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RPS cushion from Specialty Marine?
RichieB	#1  Posted on 01/19/17 - 4:10 PM
Member Posts: 25 Comments: 1 Joined: 01/04/17	Thinking about buying the RPS cushion from Specialty Marine for my 1988 Montauk. Good Quality? Hold-up over time?
Finnegan	#2  Posted on 01/19/17 - 10:32 PM
Member Posts: 1925 Comments: 16 Joined: 05/02/08	If you want an original tan pleat vinyl cushion, buy it from Anderson's in Titusville FL, one of the factory OEM suppliers. I believe they cost $265 plus shipping. The seat base is white starboard (or equal) and has the threaded inserts correctly placed for the #14 machine screws that attach the legs. This is important! Edited by Finnegan on 01/19/17 - 10:32 PM
RichieB	#3  Posted on 01/20/17 - 3:43 AM
Member Posts: 25 Comments: 1 Joined: 01/04/17	Thanks Finnegan Good news, that's what I'm looking for. Will call them.
Peter Chase	#4  Posted on 01/20/17 - 12:17 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 16 Comments: 0 Joined: 01/10/17	I recently purchased and installed the RPS seat cushion from Specialty Marine. Looks fine to me. Can't comment on how long it will last. I paid $250 +/- not including shipping. See my personal page for pics.
RichieB	#5  Posted on 01/20/17 - 2:09 PM
Member Posts: 25 Comments: 1 Joined: 01/04/17	Thanks for your feedback Peter.
Jay Fitz	#6  Posted on 01/21/17 - 4:51 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 343 Comments: 0 Joined: 09/08/10	Peter Chase wrote: I recently purchased and installed the RPS seat cushion from Specialty Marine. Looks fine to me. Can't comment on how long it will last. I paid $250 +/- not including shipping. See my personal page for pics. I've purchased a bow cushion, cooler and and rodholder cushions from Specialty for my 1978 Montauk. None have held up very well at all. I've had the bow for two seasons and the others for three. I will be using Andersons for my RPS cushion next.
RichieB	#7  Posted on 01/22/17 - 2:38 AM
Member Posts: 25 Comments: 1 Joined: 01/04/17	Understood Fitz, thanks for feedback.
mtown	#8  Posted on 01/22/17 - 5:19 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 610 Comments: 5 Joined: 07/06/08	Finnegan wrote: If you want an original tan pleat vinyl cushion, buy it from Anderson's in Titusville FL, one of the factory OEM suppliers. I believe they cost $265 plus shipping. The seat base is white starboard (or equal) and has the threaded inserts correctly placed for the #14 machine screws that attach the legs. This is important! Specialty marine came with 4 wood screws, no threaded inserts.
Finnegan	#9  Posted on 01/23/17 - 3:30 PM
Member Posts: 1925 Comments: 16 Joined: 05/02/08	Mtown- Thanks for that information on the Specialty cushion fastening detail. Unfortunately, the Specialty detail is not the way Whaler designed it. Wood screws into the plywood base are nowhere near as strong or permanent, and the seat plywood can rot, causing screw failure. There is a lot of stress on these connections. I have owned Whalers with an RPS since 1986, and every factory cushion, and the later Hall's and Anderson replacements, have used threaded inserts for #14 machine screws, for a total of eight. This also gives correct and easy placement for the legs automatically.
Peter Chase	#10  Posted on 01/24/17 - 3:18 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 16 Comments: 0 Joined: 01/10/17	My RPS seat cushion from Specialty Marine came with eight (8) stainless wood screws. Installation was a snap. Base is made from marine grade plywood. My guess is that back in the 80's, the seat base from the factory was of the same material. My boat is dry stacked when not in use. I firmly believe that this seat cushion will last longer than I own the boat. Would not hesitate to order same in the future.
mtown	#11  Posted on 01/25/17 - 4:57 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 610 Comments: 5 Joined: 07/06/08	I may be mistaken about the 4 screws, it may have been 8. I also was not concerned about the base being plywood. Not having the inserts is what I was upset about. I called and was told "there are too many patterns from different Whalers for us to use the inserts". I installed with the screws and made sure to only hand tighten the screws. Second use after new seat 3 of the screws are rolling around on the deck. I considered installing my old inserts, but would have to "un-upholster" the seat to do so. Expecting a wood screw to hold into 1/2" plywood when it really cannot penetrate through the plywood is not good design. Quality of upholstery ect. was fine.
prj	#12  Posted on 01/25/17 - 7:54 AM
Member Posts: 21 Comments: 0 Joined: 11/07/05	Two years ago, I was given a Specialty Marine RPS cushion as a gift to replace my OEM cushion on a 1990 Outrage 18'. While a lovely thought, when I opened the package and handled the product some months later, I was dismayed by how little the vinyl upholstery resembled the OEM product in color, texture and thickness. I quickly decided that it wouldn't likely withstand the first sitting with a random tool in my pocket, much less another 25 years of use as the OEM version lasted. Despite the fact that I was beyond the allotted time for the full refund return policy, Specialty Marine was pleasant and accommodating in our telephone conversation and I was able to return the cushion at a UPS cost of $75 for a full refund. I ordered the Anderson RPS cushion and could not have been happier. It is, objectively, a far superior product in quality and a perfect OEM replacement.