[Rhodes22-list] Cabin cushion nightmare

[Ron Kaye]

Well one thing that wasn't quite so right about our mostly refurbished
(bullet list honey do on a used boat at Stan's shop) and recently acquired
(Sept '10) was not only the motor (replaced) but the cabin cushions.  The
saga of the cushions is long and sad and not over at this point.  In fact it
has become more entangled and dreadful with each passing day.

It all began innocently enough.  The initial idea was to bring the cushions
home and rebuild them ourselves since they were build in a manner in which
they were stapled to thin plywood and that wood was decomposing and turning
into mulch.  We asked for advise on how to do this from this list
and received lots of  good instruction.  OK Its doable.  Still its a bit of
fuss and requires planning and time and we weren't getting to it. So after a
while I contacted the Rhodes contract cushion outfit in Anapolis (L and D -
 or something like that) (from a contact someone on this list provided -
thanks) - and sure enough, they had the measurements for the boat (we dont'
have the enclosed head BTW), and I could just give them a credit card # pick
out the material and they'd get to work. About 1K would do it. We
deliberated.  Meanwhile the cushions were stacked against a wall waiting for
their final role as templates or just taking up space.  The two 85%
housebroken dogs found the area next to the cushions a convenient and
discrete place to relieve themselves on occasion. The dog residue was wicked
into the cushions and after a month or so I was hauling a load of junk to
the dump and I held my breath, grabbed all those putrified and decomposing
cushions and threw them into the pickup.  What a relief to get those out of
the house.

Now we are sailing again and loving it but we have no cushions.  I couldn't
find the contact # for the cushion place I called - so I called Stan who
informed me that they went out of buisness with the recession.  I call other
cushion providers to see if they have measurements/patterns for Rhodes 22.
Nobody does.  They want me to measure it myself.  That's ok I can use one of
those measuring thingimadoos just fine.  I can measure the V-berth and the
seat of the settee, but the back of the settee is three pieces that those,
as we know, have to be rearranged in a particular manner to create the bed
and therefore must have the right to pull off that trick.  I don't know what
those dimensions are. I'll be danged if I do. I called Stan (again) to see
if he can provide me with those measurements but he doesn't have them
anymore. The cushion contractor (L&D?) had them.  Where they might be now
isn't exactly clear. Stan would help me locate her but he is quite occupied
with many other things including a couple others that I'm distracting him
with.

I've had nightmares about these cushions - they follow me at night, slinking
in the shadows; I see them conspiring in whispers behind my back.  They want
to push me over the edge. They are getting close.

The nice lady I had spoken to at L&D, "Diane," may be known personally to
some of you - or she might even read this list.  She might still be
available and maybe does some of this work still.  Or, perhaps someone has
done this cushion drill and has taken it upon themselves to record the
measurements and can provide them.  That would be so incredibly helpful.
Meanwhile my backside aches at the thought of overnighting on cold hard
fiberglass.

Another thought: maybe someone for some reason has an extra set of cushions
in good condition for some reason - a wild thought but who knows?
Unless they are orange or flourescent green we would purchase them from
you and pick them up if you are anywhere close to DC or arrange
shipping.
BTW there are "cushion people" who are ready to steal from the unwary.  One
gave me an estimate of $3,200 for the job - and with standard grade
materials!  Good grief!  Another I spoke to is prepared to do it for 1,400
with 3" of the A-grade foam.  That's more than we expected but would still
need the measurements for the settee backs.  There are surely others out
there...

Thanks to anyone who can help and my apologies for the long tale about such
a boring subject.

Coming up next: The gimpy bimini hides in its zipper pouch.  Why?

Ron & Lisa
Nautisaurus