All I wanted was a little plastic part.

Besides the issues I had with my auger last weekend, I broke a little plastic part on my portable. Called a “C” clip, it’s a little plastic clip used in an Otter shelter to hold the frame in position in the wind. I’ve ordered these parts from Otter in the past.

If you go to Otteroutdoors.com and navigate to the “customer service’ section, it says if you need parts to call a 1-877 number. I did that, they took my name and address, etc. and then said that the “parts person” was on the phone and would call me back. FOUR HOURS later, no call back. So I call again, tell my story again, and this time they put me on hold for 45 minutes. Finally a real live human comes on the line and proceeds to tell me that Otter doesn’t have any Otter parts anymore, and that I need to go to Rapala.com! Of course, Rapala.com just takes you back to the Otter Outdoors webpage where you started. That part isn’t in there anywhere. Sorry, that’s unacceptable customer service. To jerk me around for hours on a lousy little plastic part that they don’t even have…..

At least thy didn’t accuse me of slapping the part on the water like they did with their DT crankbaits

OK, rant over. I’m going to figure out a better substitute for that part.

Rootski

Does sound like urine poor service for sure. Hate getting passed around from useless person to another.

Rootski – Sorry to hear of the experience. Waiting on the phone that long isn’t any fun to begin with, not to mention then not getting any help for that question. What I will tell you, is that the Holidays are a perfect storm for any company in the ice business. Combine a wave of anglers eager to hit the ice for the first time of the season, and seeing anything from accidents/oops’ to poor maintenance of batteries, rods, reels, etc…… with the fact that there’s typically quite a few work-days off in that stretch….well, you’ve got a recipe for some long phone waits.

I know it’s much more comforting to have real-time or quicker confirmation, but I’ve had pretty good success in dealing with fishing and hunting companies via the virtual desk customer service relays that so many are using these days.

Rapala’s is here.

Hopefully this gets your question answered and a new part figured out for you. Good luck out fishing!

Joel

X2 on the poor customer service

Hope the otter shacks are not going down the same road as the strikemaster auger and the rapala fillet knifes. That is terrible customer service busy, short handed, holidays it is up to the company to make sure they are staffed to take care of customers thats no excuse for poor service for something so simple. Somebody not having there gear or stuff checked over is no excuse for customer service like that! Just my opinion

Hi Rootski,
I think I found the parts you are looking for on the Marine General website. Give them a look.

http://www.marinegeneral.com/productdetails.asp?productid=1460454&directoryid=11691&parentid=11507

Take care,
Roger

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Hi Rootski,
I think I found the parts you are looking for on the Marine General website.

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Hi Roger, I found that as well. Then I spent about an hour trying to order them online without success. Marine General’s website doesn’t work. I entered my information and credit card numbers about 50 times and in every possible way and it just won’t accept it. So I went out and shoveled the driveway!

I think I might have figured out a way to replace that part with materials from the hardware store. If it works, I’ll post pictures.

i had the same problem trying to find those clips..clam had them for $ 15 each..i bought 3/4 copper tees and bore them out worked for 8 of the 12 clips..had 4 good ones ..let me know if u figure out a better option

What style poles do you have? round or square? What size?

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What style poles do you have? round or square? What size?

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3/4 inch round poles

I had to replace one of my “C” clips a few years back and I actually found them at fleet farm.

you could always screw this style to a piece of 3/4″ dowel rod.

HRG

if it is the part from marine general (a clip that goes on the end of electrical tubing either 3/4″ or 1/2″) Canvas craft in rogers has them in stock in a bag with 2 3/4″ and 2 1/2″ just to let you know. I just bought one that’s how I know.

Someone has to have them easily accessible. I did a quick Bing search and found 15 tent/canvas companies that sell them in Australia for dirt cheap.

Here’s my home brew solution to the problem.

DIY C Clip