SLO Sail and Canvas Tramps

Adrew, I've never heard anything bad about SLO, but you've got Tampa Catamarans, one of my long-time advertiser/supporters right in your neighborhood. I don't know if they have done Mystere tramps either, but you are so close you could bring him your old one if needed.
http://www.tampa-catamarans.com

My Slo tramp is a year and a half old, it is great so far.

SLO is a great company that make good quality tramps using good materials and workmanship. IMO the best bang for the buck. Sunrise makes a great product if you can afford them.

A friend of mine had a tramp by slo that fit a little funny. He called Slo and they had a new one out the door the next day. He seems to stick by his products and was very quick to reply to my friend. Ill be buying my tramp from him since i know he stands behind his work and is very quick to reply to a concerned customer. Sounds like a great outfit to me.

Andrew, Jim here. My new yellow tramp is from SloSail. I love it. Got the teflon stitching upgrade. First tramp was a little wide, contacted them, had a new one in 3 days with a return shipping label for the first one. They also placed grommets at 3" inch center as per my request for no extra charge. I payed less than $300.

andrewscott wrote: Has anyone had a BAD experience with SLO Sail and Canvas? i am considering giving him a chance since he is about 1/2 the cost of my usual vendor. But he needs my tramp (as he hasn't done mystere's before) and i dont want to be without it and end up with a bad product.

he seems like a good guy to work with, but just curious if anyone has had a bad experience at all with him or his tramps.

Andrew here is mt e-mail address. What is your phone #? jgraves22tampabay.rr.com

Andrew. That is , jgraves2@tampabay.rr.com sorry

I bought a slo sail tramp for my H16 (sold) last season. Came it fit perfect. It looked great this year when I sold it too.

Great info, thanks guys.

I had heard only good things, just wanted to hear if there was any bad news too... so far none!

Jim... Phone number sent..
AND Congrats on your win at the Worlds. Did you see the video on catsailor someone posted? the conditions looked rough!

See ya at the beach

Andrew. Plan on sailing this weekend. Thanks for the congrats. The actual regatta was Hobie Midwinters East Coast Championships. Needed to correct the forum, you understand.

They gave me a second pocket for free.

i wont be out sat, pop's in town and he refuses to get his feet wet.. but i will sun and might tomorrow afternoon till sundown (if the front clears)

Sorry it took so long to respond. I find that the tramps from SLO are very well made, I would say they are at least 90% of the quality of Sunrise, but half the price. It is not the difficulty of making a tramp but the quality of materials and workmanship, and SLO rates very high in both areas.

andrewscott wrote: i wont be out sat, pop's in town and he refuses to get his feet wet.. but i will sun and might tomorrow afternoon till sundown (if the front clears)

cool, thanks everyone.

i am going to give them a try

Andrew, I had SLO build me a main for my N5.7 a year and a half ago. im no expert, but the sail seemed very well constructed and performed well also. I sold the boat within 6 mos of purchassing the sail. New owner hasnt reported any problems.
A close friend purchased a new main for his N5.8. 6 mos of use, had it restiched by Chip Buck over at Whirlwind 2 weeks ago. There were problems with much of the stitching.
I also had Chip @ Whirlwind build me a main for my N6.0 and WOW! The shape and workmanship of this sail is incredible. I think he does tramps also.Chip Buck [sailmakerchip@gmail.com]great guy, very easy to work with, send him a line, tell him Brett from phoenix refered you... Not that it will help.
I was going to have Karl build the sail for my N6.0. But I contacted him the week before last thanksgiving about downpayment etc., and he fell off the face of the planet. Finally gave up on trying to contact him around the first of the year. Thats when I contacted Chip. Good moove BTW.

was going to have Karl build the sail for my N6.0. But I contacted him the week before last thanksgiving about downpayment etc., and he fell off the face of the planet.

He has fallen off the face of the earth with me as well... i am still giving him a chance. i know he is swamped

PS i have talked with Chip about sails before and he was great to work with, in the end i bought a used jib but recommend him all the time.

I figured I would let everyone know, I recieved my new tramp and wings from tampa catamarans. Everything looks great, looks the same as past purchased tramps from other companies. The price was definitly what made me give them a try, I saved about $350.00.

I was going to have Karl build the sail for my N6.0. But I contacted him the week before last thanksgiving about downpayment etc., and he fell off the face of the planet.

Ok i can wait no longer.. here it is

DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH KARL from SLO CANVAS AND SAIL

after several emails with him, and surveying the people on this site... we came to an agreement of around $200 for a new Mystere 5.5 tramp (his quote, i never haggled at all). he said it would be about 100 off the regular price since he hadn't made one before and i would need to send him my tramp as a pattern (along with images and measurements)

I sent him my old tramp (actually my friends) in April with measurements.. he has NEVER done the work, he has been next to impossible to contact (his voice mail is never answered, usually to full to even leave a message, and he wont return emails.

I have gotten through a few times to him and he has appoligized, said he was busy and it would be done "this week"... never to hear back. the few times i have gotten through on the phone to his co-workers (or whomever) and i told them i need my tramp returned.. .NOTHING

i have now placed complaint with both the BBB and the California States attorney/CA Dept of Justice. I HOPE THEY ARREST HIM and my next move is to file with the post office for federal mail fraud.

Then my next move is to hire a lawyer and sue the jerk to recover my friends property. I have lawyer friends, but i want to hire the most expensive one i can find, on contingency so he has to pay 10000's for their fees.

I was polite and only pressed him to either do the work, or return my property.

edited by: andrewscott, Aug 04, 2010 - 02:28 PM

Noted.

Ayyyeee :-O :-O :-O .....
Andrew sorry to hear that. Sounds like really bad customer service. I had a really good experience with Slo sails, I wonder what happened?!?...Also recently had good experience with Tampa Bay catamarans.

Actually should probably plug Tampa Bay...got a new tramp for the H21...it is great they put quite a few more grommets on the center (less stress on each grommet)...so far so good...

I had a really good experience with Slo sails, I wonder what happened?!?

most people on this site said they did as well,.. thats why i gave him a try. i am just pissed i have to replace my friends tramp now along with a new one for me... thats about 1200 for 2 new tramps.... grrrrr

Wow bummer of a plug for SLO. We had heard nothing but good until this bad experience. It will stick in everyone's minds more than the good. Just goes to show how customer service is important for every job no matter how small. So many cat sailors view this here that it is sure a lot of potential customers lost for SLO.

That is why i haven't posted anything until now. Besides the one person above (azcat) who said Karl "fell off the earth" everyone said he had good service. By the time he wrote that post, i already couldn't get Karl to return an email or call me...

Trust me, i would rather have good news, and a tramp. I even told him i sail with a fleet of mysteres and this could lead to lots of business if it all turned out well....

I have exhausted all other options next to a lawsuit. and i have looked into that (and it will happen if he doesn't return the tramp, regardless of cost to me).

it will cost me $200 to file a claim to get back a used tramp that isn't worth much. and then i have to pay to have him served.

the only reason i would do that is, (besides to get the tramp back) that he could (not will) be found liable for my court costs and legal fees.. so i am hunting for a very very very good (and expensive) lawyer to take this silly little case on contingency.

Let us know if you hear anything....

andrewscott wrote:

the only reason i would do that is, (besides to get the tramp back) that he could (not will) be found liable for my court costs and legal fees.. so i am hunting for a very very very good (and expensive) lawyer to take this silly little case on contingency.

That's beyond ridiculous.

Headhunter wrote: [quote=andrewscott]

the only reason i would do that is, (besides to get the tramp back) that he could (not will) be found liable for my court costs and legal fees.. so i am hunting for a very very very good (and expensive) lawyer to take this silly little case on contingency.

That's beyond ridiculous.

what's ridiculous? suing the guy to get my property back and hoping he has to pay my legal and court fees?

i think it would be great if he was found guilty, and ordered to return my tramp, and then had a few 1000 in legal fees... just rewards for his "customer service"

The really unfortunate thing is that Andrew has to resort to a lawsuit. Here in Canada we are much less litigious than in the US. However, if this case is accurate,(we only have the facts from one side), then I think Andrew should sue, for the reurn of his property & costs.
If there are problems with the company, personal or otherwise, it would be very simple for SLO to simply return an email, And tell the guy that he can't do the work, & return his original tramp. Even if he went bankrupt, then started up again, I would try him. With this situation, there is no way I would take a risk.
Good luck Andrew, I'll send you a 6 pack to ease the pain, both financially & mentally of having to go through this.

Thanks E.C.
I don't drink beer, but i will let you buy me a rummie if your ever in our neck of the woods. 🙂

Posting here and on the other cat site was an attempt to get some movement. someone on the other site said he called Karl and told him to look at the thread. Hopefully he will contact me and return the damn thing

It was stated that he has contracts with Murry's and North Sails and that is why he is so busy. They also said he is moving to a bigger facility...

Again, i would have much preferred to get a tramp, post great results and send him business.

Very shocking Karl replaced my Nacra 5.5sl tramp fast when the first one did not fit he did the same for another Nacra 5.5sl owner I know here in Houston. He even threw in new tramp lace and paid the return shipping for me to send the old one back to him. Sorry to hear this happend to you Andrew.