Onboard workbench ideas needed

B

baz

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 19, 2009
Messages
6,085
Fluid Motion Model
C-24 C
At home I have all the tools and workbench surfaces I need to fix/repair things. On our boat we really have nothing to compare to this -- not even a sturdy vice to grip and hold things steady. You want to saw something carefully... forget it.

This has led me to think how to resolve this dilemma. What have others come with I wonder ?

Here's my first idea.

My neighbor across the street was turning out old stuff and he had me in mind when he came across an aging, but well kept, Black & Decker mini workbench. He even had its Owner's Manual dated Feb 1981. It was too good to be true. It's full product name was B&D 79-021 Drop Leaf Workmate. Here's a picture of it.

B%26D%20WorkMate.jpg


I did a quick Google search and it seems this workbench can be found in Auctions, eBay, Craigslist, etc. It's not too expensive from what I saw -- maybe from $35 to $50. I don't believe B & D sells this product any longer.

So, how to use this onboard ?

My first thought would be to install 4 SS bolts on the vertical surface facing the cockpit's port side. There's plenty of room and the bolts can be inserted through from the cockpit side into the cave. The setup would be to have the bolts already positioned and for the Workmate to be simply slid onto and under the protruding bolt heads and then the nuts in the cave tightened up to firmly secure the workmate to the cabin wall.

This workmate is quite heavy and VERY sturdy.

What do you think of this idea ?
 
Barry,

Have you weighed your boat lately?

I also have an R-25. I compared performance to another boat similarly equipped with the Yanmar 110 HP engine. My boat is 3-4 knots faster at the same cruise RPM's. The difference is that he was carrying a rigid dinghy, 4-stroke outboard, Honda generator, and gasoline can on the swim step. He also had two bicycles. I have a slatted bottom inflatable with a Torqueedo in the cave. I know that you have 150 HP, but weight still matters.

Rich
 
OK. Do you feel that the convenience of having an on-board work bench justifies the weight increase and consequent performance/economy reduction?
 
If I were to carry the small workbench I don't see it as being a problem as it weighs about 5 lbs.I will weigh it later and post back its actual weight. Maybe the picture I included in my OP didn't make that clear. It's a very small workbench but could come in very handy if a serious repair was needed while out on a cruise or at a remote Marina.

I do 'hear' you about unnecessary weight. The more you have the slower will be the boat and it in turn hurts fuel burn.

At this time I can hit 17 kts with WOT. When we first got the boat we could hit 20 kts easily on a lake during sea trials.

Personally I don't care to speed the boat. I prefer to stay around 8 kts to maybe 14 kts max.
 
The idea seems very good. However I have found we tend to become victims of "what if" and I am just as guilty. I even carry a torque wrench among my full set of tools and spare parts, which includes a prop. My tow vehicle is usually no more than two hours away, so that is my work bench if need or a padded mat on the cabin table works. There are several suction vices which may do the job and not be as unsightly and easy to store, but then again with a doily you have a nice spot for appetizers and drinks!
 
Barry,

One other consideration; I believe that the aft wall of the cave is a different piece of fiberglass than the forward wall of the cockpit. Check first, but I think there is a small gap between them. I'm not sure how small. I drilled holes through just the cave wall and used short screws to mount my handheld VHF holder and my flare kit. (They are easily grabbed on the way out in an emergency.) The screws do no penetrate the outside wall. If you drill mounting holes through both walls, when you tighten the bolts, you'll distort both walls as they come together. You might be able to shim them, but access is difficult.

I don't know what would happen if you bolt the walls together tightly. I'd be concerned about appearance or creating a squeak, rattle or itch or other problem. On the other hand, it's possible that the boat will end up more solidly constructed than ever.

Good luck with your deliberations. Please let us know what you decide.

Rich
 
Rich:

Thanks for that useful piece of info concerning the cockpit facing and cave walls not being the same. Yes, the gap between them is an issue as you described.

One solution to this is that there really is no need to tighten the 4 bolts that would secure the Drop Leaf Workmate to the outside cockpit wall. They can be left loose with enough of the bolt head protruding so that the Workmate's base plate bolt holes can be slid over the protruding bolt heads and snugged down. As long as there wasn't too much flex in the cockpit wall then any downward load on the horizontal Workmate's surface would put the two top bolts in tension and the two lower bolts actually would not be taking any load as that portion of the Workmate's base plate would be pushing inwards on the cockpit wall. This tells me that to ensure the was no compromise to the cave wall and the cockpit wall structure, then using StarBoard of sufficient dimensions and say 1/4" thick inside the cave and on the cockpit walls could be used with the 4 bolts running the StarBoard. The StarBoard will distribute the load for the two top bolts when they are in tension and when there's vertical downward load on the Workmate's horizontal surface the StarBoard on the cockpit side would distribute the load on the cockpit wall. This is a bit more than I had anticipated but I think that should do the trick.

The real benefit of having the Workmate onboard is to facilitate holding things securely while work is performed on them... such as sawing a piece of wood with a hand saw or jig saw, drilling into something, using a pipe wrench, mounting a wheel grinder. The Workmate provides a variety of ways for holding things securely while you work on or use them.

I would not anticipate keeping the Workmate hanging on the cockpit wall all the time. It's small enough to hide away under the V-berth or in the Cave. The StarBoard pieces I mentioned could be left in place I suppose as they would not be in the way nor look too unsightly being left with the 4 bolts snugged up.

Again, thanks a bunch for giving me a heads-up on there being a gap between the cockpit wall and the Cave wall.
 
I know that people buy a tug to personalize it and make it their own but I always think about how it might affect a sale later. If your current boat is one that you plan to keep forever it of course doesnt matter. But if you ever get two footitis, anything mounted requires the next owner to figure out how to fill the holes if they dont want it there. For that reason I would opt for a rail mount, perhaps removable or a portable work station that wouldnt leave brackets or bolts in the wall. But thats just me.
Ive already thought about adding a post for a small table in the V berth area similar to the Cutwaters, but wonder if it is something that would be liked when I go to sell the boat...... Just in case I ever get two footitis ha.
I have however already converted a safety grab bar into a horizontal hang bar on the under side of our cave roof as well as mounting extinguisers so I too have spent time calculating where screws will go. Perhaps by month six I will be contemplating larger bolts.
 
Very true about 'resale'. I had Jeff Messmer down to my boat last September when I was considering upgrading to the new 2013 R-27 for his value assessment of our R-25. He did say at the time that anything screwed in must be left intact ---- because of the holes showing otherwise would detract from a resale presumably.

So your words are not falling on deaf ears. 😱

The only reason I'm thinking of this small lightweight Workmate is that recently I've been at the boat making/fitting a few things and wished I had a better work surface. I may just forget this whole idea and if needed will haul my much larger folding B&D WorkBench down to the boat and have it erected on the dock side. It's kind of heavy but using the Marina provided wheeled dollies makes that a non issue.

Thanks for the 'resale' reminder. 🙂
 
Barry I try to not use the words "work" and "on the boat" in the same sentence. ha. I feel anything mounted on the wall should hold a wine glass!!!
 
Longbranch Louie":3jyiaedz said:
Barry I try to not use the words "work" and "on the boat" in the same sentence. ha. I feel anything mounted on the wall should hold a wine glass!!!
Click to expand...

I am with Louie on this one. :lol: Thanks
 
Absolutely, every time. :lol:
 
Baz,

At Lowes, I stumbled across a very useful, portable vice that might address part of your needs. In fact two of these used together could address many needs for holding a work piece in place while cutting, drilling, sawing, etc. I tried one in the store to see how tightly the base clamps to a smooth surface; it works really well. There are many such smooth surfaces on a tug.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_313561-52800-BV ... facetInfo=

091162008355lg.jpg
 
Dale: Thanks for that Ref... looks interesting... and not too expensive.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

  • Tugnuts.com is the community hub for Ranger Tug, Cutwater, and Solara owners. Since its inception in 2008, the Tugnuts forum has grown into an active and thriving community of more than 9,000 members. It serves as both a meeting place for the best boating community online, and an invaluable archive of information.

  • User menu
Back
Top