Homemade Cockpit Table For Our R-21 EC

[Shangie]

Hubs built us a fabulous cockpit table out of Starboard in Sandtone. He mounted it on a fully adjustable Langun mount that allows us to move it up/down or sideways/ forward/backward. It is 24" wide by 30 long with rounded edges (1/8 inch round over) That size is perfect for allowing comfortable access on both sides of the aft 'couch'. We used it this weekend for two days trying to figure out where we prefer some cupholders go and will be putting two of those into the sides so they don't interfere with serving meals, a game of cards, etc. Another neat thing about the mount is that for towing we just lowered it right onto a throw cushion placed on the motor box and locked it down snug as can be. The mount is not the cheapest out there but it is excellent for being able to utilize a table for many uses. We had it swung halfway over the motor bench to lean on when wanting to be outside but still visiting with each other when we shared steering duties. A picture is in our album (I hope). He made the corners by tracing a five gallon bucket on the four ends. No sharp corners to gouge anyone's thighs or the youngest grandchildren's eyes. Cost was $90.00 for Starbrite at Tap Plastics in Lynnwood and we bought the mount on Ebay for about $149.00 and at a fifty dollar discount due to it being a second because of scratches no one will ever see (They seem to always be available through this seller). Will have another $10-15 in cup holders. We couldn't find a table we liked so we had to DIY the project.

 

[bob daily]

Nice job!
I like the way it looks how did you mount to the deck? Pictures?
Bob

 

[Shangie]

Bob, it is mounted to the motor box- we took out the factory mount and stopped up those holes with stainless steel screws, washers and butyl tape and then mounted the Langun. It is a sweet set up. Here is the web address to the Ebay store we purchased the mount from: https://www.ebay.com/i/223434175801?chn=ps . The seller seems to always have these at a discount. If you click on my album link you can see one picture and how it is swung over the motor box. Link: gallery2.php?sid=&g2_itemId=67254

Hubs next project will be a 16" wide by 10" tall teak kitchen storage box with a quartz tile top (heat resistant) for behind the pilot seat so I can more readily access two coffee mugs, hot beverage supplies and snacks while underway- rooting around the bottom storage compartments got old real quick so that box out to look attractive and be highly functional. It is great to have a woodworker in the family!

 

[Shangie]

Bob- Found a picture of the mount so I changed out the picture to show you.

 

[baz]

Well done.... that IS a very cool design for the table and the capability of having it positioned. 🙂

 

[Shangie]

Thanks Barry- We are determined to make this wee boat our waterfront getaway for the next several years. We love everything you said you did about it. The feeling of being next to the water is tremendously important to us at this time though you do pay a price for that just as with sailing a small craft. The boat fits our budget at this time in life in terms of both financial budget and time available to maintain and launch. It is an economical little boat that handles the water very well. Our boating guest were very impressed with how Nemo handled large waves once the winds in Edmonds kicked up in the afternoon. We did 37 nm this weekend, cooking and sleeping on board. The cooking is a challenge I am determined to meet through extreme organization. Any tips from others are surely welcome. Another great thing about this boat is that everyone wants to talk with you about it and so you meet folks and you can get a lot of help at the dock if you need it. Everyone wants to peep inside and I am happy to accommodate 😀

 

[Pilotnavigator]

Cooking tips... first we have a full canvas cockpit cover, top and all sides. This makes the cockpit an enclosed room. We do all our cooking in the cockpit and in a bbq mounted on the esteem rail. All our cooking pots are stainless steel made by MSR, a camping supplier, they nest together in a nylon sack. We keep all our utensils in a roll up pouch and hang it from the side rail with Velcro strips. We cover the engine box with a plastic tablecloth. And cook, wash all on the engine box. We have our meals on the standard table. Our stove is a butane one burner that Coleman sells for less that 30 dollars. Over the summer we burn about one can of fuel every 3 days. Boil water for tea and washing up. Meals consist of fresh food for the first theee days out, bacon and eggs in wraps for breakfast with OJ in drinking boxes. Lunch is those prepackaged crackers and spread. Dinner is steak, smoked pork chop, sausages in wraps, for the first days. Each night we would make up a bagged salad. Small fridge so by the end of day three we are down to using camping meals, those open and add boiling water and let sit for a while. Most are rather tasty. Some times the sausages last for two dinners. The rest of each week we have cold cereal for breakfast. We store tetra packs of milk under the beds. Seems to be colder down there with the supply of OJ. Transfer some to the fridge as needed. I remover the stove from the cabin. Keep it nice and clean to reinstall when I have to sell the boat. I fill the water tank, and another 5 gallon jug that stays in the cockpit. The two step in the cockpit are used for storage, one for water bottles, can get a full case in there. And the other for shoes used on shore.
We return to our base every 10 days. Fill our water. Resupply our cereal, camping meals, books, lunch fixing and buy or fresh stuff at the store. Then head back out! On the move all the gear on the engine box goes into the cabinet where the radio is. Food and supplies are stored in 4 Rubbermaid totes that fit in the cabinets too. We have three bamboo cutting boards that we lay out on the plastic cover to hold the stove on the larger one, out pot of boiled water on the medium size and out little tea pot on the smaller one.
Hope that helps get you started.

 

[baz]

At the end of a day's cruising having to find the effort and time making a meal can be exhausting and not something to look forward to at times. My solution to this was to use a slow 12v power cooker. Load it up with the tasty goodies and turn it on before settling off and at end of the day the stock pot food is ready to eat. This removes that thought of having to end the day cooking up a meal. The 12v slow cooker can be had for $15 to $60 at places like Walmarts or Amazon.

I've also used the slow cooker for having meals at the end of a long car trip.

Example...
https://www.amazon.com/RoadPro-RPSL...ocphy=9033269&hvtargid=pla-429660970036&psc=1

 

[bob daily]

Nemo
The wife and I do a lot of backcountry camping with the horses, thank god she's not a boat person so I don't have a lot of adult supervision on the boat! I think the most important thing about cooking is prior planning, I fix or pre-cook my meals at home (pre cook chicken, ribs etc and vacume pack and freeze) steak,burgers and such is pre packed so all is ready when needed,I use a small Webber BBQ that I made a bracket to hang over the side so not taking up space in the cockpit area. I freeze water bottles and can take a weeks supply of food for two in a small cooler under the helm station that I use for a foot rest. The refrigerator is used for sandwich fixens and Bob's refreshments! When the grandkids are with me I fill the sink full of miniature candy bars, crackers and goodies, I get the flavored water stuff so they don't have a open soda can on board. My first mate's favorite meal is Lipton noodle soup and grilled cheese sandwich on the BBQ, they are always wanting me to cook salmon on the boat even before we're ashore or I've had a chance to clean it, KIDS!
If you get the tinfoil grease trays for your big at home BBQ and turn them upside down, you can bake potato's and other items, yes I've cooked brownies on my boat! My boat is a fun place and yes we have fun cooking too! If you give me a call I'll text you a pic of BBQ bracket and some fun recipes that have been approved by the first mate. Bob

 

[Shangie]

THANK YOU ALL for the wonderful cooking aboard and storage tips. It appears there is so much we can do to accommodate a very restrictive diet up to a week out which is all the time we would have anyway. Will send private messages to ask questions for any clarification once we are through a new family emergency- the family is getting older...... Have time to contemplate all of this during flight time and come up with a game plan. Just love this forum!