Customer Service
return to section: About Chesapeake Light Craft

How To Reach us: 

We work really hard to be responsive and easy to reach.

You can call us at 410 267 0137 from 9am to 5pm, Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday, and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays.  You can fax us anytime at 410 267 5689.

Email is a great way to get ahold of us.  We try to answer email seven days a week, and within 24 hours, although response times will vary.  If your email account issues challenges (eg. Earthlink) or filters aggressively, you might not get a response or order updates from us.  We respond to ALL emails, so if you don't hear from us, there might have been a typo in your email address or our response was filtered.

• For technical questions about boats or boatbuilding, click here.
• To inquire about an order you've placed, click here.
• Would you like a print catalog?  Request one here.
• Planning to attend one of our demos in Annapolis or elswhere?  Please RSVP here.

We have a store and showroom, too!  Love to see you here in Annapolis if you can make it.  At the store you can order and pick up boat kits and accessories, talk to staff, and see the boatbuilding shops.  Click here for directions.

Shipping Info At a Glance:

Boat Kits:  We inventory between 50 and 100 boat kits.  If we have your kit in stock, we'll ship it immediately, within a day or two.  If not, turnaround may take as much as ten days during busy periods while our craftsmen assemble and pack your kit. Whether you place your kit order online or on the phone, you will receive an email with a shipping date, and updates if it changes.  You'll also get an email with tracking information when your kit ships.  Kits are shipped air freight and will take 2-3 days to arrive at your door, depending upon where you live.

Accessories and other items will be shipped the next business day if possible.  We'll use UPS or USPS for shipping on most of those items.  Overnight or faster shipping options are available;  just ask!

Here is an overview of our shipping costs.

Billing Policy:  Credit card transactions are processed individually by CLC.  Orders of supplies and accessories are charged on the same day that the order ships from our facility.  Orders that include boat kits are usually charged as soon as they enter the kit-production cycle, which may be days or weeks prior to shipment.  

Backorders:  If an out-of-stock item will significantly delay shipment, we will ship the balance of the order immediately and send the out-of-stock item as soon as it becomes available.  Generally, the order will be charged in its entirety at the time of the initial shipment.  Charges on expensive backordered items, such as oars and rowing units, are normally delayed until the time of shipment.

Return Policy:  Supplies and accessories will be refunded at full price as long as they are returned in new condition.  Boat kits in new condition will be refunded less a 20% re-stocking fee.  A full inspection of boat kit components is required prior to issuing a refund.  The customer is responsible for all return shipping costs. 

Return Procedure:  Securely pack all items and return them to the address listed below.  Please include a copy of your original invoice or a note with your order number, name, address, phone number, email address, and a reason for the return.  

Chesapeake Light Craft
Attn: Returns
1805 George Avenue
Annapolis, MD 21401 

Privacy Policy: We recognize the importance of protecting the privacy of personal identifiying information about you as a user of our website. This website does not collect/record personal identifying information about users except for that information that you provide voluntarily to us. A user's personal identifying information is always treated with the strictest confidence by CLC.

We will NEVER share or sell this information or share it with any third parties.

Mail Order Form:  Click here for a printable mail order form to send in with a check or money order.

CLC has maintained knowledgable sales agents for our products around the world for over 13 years. These companies maintain an inventory of many of our kits, plans, and accessories and can provide technical support.

We ship overseas orders daily.  If you're not in one of the countries below or would like to order from us directly, then:

  Place your order normally, including a credit card number.  To expedite your order, you will be prompted to agree to shipping fees up to a certain amount during checkout.  If the selected amount exceeds the actual costs, we will charge you the appropriate fees and process your order immediately.  If the costs exceed the selected amount, we will notify you by email and await confirmation before processing.   Learn more here.

  Orders over $250 may require verification or alternate payment methods.

  You will be responsible for customs, duties, VAT, brokerage fees, or any other costs that may arise as goods cross borders.  It is difficult or impossible for us to predict these fees in advance.

 

JAPAN: Norihiko Kanai 12-32 Shichiriga-Hama-I-Chome Kamakura City Kanagawa JAPAN 248-0026 Phone: 0467-31-3745 Fax: 0467-32-9867 Website: http://www.wood-sea-kayak.com

Norihiko Kanai has been our reprensentative in Japan since 1994. He has built virtually every one of our designs and offers plans, kits, accessories and finished boats, as well as technical support. His finished CLC kayaks have appeared in many Japanese boating magazines. Kanai-san has flown over to attend OkoumeFest twice. 

 

FRANCE: Arwen Marine 1 rue de Roye 60280 Clairoix, FRANCE Phone:  +33 (0) 3-44-42-83-31 Website: http://www.arwenmarine.com/Index.html Email: contact@arwenmarine.com

Emmanuel Conrath at Arwen Marine is our agent in France. He imports and distributes our kits and accessories. He provides technical support for building our kits and will also sell finished boats, ready to sail, row, or paddle. 

UNITED KINGDOM: Fyne Boat Kits Unit 5, Station Yard Burneside, Kendal Cumbria, LA9 6QZ Phone: +44 (0)1539 721770 Fax: +44 (0)1539 447662 Website: http://www.fyneboatkits.com Email: info@fyneboatkits.com

The Stanistreet brothers have been our UK agents since 1999. They offer a comprehensive range of plans and kits, including all of CLC's catalog, as well as boatbuilding classes and finished boats. They keep CLC kits in inventory. 

 

Australia: Cape Boatworks 34 Ramah Avenue Mount Ousley  NSW 2519 Phone: 0242 831 115 Steve's mobile:  0413 112 408 Karin's mobile:   0437 853 660 Website: http://www.capeboatworks.com.au/ Email: info@capeboatworks.com.au

The Cape Boatworks have been our Australian agents since 2004. They offer a comprehensive range of plans and kits, including all of CLC's catalog, as well as boatbuilding classes and finished boats.