Keeping raccoons away from cherries or grapes can be a giant task. What is typically recommended to protect fruit trees is to install a metal or heavy plastic barrier that wraps the trunk to prevent the raccoon from climbing up the tree. Twenty-four-inch long aluminum or galvanized vent-pipe is the most common choice. And readily available at most hardware stores. Or they could use aluminum flashing to create a funnel-shaped barrier. I'll send you a picture so you can see what I'm talking about. The problem is, if the raccoons can use nearby trees or sheds, they just get into the trees that way and by-pass the barrier.
If they are really intent on saving the cherries and the barriers don't work, they can take the more time intensive approach of using loud radios and lights to scare the raccoons away.
