I used to visit the old West Marine when it was in Oakland and I was dreaming of having a sailboat. Fast forward 10+ years we have a boat! I was at first disappointed that it had moved but was really feeling proud and upscale when we went to the new location. Not only is it clean, well stocked and organized but the staff are still the friendliest and most helpful people around. In particular, this review is for John who has been incredibly kind and helpful. He not only assisted us in the store but came around to the new boat to teach us how to hoist the sail and man the jib :) read more

Terrible customer service with the saleswomen behind the check out counter. Asked for help with a rain jacket and have never been so dismissed and treated so rudely. BTW they don't sell "rain gear"....semantics. Never going back. read more

This review is for Greg in the rig shop. I asked him to replace the lifelines on my Catalina 310. First of all, I'm very happy with the work done. When I dropped off my old lifelines Greg called with some questions he had about the measurements before he even started the work. He asked questions to make sure he would get the job right the first time. So I made the measurements on my boat (Because I screwed up and damaged the old lifelines and didnt mark them properly) And gave Greg all of the hardware I didnt want replaced and he turned around and Cut me new bare wire lifelines within three days for a reasonable price. It turned out that all of the gates I received were uniformly about 3" short. No problem, I took them in and Greg fixed the problem at no extra charge. I'm very happy with the service I've received at this rig shop. read more

Great new store location. Knowledgeable friendly staff helped me with a do it yourself job that only cost me a few dollars but I was treated the same as customers spending thousands. Thank-you read more

Very helpful and knowledgeable crew, put together my anchor line and even helped with some battery wiring.

West Marine used to be in very convenient locations in western Alameda and a few blocks from Oakland Marina right next to freeway 880. Now they closed both stores and moved to the far side of east end of Alameda Island about as far from any boats as you could get. So I spend about 20 extra minutes to get there and back. The new location makes ZERO sense, but if you need to feel like your are doing your boat equipment shopping in some trendy upscale mall, this is the place for you. The new location has no more space for essential articles like hardware and maintenance supplies, than did the old small Oakland location. What extra space they have is for tons of clothing and flashy electronics. The sales staff are OK, they know where stuff is, and that's all I ask. But each time I've spoken to one of them about something, they were not very happy and friendly like the guys in Oakland always were. Maybe they dislike the commute to work. read more

I purchased a Taylor boat cover less than a year ago from the San Carlos store. The cover ripped even though I have never towed the boat with the cover on - only in driveway. I have always purchased at West Marine based on the customer service, and standing behind the quality of the merchandise. For these reasons I have been willing to pay the premium. I was notified by the store manager that the return policy had changed, and I had to contact Taylor on my own. Their policy has just removed the last incentive I had to visit their store. read more

Went in today and they had everything i needed including a special self contained extinguisher unit I didn't think they would have. Not only did they have it, it was on clearance and I saved $$$. Special shout out to Chris in the rigging department. He took my order and was going to call me to pick it up the next day. Before he could call, I remembered that I had purchased a ton of extra line last year and no longer needed the line. I called to stop the order but he had already knocked it out. I felt so bad about it but he assured me it was OK and was very cool about it. My trip today has made my entire week and upcoming COI a much easier task. Thank you Alameda WEST MARINE!!!! read more

I was looking forward to buying an infant life preserver. Rather than buying online I thought it would be a fun experience and go to the store and outfit my little one with his first life jacket. Exceptionally unattended service. I think I was maybe one of two other customers in the store. Walking in with a stroller to Cashiers walk right by without an offer of assistance and Nora smile. When I asked where I could find the product I was simply pointed in the general direction. No other offers of help or advice. Sorry to say, but online is proving to be a much better experience all around! read more

I ordered 2 of the Go Anywhere Hi-back Seats almost 4 years ago. Both of them began to have issues this year with the hinges. I looked back at the warranty, and was pleasantly surprised they were still covered.(3 years on the material, and 6 years on the frame.) I spoke with Michael, who could not have been more pleasant and helpful!!! He immediately offered a refund or replacement. The return label was in our email that day, and the replacement chairs were at our door 6 days later! It's nice to do business with a company that stands behind their products, and has friendly customer service too!! read more

Not a bad store - it is an okay store, and based on my first quick visit, it has a reasonable selection of stuff. But what annoys me is that they closed two pretty good stores (Oakland and Alameda) to open this one just okay store. I used to go to the Oakland and Alameda stores, because they had things the (more convenient) Pt. Richmond store didn't stock. I am much less likely to do that now - I'll have things sent to the West Marine in Pt. Richmond, or go to Whale Point or Svendsen's, or order online. And this store (like the Richmond store) has some annoying stocking habits. Like why stock only three-fingered Ronstan gloves, and not the fingerless Ronstan gloves? West is like the Safeway or Lucky of marine supplies - ubiquitous but tending toward mediocre. read more

I bought an ICOM M-36 in 2016 at west Marine on Webster. Nearly 3 years later of heavy use, the speaker died. The 3 year manufacturers warranty expiration was a week away. I brought in my receipt and used the $179 credit towards newer and better (M-73) model! I was very happy that I was not out of luck. It was so nice to do this at the store without hassle. They have a good selection of marine radios at the south shore location. The manager Neil is very friendly and professional. Thanks again! read more

So, I've now had two experiences with this rigging shop, and I have to report that both were pretty bad. It was disappointing because of their great reputation. And I know they support good programs like the non-profit sailing center for kids out a Treasure Island. So, perhaps/hopefully my experience was the exception to the rule. Still, I want to report what happened: The first experience was when they installed a lifting bridle on my Lido 14 out at Treasure Island. They were very fast and easy to deal with. And they even installed it on a rainy day. But they installed it wrong. Although I did not know it at the time, the bridle is supposed to attach to the chain plate and then run through the fair lead in the gunnel, the same lead that the shroud runs through, and then meet up in the center of the boat with the other line coming from the other side of the dinghy. This way the force from the lifting bridle pulls on the chain plate in the exact same direction as the shroud pulls. If you do a Google image search you can see that this is the way it's done. However, West Marine didn't lead the bridle line up from the chain plate through the shroud fair lead. Instead they led the bridle lines directly up to the center of the boat. As a result the force on the chain plates was such that they were pulled in a direction that the plates were not designed for. Not surprisingly, the chain plate ripped loose when I lifted the boat using the bridle on a hoist. I called West Marine, and they insisted that the bridle was installed correctly. But they did offer to install a new bridle. Of course, I had to reinstall the chain plate first, in fact I felt I had to replace both chain plates given the circumstance. In trying to figure out what happened I called down south where Lido 14s are still regularly sailed and raced, and spoke to a fleet guru down there, who confirmed that the bridle should have been installed using the shroud fair leads and that's why the chain plate failed. In fact, he guessed what happened before I finished telling him my story. I hired an independent rigger to re-set my chain plates and he installed a bridle for free, so I never got to take West Marine up on their offer to put in a new bridle. Recently I spoke to the rigging shop about all this when I was in the West Marine Alameda story looking for a new block for the mainsheet on my keel boat. The guy in the shop was extremely polite, but insisted that he had been installing bridles on Lidos that way for several years now and had no problems, and repeated his (now moot) offer to install the bridle again. Given what I had heard from the Lido fleet down south, this did not inspire confidence. And that leads to my next experience, because the main sheet block I ended up buying, on the recommendation of the same rigging shop, was the wrong block. And, of course, now I'm feeling foolish. I had brought in my current block (fiddle bock with cam/becket in which the bearings had failed) looking for a replacement that I had seen in the Harken catalog. They didn't have the same size block but steered me to a smaller model they did have in stock, not just a little bit small but significantly smaller. I told them the size of my keel boat, and they assured me it would do just fine. However, when I got home and looked in the Harken catalog (which I should have done in the store) I saw that the block was explicitly designated for dinghies not small keel boats. So, I called around looking for the bigger size, which I eventually had to order direct from Harken since I needed it right away. And now I have to schlep over to Alameda from San Francisco to return the wrong block. All, in all two bad experiences with this rigging shop. I truly hope all of this is just the exception to the rule, but there it is. read more

Great store. Good selection, VERY knowledgeable staff. Excellent website, too.

i always walk in intending to buy one item, and walk out with all kinds of other interesting things I need. Good selection, lots of parking, friendly service. . . all the things the San Francisco store is not. I love this place. read more

This store has the greatest customer service! We had six people staying on our boat and our water pump went out minutes before their store closed. We called to make sure the part was in stock and rushed over. Due to traffic we didn't make it before they closed, but they still let us in and had our part waiting for us at the check stand! This made our weekend so much better! read more

Michael is awesome! He helped me select the right dinghy for rowing around the lagoon. Then, he went the extra mile and dropped it off at our house. Superbly helpful and nice! Thanks!!! read more

I've had multiple great experiences at alameda west marine. The staff is extremely knowledgable and eager to help you with any of your boating needs and questions. The manager Neil and staff member Jose do an excellent job keeping the fishing department stocked with everything you need for local fishing and provide excellent friendly service. Thanks! read more

they are rude no one helped us even though we were in there twice as long as anyone else the entire staff was white and did not speak to anyone outside that color read more

The Whole Paycheck of the marine world... This store changes one's perception of a history of little to no service. Everybody at this store bends over backwards to help and if they don't know the answer they find someone who does. The only reason I don't give it a 5 is because they make me pay for the things I take out of the store. (oh and I do hate the fact that they answer the phone while you're talking to them) read more

A manager there today handled a pricing discrepancy very well - he resolved it in my favor, on the basis that the posted prices for the items on the shelf weren't very clear as to what item was being discounted and what wasn't. I was even willing to accept that I misunderstood what was posted, and pay the higher price, but he erred in favor of me the customer, and gave me the better price, because that's what I thought I was paying. Overall, it left me with the feeling that I was treated fairly and decently. read more

Very poor customer service. They've always been higher than online pricing but I use them because I could walk in and get it most of the time and the fact that they used to match pricing online with Amazon but now they don't. If I had read all the reviews first I would have never gone in there read more

This place is a pirate's playground! Diverse selection and helpful staff. Clean, well organized, and well stocked.

Hate the new location and the downsized rigging space. Used to be one of the best West Marine Stores, no just so so and again, terrible location. read more

Ryan in the rigging shop has done truly excellent work on my two dinghies. One is an International 14 and the other is a 505. The rigging on each of these is very complex and requires in-depth knowledge and some creativity. Ryan has solved problems on both boats quickly and at a good price. It is very helpful to deal with a rigger who clearly sails a lot and has a wealth of personal experience with different rigging systems. read more

They have a poor selection compared to other West Marine stores I've been to in the past. The staff didn't ask if I needed any help the entire time I was there. read more

Friendliest WM staff around. Always helpful and smart about recommendations. I'll be spending a lot more $$ here since Svendsen's staff is so rude and egotistical. read more

Online is a joke! Rebuilding a boat on Kauai, 3 separate orders, 3 complete screw ups. Not notified of back ordered items until many days later... ALL 3 TIMES ???? Ordered 2 matching seats, got one, second was out of stock and still is a month later. HaHaHa! Joke!! read more

I mail-ordered a clearance foul weather jacket on an outside chance it would fit -thinking if it didn't, I could just return it to the local store. It was slightly too large. Unfortunately the local store closed last month so it was either pay $20 to ship it back or drive to this store in Alameda. The management was fantastic! They had me try an equivalent alternative that cost more than I paid & then adjusted the price to match. Said I could call it my Christmas present. read more

Their stock is so low you might as well order online. They have a good selection of line, but it's also somewhat overpriced compared to what I could find online. So, if you can't walk out with what you need, why bother coming here? read more

I am new to boating and just moved my boat from Disco Bay to Alameda and I am so glad this store is only 3 minutes from my slip! This is a very nice store and well stocked. Dale was very helpful with what to use and who to call for what. I found some nice items that were on clearance and some items that I had been looking for and couldnt find anywhere. Nice to know such a great store is so close! Thanks Dale! read more

Absolutely horrible experience with customer service and staff. I contacted them about 10 times about my order I placed over 5 weeks ago which still has not shipped today, and when I placed the order it said my items should of arrived in 5 business days. Not once out of the 10 times I spoke with staff have they helped me get any information or update on the status of my order except for "it should ship around this day" which was supposed to be over 2 weeks ago. Additionally when I placed they do not update their website because a item I purchased had plenty availability in stock online, then 2 weeks after placing the order I reached out and they told me the items were on back order. Any way my experience has been extremely difficult and frustrating pulling teeth with these staff to get bare-bone information about my order, and with that being said I will never shop here ever again and recommend that you do the same unless you want to have a very hard time wasting your money and time. read more

My first time to the new location. Nice store and great service. I had very specific requests for an anchor. Chris was knowledgeable and helped me find all the pieces and checked to get correct sizing. Definitely will be back. read more

As a woman sailor, there are some places where I just can't seem to get assistance unless I practically tackle a salesperson. They always seem to be looking over my shoulder for ... who? Someone with a bigger boat? A bigger sale? I can't figure it out. But I have always felt confident at this particular West Marine store. Every person I've ever interacted with has been helpful and knowledgeable, and they seem to go out of their way to locate hard to find items (like that older model handheld radio - did they have any of the less expensive ones in a back closet? Yes!). The rigging guys make sure I don't buy the wrong size line and when I bought a new cleat for my boom vang someone replaced it for me right there. Great customer service.. read more

Although I was not a traditional customer, I would like to share my experience with West Marine. They had contacted me regarding a purchase that was placed on my credit card which I did not make. I greatly appreciate the fact that a business takes the extra time to confirm orders placed via their website to help eliminate fraudulent activities, which this clearly was. Thank you West Marine for conducting due diligence and for taking care of you customers and prospective customers. They also were able to provide a solution immediately to resolve the issue. I will shop with you forever! read more

Great store. Huge selection and I have always gotten excellent service. If you can't find it or don't know what you are looking for they will help. Don't be shy, just ask. It has always worked for me. I'm so glad this store is there. read more

I want my follow boaters to know about my very unpleasant recent experience with west marine, I needed my anchor rope worked on, I was in need of an eye at the end of my rope to be weaved, I called west marine santa cruz they told me that the Alameda location would be able to help me with that, I called them they told me the rigging shop could do that for me, I drive from san jose to alameda last Sunday an employee that sounded like he know what he was talking about took my anchor rope made a slip saying what I would like to have done. I was happy at that point, monday am I received a call from the rigging shop saying it's company policy not to work on used rope after I talked to both locations and drove 74 mile total. I think just maybe all the employee's should know the company's policies but I now think that just maybe asking far to much. It's no wonder there closing locations. There's no option less than one, so I had to give them one star. read more