Best fishing boating place ever !! Best customer service ask for David He Great made my experience smooth quick fun and easy read more

Set my previously purchased gallon of unopened paint on the counter and the sales person grabbed it and set it directly in front of her and rung me up for around $197. I told her I just brought it in to return it. She decided that was the time she needed to go take a bathroom break and called a man to come cover for her who yells at her saying he didn't have time for that because he had so much to do!! But here he comes in a huge huff and asks me for my receipt and then looks at the can and said "no, no way...we can't return this because it has some rust on top" THIS IS THE SAME GALLON OF PAINT I WAS JUST RUNG UP IN A SALE FOR BY THE OTHER PERSON! I didn't say anything but you just sold it to me a month ago and he now starts shouting at me that he is positive as soon as a can comes in with any rust on top they discard it immediately and would never sell me that can. Literally tried to sell it me a few seconds before.... I said he can see my receipt under my membership and all frantic attempting to take my member number 3 times and kept messing up the number but wont slow down or listen. He finds the transaction and says nope no can't do it because it is from way too long ago and looks to tell me 7/13/2025, which is last month. I said it is obviously unopened and spoke to a store manager before coming in and if he could get Brian. And he tells me he is the store manager and Brian only manages inventory. I asked for a copy of my receipt And he said no and that he needed to ask me to leave the store immediately! He took the gallon of paint and pulled it toward himself and I said he was unbelievably rude and before I could finish he was shouting again... telling me he is not rude!! This was all after having to watch the prior cashier badger and belittled a customer rolling her eyes, and making other noises a 5 year old would make when exhausted at a customer already spending $300.00 because he was not simply agreeing with what she was incoherently mumbling about a gold member and refused to answer his questions or explain what she even saying to him until all the joy left his face and he just said yes do it to get away from her, it was my turn next. read more

West Marine in Sausalito re-diid the store. Looks like 15% of the clothes are women's, nice upgrade! Not! You've definitely lost a customer. read more

What happened to this West Marine fishing section? Swung by this past weekend and it was empty! Corporate better not mess up the best tackle shop in Marin. It was so good! read more

Believe me when I tell you that nobody was more surprised than me by my sudden interest in learning to fish. That'll happen after a year of hiking around a lake. I went to West Marine hoping to purchase fishing supplies and to get help with how to rig my line. I could get both online of course, but it's so much nicer to talk to people and play a part in keeping local businesses afloat. West Marine was not the store I thought was headed to and I was surprised to see its scale and size. It's big, well-organized, and tidy with easy parking in a vast, largely empty lot. I'd read that the staff in the fishing section of the store was very helpful and that was probably my biggest incentive to head here. I was put off a bit by finding the fishing section unmanned and as I wandered into different sections of the store I found that this was the norm, not an aberration. I finally waived down someone asking "do you work here?" They seem a bit understaffed in general, with the guy in charge of the fishing section up front working the cash register. He was helpful and knowledgeable but I had to wait in his checkout line to ask my questions and quickly pick his brain. I wound up getting most (not all) of what I came here for and found it a worthwhile place to visit if you're nearby and looking for supplies for any water-adjacent activity (e.g. fishing, boating, kayaking, SUPing, etc.) and don't mind self-service. read more

My 11 year-old daughter is obsessed with fishing. She's so, so determined to catch on and is now the proud owner of two rods, a tackle box, and all of the accouterments. Now the gotcha...I have no actual idea what I'm doing and add zero value outside of enthusiasm and a commitment to finding her a "village" that can help make it happen. Insert Jeff at West Marine. What a star. I had read up on some local lakes that had been stocked with trout and we hustled down to get some fishing tips and recommendations on rigging/bait. Jeff took over an hour to inspect the entire setup of my daughter's pole, taught her several kinds of knots that would help make changing out bait and lures more efficient (he let her record them on her phone, and she's watched several times since to nail down the skill), and filled the gaps in our setup with super cost-effective items that would set her up for success without us needing to spend more than required, even recommending inexpensive nail clippers over fishing scissors when that was a reasonable way to solve a problem. I'm so excited to get my little one out on the lake and when we land our first catch, and serve it up at dinner, we'll be sending our thanks to Jeff at West Marine for his gracious help and support in encouring my little girl's big dreams. read more

They were super helpful and friendly! They answered all of my questions and helped me pick my first fishing gears!

Went here to get a new bass fishing reel. When the guy at the counter finally stopped talking to his coworker he got the reel from the back and I asked if he would spool it for me. He then asked me why I don't just do it myself and I told him that I wanted it professionally done. He finally agreed and the whole process took about 20 minutes. I then asked if they had any night crawlers and he told me that one of his coworkers had left them in the freezer so they had no worms. When I finally got to the lake the reel i bought came unspooled on the first cast and was tangled to the point I couldn't use it anymore. If you want to go to a fishing store run by indifferent teens then this is the place for you, otherwise better try your luck at dicks or bass pro shops. read more

West Marine - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Sausalito, California

I know nothing about boats and would not usually come here, but due to my job in the automotive industry I needed to pick up some fuel tanks for a customer. I didn't really know what to expect but what I found at West Marine is a very clean, tidy store, staffed by super friendly, knowledgeable people. Especially these days with everything that's going on, many retail employees are not having an easy time... well the folks here at West Marine were so helpful and on top of it regardless. Even helped me carry the fuel tanks to my car. An easy five stars although I probably won't ever be back because I hate water and boats. I will definitely refer customers though! read more

As a customer of over 25 years, I couldn't be more disappointed in the Marin City West Marine. It pains me to write this review because things haven't always been how they are now. Further, there are people in the store who are fantastic. Generally the checkers in the front, and those from the old days still making the rounds. With 25 years of perspective, and having shopped regularly at its prior location by Clipper Yacht Harbor, the place smells now of poor management and low morale. I've come to joke that West's jingle should be "Everything you Want, but Nothing that you Need." The paint inventory has been become abysmal. The fastener section is sloppy and incomplete. And this comment follows for many aspects of their shelves. For the younger generation who derive fulfillment from a day experience of renting a sailors vision, the clothing is always reasonably impressive. You can play dress up. Hoorah. For those who need awlgrip paint, or varnish, or 1 quart mixing buckets, or size 12 stainless washers. Forget it. Order online. The management at corporate there should be criminally investigated for price gouging. West will sell a quart of Awlgrip list for $173 bucks. You can buy on any other marine site typically for $93-$98. And that perverse percentage gap applies to almost all they sell. Their floor manager couldn't care less about keeping the store ship shape and orderly. He makes commitments he doesn't keep. And he treats his staff like sh^%#. This is what clearly happens when a corporate retail investment company buys a business they don't know JACK about in an industry they don't understand. With customers that must apparently be speaking a foreign language. It's a crying shame. And it's criminal. They SUCK. read more

Turning into a fishing store vs a marine HW store. Too many out of stock products. What is in-stock costs more than on the website. You have to buy online and pick up in store to get lower prices for same things as what's on the shelf, which is ridiculous. Basically 95% of what they sell can be bought on other websites, including Amazon, for less. You need to wait for sales to get what you need at a reasonable price. The one thing they could do well and I think make more money and get more customers, is done poorly - rigging for sailboats (and likely other services) locally (not sending out from HQ rigging shop). Rope and parts are way too expensive and nobody has a clue there as to rigging advice. There are no install services. They don't offer splicing services on-site, which they could easily do with local riggers. Yes I miss the glory days of WM in the 80s, but there is so much WM could do to improve value and customer experience now. Def feels like a soulless PE owned money sucking enterprise vs creating loyal customers with a great experience all around. I will say Jeff is great as are the cashiers. read more

Solid inventory and good hours. Can't say enough good things about Jeff who is incredibly knowledgeable and a problem solver.

Called and needed help with picking out the right bait for fishing in Marin. Kenny was an amazing help and suggested not only types of bait for certain areas but which combos work best for which fish. read more

I'm so tired of the poor service at this store. I don't know if it's the same at all locations but the Sausalito store seems to have huge issues finding people with any knowledge of the products they sell. Unfortunately I'm slowly realizing this may be a company wide issue because ordering online is no better. Half the time they don't have the item at the warehouse and what should take a day or two at the most, winds up taking weeks to arrive. I've been a Boat US Gold member for many years and recently purchased some items on a holiday weekend which coincided with a 4x points event. When I looked at my account in the following days I found I never got my points.. it took two weeks of calling to finally get it resolved.. A couple of weeks later I purchased some items online with my rewards points but then cancelled the order once I found out the delivery was delayed and when one of the items arrived they were not what I wanted even after conferring with a sales person in the store. I was told once cancelled I would receive a refund of all the reward certificates I used. But after more than a week nothing has been refunded. I've called the 1(800) Boating number a dozen times and no one answers. The local store manager seem's useless and unable to help and I'm starting to think it's not just incompetence but some kind of corporate culture of do nothing and it will go away thinking.. It's not worth my time to deal with this any longer. From now on unless it's an absolute emergency I'll be shopping on Amazon or any of the many other marine chandleries who will appreciate my business. read more

I just had a Great experience with West Marine. I feel that customer service is what creates repeat sales and the customer service I received from Jeffrey & Deborah was excellent! read more

Great store... When they actually have inventory. They have every size except "large" and size "11". It will be a cold day in Hell before you walk into a West Marine that actually carries a size large in anything. Footware... If you are a size 11, don't even bother - they won't have it. All other sizes yes, size 11... Go pound sand. I'm not writing this out of spite either; it's an observation I've made year after year given that most of my father's birthday gifts are sailing oriented. The point is that I always end up at West Marine around the same time during any given year and observe the same poor inventory controls each and every time. read more

It is perhaps not typical to review an outdoor store based on how dog-friendly it is, but this is the Bay Area, and I am surely not the only person who sees the world through how dog-friendly it is. My husband is of the mind that dogs are allowed everywhere unless it is stated otherwise; I tend to be more hesitant to bring our small well-behaved terrier mix to non-pet stores. (Although, seriously, she's ridiculously adorable and everyone loves her.) But it was a rainy few and she was going stir crazy, so we decided to see if she could go in with us to West Marine when we went to pick up some boat cleats that I wanted to use in a home decorating project. West Marine was nicer than I expected for an outdoor gear store, so I thought maybe it would be rude to bring her in. But as we walked in the door, the young woman at the closest cash register reached under her register, pulled out a bowl of dog treats and came over to greet us. So, come to West Marine for the boating gear, and stay because they have dog treats! read more

Oh my god -- these are the nicest people working here! I know nothing about sailing and they really helped me get my kid set up for sailing camp and at the most reasonable cost, too. Open til 8pm, very helpful and lots of dinner and coffee options in this mall area. Very clean and beautiful store. I had no idea I was so interested in all things water (fishing, paddleboarding, sailing, etc etc etc) until I walked into this store!!! read more

Horrible service. I placed an order to hold some fishing items (3), on my debit card. When I get to the store they could not find my items, they did not have the items I had reserved for the pick up. No apology, the guy was like o well not my problem dude. I live in Petaluma and I was planning on driving to Pacifica to meet a friend for a day of fishing. Had to cancel our meet up, never again will I shop at West Marine and I will tell all of my buddies and family also. On top of that my Bank said it will take up to 5-7 day to get my refund back. Thank you West Marine for making my day! read more

Staff is uninformed as to the use of the gear they sell, as well as unskilled in normal retail courtesy. Same Loos nico press is 2/3 the cost, 1/3 the delivery time and 0% of the entitled attitude on Amazon. read more

Just wanted to stop by and highly recommend the fishing department. It is the best this side of a superstore. You will not find a more knowledgeable person, Ken, on the local fishing scene. They also stand behind their products. Captain Phil Havlicek Reel Time Charters read more

Was trying to purchase a Cannon downrigger with no luck from west marine stores from Santa Cruz area all the way to the Bay Area as well as online with no luck. Finally talked with Mika at the West Marin store she told me she would locate one and call me when it arrived. About a week later she called and had it there for me to pick up the address on the box was from South Carolina. I'm so impressed by this service. Great Job Mika Thank-you read more

If you take nothing else from this review, take this: The dude who stocks and runs their fishing department is a rockstar. More on this later. My expectations for West Marine are pretty low for knowledge and customer service. It's usually a place I go when I need something now or I need to see it in person. It's not a place I normally ask for advice or expect anyone to know anything. I was pleasantly surprised when I came in here. First, the store is pretty well stocked all around. Better than other west marine locations I've been to. Usually the shelves are half empty and everything is messy and in the wrong place; this store was pretty well organized for a giant chain. Second, they had more than one person working in the store. I even had someone come up to me in an isle and ask if I needed help. "Can I help you with anything" is not something one expects to hear at a west marine. Most importantly, their fishing dude is a badass. This fishing section has the highest density of locally useful quality tackle and gear for any big store anywhere hands down. Regarding tackle: Need some apex, brads cut plugs, and krippled anchovie rigs for salmon season? They've got them all in several colors each. Need swimbaits or jigs from 1-20oz for all your bottom fishing needs? Check. Need 16oz balls for halibut trolling? Sure. Need 2lb balls and sinker release for party boat salmon? They've got it. Flashers and dodgers of every size and color. Regarding gear: Every size of trevala rod. Full selection of phenix rods, some budget stuff too. You have at least 10 good rod choices for every budget range from $50 to $300. If you need a rod to fish Bay Area salt and you need I it today, they have it. Fully stocked with every size and style of reel, from small spinning to big game lever drag reels. I came in looking for a left handed small frame lever drag reel. Guess what? They had it. They have budget reels up to super fancy rich man stuff. Regarding the dude who runs the fishing dept: Hallelujah. When I asked him if he had a left handed avet sx lever drag in stock, he replied "Which one do you want? It comes in 3 versions, original, g2, and a magnetic cast brake g2." When I first asked, I was expecting to have to point to the reel for him to know what I was talking about. This guy actually fishes and knows what he sells. This is almost non existent at big box stores. I would have been impressed if a west marine employee even knew what a lever drag reel was. This is the first person in a big box store in my entire life that I would actually go back to and ask for advice. Unbelievable. He stocks a really nice selection that covers every major fishery we have in Northern California. While I really hate to give business to big box stores when tackle stores are dying, this guy makes it hard not to. read more

This is one of the best West Marine stores I've been to. The staff is friendly and and the store is well stocked. I want to give a shout out to Angela, who was very helpful and professional. Really when above and beyond to locate a hose I needed. Good store and staff. James read more

West Marine is kind of the Starbucks of marine stores. Not always the best product, or the lowest prices, but generally pretty good. This store is no exception, and the selection is much bigger than their previous store in Sausalito. I've gone there for fasteners (nuts and bolts) and found the staff helpful even though it was obvious I was spending less than $5 and was burning up a few minutes of staff time. I think it's commendable that WMP relocated to this mall in Marin City, which lost a couple of anchor tenants, Best Buy and I think Babies R Us. It's a nice way to keep it going. So, while I won't give it a five star rating -- mainly because they don't stock enough quality sailboat racing gear, like West Coast Sailing or APS -- I think the 1 star ratings are undeserved. read more

Last week I had such a great experience at West Marine, I had to give the staff praise- specifically to the Fishing Department, Ken & Ken Jr. My main squeeze is the boater in the family, so we frequent West Marine. I don't know much about fishing but that didn't stop me from surprising Kevin with an amazing Father's Day gift. Not only did Ken & Ken Jr. recommend quality tools & equipment, they personally helped me pick out each one and taught me about every item- They even helped put the pole together with the line & lures so Kevin could use it right away. In addition to being super friendly and helpful, they are professional fishermen, so I felt even more comfortable and confident in my purchases. We had a super happy & excited Dad on Father's Day all because of these guys. :) Thanks again, Ken & Ken Jr.! read more

This review is for the fishing and tackle department. I've been coming here more and more as I'm getting in to saltwater fishing. Ken who runs the department is awesome! He's very much a fisherman himself and is extremely knowledgeable. He has never steered me wrong and is always helpful and professional. Never rushes conversation and always takes the time to understand what your trying to accomplish. Thanks Ken. read more

If it has to do with water, they've got it! This store is beautiful and extremely well organized. From high tech fish finders to clothing you'll get what you need. I did not expect such a clean, professional looking store!! Now that the Gateway Retail Center has been renovated and upgraded, this is a great shopping experience. Check it out! read more

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high quality sailing gear, and over the top customer service. we are so lucky to have this store nearby.

Great selection everywhere. Bait and tackle rock. Good supply of marine wear. Plenty of educated smart people who really know their stuff. I love this place. So much better than their last place! read more

Stopped in for a few items for our new outboard engine and got the best service and tips from Angela. We're all set now to hook up our external fuel tank and we picked up a few more items for hoisting and mounting the engine on our boat. Angela is super knowledgeable about and loves small engines. Be sure to ask for her if you have a question about yours or need some help with accessories. read more

Excellent Customer Service by Ken in the Fishing Dept. Greatly appreciate his expert knowledge and great recommendations! I hightly recommend! read more

WOW What a great new location! If you fish it's the place to go, Ken is doing a wonderful job. They carry everything and are so knowledgable. My go to spot! read more

I had awesome service with the fishing department. The guy helped me get a rod and reel for trolling for salmon and helped me setup my first rig so I know what to do. read more

The worse experience ever. I will never go back to West Marine. They lost a customer for life. Their equipment insurance plan is a scam. When I tried to use it when my equipment broke down, they gave me the run around. Not only on the phone but also in the store. I hate putting bad reviews, but that was a horrible experience. Lost of time and money. If you need to buy expensive flip flop - great place. For everything else, don't go. read more

Thank you Ken (fishing department)! Your advice and suggestions were spot on. Thanks to you (and me) I pulled in 7 stripers this morning. Excellent tips and the reorganized fishing supplies was well done. Thanks again. read more

I just started getting back into fishing again after I sold my boat 20 years ago, and I needed some advice on the best fishing gear for the Bay Area. I was not aware that West Marine had a large fishing department, but I decided to stop by to check it out. I was completely impressed with the superb collection of fishing gear they had in stock and the services they provide. In one visit, I was completely outfitted with an array of gear that would make anyone envious. Ken took the time to help me select the best gear for my fishing preferences and price range. The staff was super friendly and accessible. Love this store. I won't go anywhere else for my boating and fishing gear read more

Unreasonably overpriced! Great ability of sale persons to shift to a very impolite behavior as soon as they understand you are not leaving a bucket of money in the store. read more

Very incompetent and sexist staff: Jim. I called to find out if they had a specific kayak. Jim at the store said they had it. I went there with my husband and Jim "assisted" us. I introduced myself and reminded him of our phone conversation. He remembered me and then looked at my husband and said "so, you brought your wallet" in reference to my husband. Seriously?! Could you get a little more sexist?! News flash Jim: not all women are housewives. I decided to ignore his comment and get what I came for. He ordered the kayak. He ordered the wrong kayak. He was too busy making sexist assumptions to listen to what kayak I wanted. I returned the kayak and ordered it from LL Bean instead. They were not only cheaper but they were also great to deal with. Plus it got delivered right to my house. No more West Marine for me. read more