convince the owner. Looking at the price now we did well. Top quality from Germany. Looked after it should last. Definitely 3 times longer than something that only lasts a year or two. Or leaves galvanising or stains all over your deck.

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tarquin1 said..
I can only back up the poor quality of chain stories. Even in Europe almost impossible to get good chain. We needed a new chain 2 years ago. After some research and talking to chandleries and friends we went stainless. 3 times the price. Not my money but had to convince the owner. Looking at the price now we did well. Top quality from Germany. Looked after it should last. Definitely 3 times longer than something that only lasts a year or two. Or leaves galvanising or stains all over your deck.

It would be nice to have stainless, I have been told it doesn't pile up and block the spurling pipe like gal chain does. The stainless is slippery and wants to self level in the locker.

I have stainless chain and multiplatt nylon. Both sit perfectly in the chain locker and it's downright pretty! I worry that someone might steal it!

I've bought cheap chain of ebay and rusted out after 2 years, though it's my own fault for buying cheap chain, so replaced it with whitsworth chain, more then double the price I paid on ebay and it still only lasted 2 years. So you don't always get what you paid for. I avoid whitsworth if I can

I recently bought new omc g43 chain from Ozzie marine its to early to say how it will last
Apparently it's standard on maritimos these days
It was alot cheaper than whitys and much stronger up to 50% being g43 rather than standard L grade

This is my brand new chain on my kedge anchor from Whitworths, it look like this after 6 months.
it is rubbish and they put the blame on the customer.

Thanks guys, it is now time to replace my anchor chain and was considering WW's but will now probably go to Sydney Lifting and get g43,

I got my chain from RTM in Hervey Bay - but I'm sure all stores would have the same brand. 5 years on and it still looks good. I can't remember what it is (but I think it's L grade) nor the price but it was somewhere between being expensive but not expensive enough that it gave me palpitations