R-25 Cockpit Table

[CaptMac]

I wanted to say THANKS to John (John & Laurie from the Laurie Anne). I shamelessly stole his cockpit table idea, and assembled/installed it in a couple of hours just before we left on our two week cruise to the Gulf Islands. The cruise was outstanding, we really liked Princess Bay (Wallace Island) - great hikes and a beautiful place. and the table helped us enjoy it even more. Thanks!

I've posted a couple of pictures in my album - and will try to put a link here if I can figure out how.
http://www.tugnuts.com/gallery2.php?g2_itemId=19515

and a picture


Several of our favorite places in the Gulf Islands (and beyond) require a stern tie. I finally posted pictures of the bracket I make from two pieces of wood and a wooden dowel - on which I place the 300ft reel of polypro line. I can put it in place in a few minutes, then store it below when not using it. I posted pictures in my album - and I'll try to post a link

http://www.tugnuts.com/gallery2.php?g2_itemId=19511

and a picture:




Mac

 

[RDragon]

Looks Great! I have been toying with this idea, but am a little worried about my Starboard skills :? Imitation being the most sincere form of flattery and all.

We borrowed another Idea from John and laurie as well, placed an external speaker on the navigators side. WHAT a difference! No longer do I have to hear the Admiral ask...."What did they say??????"

Just curious Mac, Approximate cost of the table modification?

 

[Andrew Custis]

Great Idea!

I have shown Dave Livingston and he took off runnning to the shop with his tape measure and pencil. I think were on to something!

 

[Tom Ray]

Love the table idea.

Andrew, tell Dave that it would be nice if the production version had a lip to prevent stuff flying off. 😀

 

[Andrew Custis]

Already in design. I can say no more 😀

 

[CaptMac]

I have no starboard skills...I just used a second bait well cover (identical to the one that is already there), and routed out the place for the hinges. I got a scrap price of starboard for the support. As long as I had two perpendicular edges available I was fine - I freeformed the curved side with a jig saw. Not especially pretty, but...

The only drawback might be that starboard is very slippery. We use no skid place matts - and the table wipes clean in a flash.

Starboard can be pricey - you'll have to ask Andrew. The only other stuff you need are three good hinges (I think they were ~$15 each but I can't remember for sure) and some nuts, bolts and cap nuts.

Mac

 

[baz]

Already in design. I can say no more 😀

Care to share the design for purposes of customer feedback before you make final decision ? You wouldn't want to design something many would not want, now would you? 😉

My thought on this table extension after seeing it on Capt. Mac's R25 last Sunday was that it was a wonderful addition. However, Capt. Mac did conceded it makes it impossible to clip on the cushion seating because of the extra 1/2" - 3/4" height imposed by the flip table. An easy fix presumable done by the factory.

Personally, I would prefer that the extra table surface be a draw-like mechanism. You simply pull it out and have some form of stabilizing support arms for it. Of course lips would be an extra bonus to stop things sliding off. If this can be designed without having to remove the cushion seating that would be a big plus to boot.

As an aside, why does this cockpit seat have to be as high as it is? My wife has to heave herself onto it and her feet are swinging above the cockpit floor. I know we are are all different sizes so this is understandable I guess.

 

[baz]

...snip...

Several of our favorite places in the Gulf Islands (and beyond) require a stern tie. I finally posted pictures of the bracket I make from two pieces of wood and a wooden dowel - on which I place the 300ft reel of polypro line. I can put it in place in a few minutes, then store it below when not using it. I posted pictures in my album - and I'll try to post a link

http://www.tugnuts.com/gallery2.php?g2_itemId=19511

and a picture:


Mac

Mac: How is the stern tie rope attached to the boat? Is it simply the reel or is the rope attached to the boat elsewhere? It would seem to me if it were to be the reel that a large moment arm force could be applied to that wooden dowel causing it to break off unexpectedly. Hopefully you don't consider this to be a silly question. 🙂

 

[CaptMac]

Hi Barry -

No such thing as a silly question when it comes to boating -

The stern tie bracket only holds the weight of the reel & line. It is basically a garden hose reel - just to make it easy to unwind and wind up a bunch of line without getting it tangled. To deploy it, I take the free end (the one with the loop), clip it on my dinghy and row to shore, run the line through the eye bolt on shore (or around a tree if no eye bolts are installed) and row back to Island Ranger to attach it to a cleat. I then pull in all the excess line, wind it back on the reel, and tie off the end (fairly tightly) to the cleat as well. So both "ends" of the stern tie line are tied to cleats. The reel never handles any force.

Hope this helps-

Mac

 

[baz]

Thanks Mac. I knew there was a good answer for the dowel not breaking off. 🙂

 

[j&lgray]

Regarding the cockpit table, we have been silent on this thread because we have been boating in the Canadian Gulf Islands and the Princess Louisa Inlet and have been out of cell phone and internet access.

We use the cockpit table two or three times a day. We removed the bench cushions and keep them at home. Also, this surface makes a great place to put those scuba tanks so you can get them on. We dive from the Laurie Ann, bike from her and of course dinghy from here.

The cock pit table is easy to make and if you can work with wood, you can work with Starboard because it uses the same wood working tools. All of the ideas that we have done (and are still doing) with the Laurie Ann are adapted from ideas from other boaters. So, feel free to contact us if we can help you with your boat.

 

[captstu]

Hi, I took the Starboard locker cover from the stern locker on our R-25 to a plastic shop and had a table fabricated for $45, the equivalent of just a few hours running time. 🙂

I also bought two hinges nearly identical to the factory for another $10 and had them installed by the same plastics shop included in the above price.

Now I'm pondering how to provide a leg.

I'm concerned that, being a boat, people will sit on the extension - and the nice looking fold out arm might come off the wall with the extra load.

Has anyone built an angle leg that attaches to the cabinet between the two doors? This seems stronger and just as easy to use. Thanks.