I will just relate my experience (2008, R25 classic):
The existing table was indeed a bit dysfunctional, mostly because of the two pedestals which were a pain to remove to convert the table to a berth. RT obviously recognized this with their re-design.
I asked Ranger Tugs (twice) if I might purchase the folding table, and they declined.
After reviewing previous posts which you should find on this site, here is what I did:
- removed the table top, and had a good carpenter cut it down a couple of inches shorter and a couple of inches
narrower;
I had him re-attach the fiddles, but you could leave it flat if you wished;
the rationale for the new reduced dimensions is to make the table easier to sit at, and to make it easier to get past
the galley slave!
- removed the two pedestals - a bit of a pain, requiring crawls into the cave to remove the bolts;
- purchased the beautifully designed single hydraulic pedestal which is used with the folding tables (sorry, I can't find
the details, but I found it online);
- after a lot of careful measuring, I bolted the new pedestal to the floor and attached the modified table top to it;
- finally, as the modified table is shorter, I attached teak 2x2s to the fibreglass of the seat edges, so the table top rests
on them when it is converted to a berth, as well as being supported by the pedestal, of course;
I am pleased with the result. The collapsible pedestal is a big upgrade, and it is now a simple job to change the dinette
into a berth (although it is slightly narrower for two people, and you could leave it the original width if you wished).
The job was not too difficult (even for me!) and no doubt a lot cheaper than buying the new table from RT (if I could have).
Cheers
