Table Mod

[BOAT]

I'm gonna do it - I think it's a good idea. I was going to start tearing up the entire forward berth this weekend to install a big plastic triangle shaped water tank in the forward bow compartment where the foam is (I figure the empty tank would float just as well as the foam since I will rarely fill it up and it gives me a place to store a lot of water), and I guess I can start on that wall too while I'm at it.

[Highlander]

Don't forget to take pics as u go showing ur progress

J

[apsaunders]

Hey Boat,
I follow your mods and forum entries, but somehow I missed this great mod on your table. My wife and I have been discussing making the dinette area U-shaped in our 2007 . We just assumed we would have to forfeit the dinette table and use a TV tray table. I just ran across this and was wondering if you placed it in the "Mods" section? If you haven't, could you gives us the measurements and explain how it folds to make the bench seat? Great idea and great wood work!
Alan

[BOAT]

You need to start with the couch part - make a piece of wood to fit in the berth to make the couch FIRST:

I made the first one out of cardboard:

[BOAT]

Then you make the part that is the hinged thing - that fits UNDER the couch board when the table is DOWN, just make a wood piece that fits UNDER the couch board like this:



Then put the hindges on the OUTSIDE for the table part, on the INSIDE for the table base part:



After you have a working table that will hindge down to a couch just get out the mahogany and sand paper and varnish and trim the thing out to your taste:

[BOAT]

You don't need to make the base all enclosed with cubbys and stuff like I did, the first time I made this I just made the base out of sticks, see:


Sticks work just as well.

But woudnt you know it John came sailing by (Highlander) and saw that picture and



because John always has an opinion he asked why the little oval port holes in my stick base did not have storage in them! (Some people are never impressed)

So, using the stick base as a pattern I just built the hollow base (WITH oval port holes to match the MAC port holes for John) and that was that:

[BOAT]

We use the table more like a "Dry Bar" because I wanted something that I could use to mix drinks that would work while the boat is underway - and we all know how difficult that can be when heeling 40 degrees in the swells. This shorter table worked great for us because I can grab the bottle of wine (or scotch, for guests with John's tastes) and pour into a glass and put the bottle back into the dry bar behind the table without spilling a drop while underway. Do I care if I spill a little wine? Not really, but just spill some of that expensive stuff that Highlander drinks and you may get an earfull. This make the whole job easy and spill proof.



The Table is just wide enough for me and the wife to sit across each other and eat dinner.

[apsaunders]

Thanks BOAT.
The Admiral and I have already started getting measurements. She's happy and when the Admiral is happy, we're all happy! Thanks again.