DaySailer.org Forum

Does anyone know if D&R Marine is still in business? I placed an order online with them recently and have been trying to contact them via phone calls and emails for almost a week now with no answer or response. Just curious...

Jim

I placed an order with them last week and it showed up yesterday, a day earlier than scheduled.

Customer service was excellent all the way through. I called with a question, the phone picked up midway through the first ring, and the person I spoke to--who obviously knew exactly what she was talking about--figured it out in less than two minutes.

Shortly after I placed the order, I received an email acknowledgement, and on the same day I received an email notice with a tracking number.

The merchandise, a Windex and two cam cleats with matching fairleads, was well packed and arrived in good condition.

Can confirm that phone rings and reports "memory full" with no message today. Very unlike my experience with D&R. But if Alan reports getting an order filled last week, that may just mean nobody was available to take the call.

I have had the best luck calling D&R in the morning since they are on the east coast. I've had most my orders processed and shipped in a timely manner. Exceptions to this are items I've ordered that have been out of stock, those have been delayed, but they don't charge my account until the items are ready to ship. Sometimes they have notified me that something is on back order and ship what they have. Since, from what I understand, D&R is run by only Rudy and his wife, they sometimes need to take a few days off. I have managed to order during these short periods a time or two and things took a little longer. Just my experience. I still like to do business with them very much.

John

Hey John...

Continued phone calls and emails to D&R Marine remain unanswered. I understand taking some time off when it's a small shop...but if that's the case you have to at least change your intro message to let your customers know you're going to be closed. Hoping everything is ok with Rudy and his wife....

Some of the items I'm ordering can be found elsewhere so I guess I'll go that route for now.

Jim H

Rudy had some health issues a couple of years ago. I sure hope that they have not returned ...

FYI...I finally heard from Rudy this morning. Turns out they'd taken a few extra days off after the Columbus Day holiday and hadn't changed their phone recording. Glad to know it wasn't a medical issue. Enjoyed a great conversation with him regarding various upgrades and questions I'd come up with as a new 76' Daysailer owner. He definitely knows his stuff and is processing my order today...

OK, glad all is well.

I am fortunate to live within an easy, 30 minute drive of D&R and Rudy is usually open for walk-in customers on Saturday mornings. As others have said D&R is a true "Mom & Pop" outfit, just Rudy and his Wife. Phone calls are the best way to contact him (if you don't live close like me), ordering on-line with a follow-up phone call will usually help. Remember though, every minute Rudy spends on the phone, is a minute that he isn't filling orders <GRIN!>. I've only ordered from him twice (as I say, normally I visit In person), but both orders came quick. One tip, if you have a DS II or DS III and need to replace your CB up cable (or both on the 1971-74 DS II), definitely call to follow up on the order, because the on-line item for the CB cable is actually BOTH cables, and for the late 1974 and later boats you only need one. Good news, the on-line price is the 2 cables, so if you (like I did) only need the one for the up line, the price is 1/2 what the web site lists. The cable is extra long, since Rudy doesn't have the exact measurement an apparently it does vary slightly from boat to boat he says, however I have given him the measurement off my boat as a reference. The cable that he sent me last year was long enough that I was able to make a second one using my original CB tang as a spare.
Rudy is what he is, and can be hard to reach at times (not good for business!) but overall, he is a GREAT guy to have available and stocks most if not all O'DAY Day Sailer specific parts. His store/stockroom is like a "candy store" to walk through!