Whi

[JayD]

In the past couple of months we’ve all read a lot about which fishing ski is better or worse and at times things have gotten pretty malicious.
I, however, don’t claim to be an expert in this field and on the contrary, I’ve only been fishing on my ski since February this year. And I might add I have enjoyed every launch, fish caught and inevitable swim on the way in.
What most people forget to mention or even ask when discussing the purchase of a new ski is the level of professionalism and after sale service that each manufacturer offers and this is where I would like to share my experience with you all, to ensure no one else has their love of fishing spoiled by a similar experience.
I purchased a new ski from Fishing Ski Adventures, manufacturers of Big Tom etc, in Feb this year and as I said, I enjoyed many fun mornings landing various species. In April I noticed that the ski was taking on plenty of water, and returned the ski for repairs. There were no visible cracks or damage. 10 days later I received my ski back, and was told that the ‘seal’ around the rudder was leaking, and had to be re-done. Knowing nothing about boats, I accepted their advice and went on my merry way. The leaking continued 3 weeks later. To my detriment and not wanting cause a scene, I kept one eye on the problem and managed the ‘leak’ myself whilst continuing to fish.
2 weeks into July, I noticed 2 large cracks in the hull of the ski. After my first visit to the manufacturers and the continued problems, I decided to take the ski to a different manufacturer for advice and possibly to trade it in for a new ski, which they were only to happy to do. However they pointed out to me upwards of 5 different spots on the hull of my ‘new’ ski where there were inconsistencies or where there had been repairs done.
Obviously I immediately returned with my ‘new’ ski to Fishing Ski Adventures to ask how this could be. On inspection, the owner of the company agreed with the assessment and said he would get back to me the following day, as he had only purchased the company in March and had to speak to the previous owner. Low and behold, and I don’t know why I was surprised, Inever heard another thing from him.
To cut a now long story short, I continued to call him and was given numerous excuses, ranging from the absurd request that I should contact the previous owner to retracting his first statement and saying that the ski had never had any repairs!
Now we all accept that in all manufacturing fields you will get the odd dud and that it can on occasion slip through even the most meticulous of quality control. We also hope, as consumers, that the company and its owners and management will have the professionalism, foresight and honesty to admit their mistakes and put the consumers needs first if and when a situation like this arises.
So 6 weeks later and many weekends of sitting at home unable to fish, I capitulated and asked them to please just patch the cracks and today I placed my order for a new ski from what many regard as the market leader. Their professionalism and honesty has been a breath of fresh air and from the views of people who have been there and done that, their after sale service is equal, if not better, then the product that they sell you - a clear indication as to why Fishing Ski Adventures is not and will never be the market leader in our favorite of pastimes.
So for all of you out there who are considering starting this fantastic sport, or even those of you who have spent several early mornings waiting for a gap in the sets, remember to consider the support available after the transaction. This may be more important then the speed, stability, weight or price that some people punt so readily.

[Granite Goliath]

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