Happily sanding along, got a piece of twine inside the sander now sander seems to be very unhappy.
......... Anyone have any experience repairing a ROS. Repair seems to have dropped out of the typical vocabulary.

If part$ are required, repairing cheap power tools doesn't make much sense any more,it seems. Just replacing the velcro pad is pricey.
Did you get the twine out of the sander?
If you have compressed air in the shop, blowing out the dust can help (ventilated shop, not in the house...).

Suggestion for the next one????? I am going to be doing the sanding following the glassing of the exterior of the boat. Rather have a tool that lasts but can't really afford the top line German make(s).

I'm sticking with the cheap sanders until I can afford a Mirka. I'd definitely not recommend Bosch; I've had a couple.

For sanding down the fill coats for varnish prep, hand (wet) sanding goes quite quickly....so that's a possibility.