First post + zip question

[rob1699]

Been lurking for a bit...so hello everyone..

Just spent 2 hours in the garage trying to free up a corroded zipper off one of the boat cushions using copious amounts of wd40 and swear words, and guess what, the damn slider thingy just came clean off and fell to pieces in my hand. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Does anyone know who manufactures Fairline's upholstery, or anywhere I can get a replacement zip slider? I reckon I could fix it myself by unpicking a bit of the stiching.

Thanks in advance.
Rob

ps Berth D77 @ Torquay Marina...the fridge is always full of beer

 

[tcm]

uh, i have had v bad experiences of diy zip fixing. if you take it to ANY NONmarine upholsterers and tellem it's your old granny's favourite outdoor cushion or some old codswallop i bet it'll cost about a fiver to replace, tops.

oh, and welcome

 

[2nd Wind]

Try Helen Fryer at www.marineinteriors.co.uk. She has just reupholstered my boat and very good job and reasonable price. She's a sailor so knows what she's on about.

 

[ccscott49]

Welcome!
Try any upholsterer as TCM suggests, preferably non boaty.
By the way, the zip sliders, are aluminium, which corrodes like hell in salt water, bloody stupid, when plastic sliders are available, had the same problem with zip sliders on my inflatable boat bags.

 

[rob1699]

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated.

I took the sunpad cushion to a local upholstery place today, and they are going to sort it out for me for a few quid.

It does seem stupid to think that boat builders like Fairline use aluminium zippers on a boat that is made for salt water. The crazy world we live in, eh?

Cheers,

Rob

 

[tcm]

Re: crazy world

indeed - or could it just be that fairline engineers are a bit on the numpty side when it comes to materials selection? That's why the fuel cap rubber gaskets go gooey (cos they use non-nitril rubber, needed for proximity to diesel) the screws in the loos go rusty (cos they ain't stainless) and the mooring lines are special extra-expensive non-stretchy so the boats snatch and groan at the cleats in any swell - as well as the aforementioned zips.