Cutwater Skins

S

scottnmj1499

Member
Joined
May 3, 2017
Messages
12
Fluid Motion Model
C-24 C
Non-Fluid Motion Model
Cutwater 28 (FMLC2844B212)
Vessel Name
TRIFLIN
New Cutwater 28 Owner here. Great to be part of this forum. We just purchased a 2012 model with very low hours, loaded, from the original Owner in Texas and hauled her to California a few weeks ago. She's in great condition except for the Interior Skins. They're just crumbling. We've been told Cutwater/Ranger was aware of this problem and we've contacted the factory, very quick response, but as of yet the best they can do is tell us it would be cheaper to pay for everything ourselves than go through them. They also said they don't have any of the original material left but they did send us a picture of the new interior Vinyl and padding and asked if we were interested in it. We saw it at the Newport Boat show this past weekend and have told them we are, but they're still not interested in stepping up and taking care of the problem. My question is, is it true they've actually provided replacement Skins and Pads to others at no charge because they knew this particular product was sub-standard, which it clearly was. Or they have at least worked with others to help minimize the hit. We've asked for help, nothing yet, but we're still hopeful. A big part of this purchase for us was reading the great feedback on this site about their excellent customer service and commitment to their products. Still a believer and looking forward to some great years with her and the Cutwater/Ranger Tug family. We'll see how it goes.
 
what are interior skins? the wood panelling?
 
If by "skins" you mean the upholstery and fabric used in the dinette, helm chair and in other areas, the factory was able to help us with new materials on our re-upholstery project.
The replacement cushion foam is much easier to just buy yourself and not that expensive. Purchased the 2" and 3" sheet HD36-High Quality foam from The Foam Factory in MI for all the dinette cushions for about $200 shipped. It''s a much better quality foam than Ranger Tugs is using even on their new boats IMHO.
Ranger Tugs supplied new fabric and vinyl for the project. The labor for all the dinette cushions and bolsters in the V-berth came out to about $900. We still have to do the helm seat but we do have the matching materials we need.
See my photo album for a before and several after photos.
 
Hi Scott,

Thanks for reaching out here. Just wanted to check in to make sure we didn't misunderstand anything in our discussion with you. As I mentioned before, we are very willing to help you with a new set of skins sold to you at our cost. I do appreciate that you are trying to make the boat the best you can, and we are definitely glad that you are enjoying it! Please just reach back out to me via email and we will do what we can to complete the process and help get you back out on the water having fun!

Thanks!

Ralf
 
I have been offered skins at cost, as the second owner, but have also met other second owners at rendezvous's, who received them at no cost. Confusing.
 
We were offered the new upholstery material at cost.
But because RT no longer has the R25 Classic cushion patterns they could not make up the cushion "skins" for us. The only practical solution was for us to get the raw materials and have all the cutting and stitching work done by local upholstery folks.
While the original fabric and vinyl was in poor shape after 8 years the main motivator for us was that the seating area foam was completely shot - no support at all.
 
The story as I know it is that the "Upgraded" leatherette upholstery was defective and the manufacturer would not make good on the product. Original owners who paid for the upgrade got consideration for new product from Ranger, but shipping and installation was at the owners cost. As a mater of general practice, second hand owners usually do not get the advantage of certain warranties other than what is implied by the specific product manufacturer and in many cases those are not transferable from a first owner to a second owner. My observation is that Ranger has done their best to handle an ugly situation. As a second owner you may want to consider biting the bullet and get them reupholstered locally.
 
Really appreciate all the responses. My take after reviewing them all, as an Owner of a small Custom App business myself, having worked through similar situations like this myself, it really comes down to who we are and what we stand for. You all might know that in Cali there is a 10 yr. statute on negligence, irrespective of the status of Ownership, and if we knowingly represented something and provide something different, of substandard quality, we're going to either fix it or pay lots of legal fees to try and avoid the fix. In our case, we've never made it to the legal fees part willingly. We're known for coming in and making it right and that can get expensive. It's just who we are and what we do. Some would say we've stayed successful, in no small measure, over the last 35 years because of this commitment we have to our products and our customers which are over 90% repeat and referral. The fact is, everyone I've talked to about this, familiar with fluid motion, Ranger Tug, and Cutwater, is confused. They don't get it and neither do I. Cutwater seems to be killing it as far as developing a reputation of solid customer service backing a quality product that will stand the test of time. I hesitated bringing this to the Tug Nuts attention because I was confused, thought it was just a process thing, and when it got to the right level it would be handled as it has been handled for others. I'll close with this. Good guys at Cutwater and we all get get my point that it's their product and reputation but it's also business and money, and finding a solution in these situations that's equitable is subjective at best and we're all doing the best we can to find it. Thanks again and I'll keep you updated as to Cutwaters response.
 
"Skins" follow-up: Ralf with Cutwater is working with us to find a solution to the 2012 upholstery problem. They've been very helpful given the fact they're very busy this time of year and we are the second Owners. We saw a 2016-17 28 at the Newport Boat Show and wife liked the new upholstery and pattern. It's much better quality so good on Cutwater for the upgrade and willingness to address Owners concerns. Might take some time to get the upholstery but good things usually take time so no worries mates and safe boating this Spring!
 
We were in the negotiation phase buying our boat when the bad vinyl issue showed up on Tugnuts. I mentioned it to the previous owner. He got the new skins free - as the first owner. So they came with the boat.

Last winter I recovered all the cushions myself. Everything fit great. While not an absolutely perfect job, I gave myself a B+. Love the look.

Also the helm seat covers were an entirely different shape, and thus new foams came with the kit as well.
 
All! Here it is August 15 and we're still waiting on one set of upholstery to replace the junk that was in our 2012 Cutwater 28. Last we heard from Ralf, July 17 was the target date from the upholstery department. We agreed to pay for the upholstery, Ralf offered it at their cost, rather than keep pushing the fact others had been made whole with no charge. It should be noted, there was no contractual or warranty obligation Cutwater had to make this right, only their understanding, the original product they installed was crap and some warm fuzzy feeling they had about their reputation and the quality of their new Cutwaters. That was reason enough for us and we appreciated their willingness to try and make it right. Sounded real good, but after months of waiting and all we've heard about how great this company, and its associates, were to work with it's all ringing on deaf ears. Summer's almost gone. I'm tired of watching my wife vacuum up pieces of what's left of the original upholstery every weekend we use her. We've run a small construction company for years, when it gets busy tough choices have to be made, but there's still a point we reach when your job is taken care, no matter how small, and you become a priority. Can't help but feel Cutwater's Reps. have been thinking maybe if we push this off long enough they'll just go away. Well, it worked, we're going away, and we're going to fix their problem without their help. I know this site is monitored and they're probably popping a cork as they read this. My hope, perhaps this post will help dissuade a would-be buyer who's thinking Cutwater will have their back when it gets tight and the Vacuum breaks and their pissed. My feeling, maybe they will if it makes financial sense, doesn't cut into their projected sales and production schedule, and protects their bottom line. Sound familiar? Best of luck! Done.......
 
Final follow-up...check out Cutwater's concerned response back in May 3 from Ralf. "We are very willing to help you with a new set of skins sold to you at our cost. I do appreciate that you are trying to make the boat the best you can, and we are definitely glad that you are enjoying it! Please just reach back out to me via email and we will do what we can to complete the process and help get you back out on the water having fun!" They did what they could to complete the process........
 
If you bought a 5 year old Chevy Silverado with worn front seats would you really expect General Motors to make them new again?
 
Took 7 months from the initial inquiry with Andrew before we received our replacement fabrics from RT. Lesson I learned is that this is not a priority for RT because it's cosmetic - your boat still runs, no safely issues involved and you are not the original owner. If you are both patient and persistent you will get your replacement materials.
Besides, you really should be waiting until off season to get this done. The labor on mine took a full month! Not much fun trying to go boating with no seats anywhere in the cabin because they are all at the upholstery shop!!
 
If you are at all handy with a staple gun, you can do the recovering yourself. I only had to take two pieces to a local shop to get the trim pieces stapled on. They require a special staple gun. Took about an hour and cost me $40. The whole job took me a week or so doing one cushion every day or so. Upholstery is pretty intensive hand and finger exercise, so I took my time.

Really pleased with the new covers and I gave myself a B+ for the job.
 
Did the person you bought the boat from make some representations to you about how you could expect the factory to fix the seats. You would have a recourse there. If there were no representations then I assume the condition of the boat was worked into the price.
 
Think I was clear we appreciated the fact Cutwater was willing to get us upholstery at their cost because they knew the original work and material was faulty and they care about us. Over a month ago we were told it looked like the 17th. of July. Ralf got back last night with an apology and an update that he would do everything humanly possible to get us the upholstery but the shop is running behind on current production needs. He unfortunately sent that right after I posted so we'll see. I do appreciate your advise. Not sure Chevy Silverado is a good analogy but I'll address it. According to Reps we met and talked to in Newport Cutwater made a number of Owners right on this issue, not cheap, at no charge but over time had changed their policy. The same Reps and associates, their idea, also guided us to Ralf at Cutwater with our request. The reps also suggested this forum if there was resistance or no movement from Cutwater because they monitor it. Lots of e-mails you won't see but just in this chain it's clear Cutwater was willing to step up to make this 4 1/2 year old Silverado right. The original Upholstery probably from China was that bad. I don't disagree that the timing could not have been worse, spring moving into summer but with that said, there is no way of getting around the fact that Cutwater/Ranger Tugs is a company that represents its all about its family of happy customers. In this case production needs, probably very aggressive sales, bad guidance from the upholstery shop, reps too busy to update a family member on the timing of the delivery of one set of upholstery, Corporate Computers down, and a totally crumbling interior on a $200,000 boat with 160 hours all added up to an unhappy family member. We'll be fine, they were busy taking care of other things, lots of things, more important but old Silverado or not we're family and Pops should have, if he could have, done more to make us whole. We just got tired of waiting for him to follow-through.......it happens.
 
Last thing I'll suggest is read the entire chain. We've moved on but important for Cutwater and future Owners, first or second in warranty period our just out, to understand the process and how it can at times highlight great customer service by the company but it may also demonstrate shortcomings brought on by rapid growth and people and systems spread to thin to provide timely service or meet the expectations of the arguably upscale clients they attract. Maintaining the custom handle in a niche market guaranteed to pay the bills is tough once a drive for growth and Profits takes over. We still own a Cutwater and will still look to the company for support. I hope they fare well and are there when we, all of us, need them in the future! God willing, all good for Cutwater and it's customers and if so, no worriies!
 
Last winter I was unable to work on my boat, so I decided to wait till this winter to deal with my seatcovers. The pilot seat is in very poor shape, despite my keeping it protected from the sun, which I originally thought was the problem. The bench seats are very seldom used, nor as deteriorated, but I want them to match.

I am the original owner of Cascadia, a 2013 Ranger 29, and would appreciate if those who received fabric from the factory will reply whether it matches the original color and is a better quality?

I imagine it will be very expensive to have the defective upholstery replaced, and I have been waiting to see what others have done before I proceed.

Also, has anyone hired upholstery work done in the Anacortes, WA area or have a recommendation?

Thanks for any information.
 
I have the new style covers on my 2012 R-27. I got my covers from the original owner. He had not installed them yet. I installed them myself. Not a real tough job. Some simply zipped on. Others took a lot of tugging, adjusting and stapling.

I didn't have the special kind of gun that is needed to staple the trim around the edges of two cushions. I had a local shop do them. $40.

The new covers are entirely different but look great. The vinyl and construction is much more substantial. Check for a couple photos in my album.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

  • Tugnuts.com is the community hub for Ranger Tug, Cutwater, and Solara owners. Since its inception in 2008, the Tugnuts forum has grown into an active and thriving community of more than 9,000 members. It serves as both a meeting place for the best boating community online, and an invaluable archive of information.

  • User menu
Back
Top