best cup holder for a compac......

[Billy]

So I tried the ones with the suction cups, tried a few other ones nothing worked. But this evening I found what works best.....
A ROLL OF DUCT TAPE!!!!

seriously, it really does work!

[Craig Weis]

This teak organizer works pretty good and is also a handle to lift the fuel tank cover straight up. Handy for binoculars as well and a storage place for a knife...just in case. Oh and a beverage holder too. It's about $25 from West Marine and I stopped at ACE hardware and bought 4 of those 1/4" fasteners with a wood screw on one end and a machine screw at the other end. A dot of paint on the machine screw ends and a touch of them on the fiberglass cover places the holes for drilling. Then drill. Then a flat washer, split ring and a brass acorn nut inside the cover, and she finished off very nicely. Nothing to rip a hole in skin or rub a hole into a plastic fuel tank.

skip.

[brackish]

Thank's Skip, this is my day for gleaning ideas to solve problems.  I've been wanting to put two three gallon tanks in the fuel storage area side by side with the long dimension oriented fore and aft.  Because of the handles on the long dimension it is about 2.5 inches too long for the cover.  But if I cut out the grp the width of the two handles and replaced with a teak bump out that would allow room for  the handles below and some cup and storage holders above, that would work nicely and have a nice finished look.

My other options were to replace the cover with a hinged teak cover and leave it open in the center so the tank handles could stick out.  Or cut the cover and frame the cut edge with teak and let the handles stick out.

[Craig Weis]

Would those collapsible five gallon 'square' water containers for camping conform to the shape under the fuel tank cover?

Polypropylene would not like gas sitting on it? I don't know. Why not build a fuel tank to 'just' fit in the hole?
Dad built one for his boat out of clear plastic sheets about 3/8" thick sheets, saber sawed cut and sanded then glued together. I think it was about 80 gallon. Don't need a fuel gauge.

Just remember sticking out past the regular end of the fuel tank cover may impede your comfort zone in the cockpit. And when the notch is cut in the front end that may weaken the 'bridge effect' where some day you may sit or stand to reach something over the side. These are small boats.

skip.

[HideAway]

A six gallon metal tank fits perfectly - of course they rust out after a few years - I have at least 8 on my current one.  I've recently acquired a three gallon plastic tank to use for our day trips and plan to keep the 6 gal for the longer cruises if we are ever so fortunate to take.  West Marine has a plastic 6 gal tank for Mercury motors and I thing you can order one from Evinrude - both are expensive.  Matt

[Salty19]

Another example but made of starboard located on the fuel compartment locker door.
Has small rectangular storage box with el-cheapo wal-mart can holders. Got it from Cabella's, think it was $60 or so.

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Stern rail seat with cupholders (Beckson can holder inserts not shown).  From Compac factory.

[curtisv]

Another example but made of starboard located on the fuel compartment locker door.
Has small rectangular storage box with el-cheapo wal-mart can holders. Got it from Cabella's, think it was $60 or so.

Salty,

Nicely done.  Is that a custom stern pulpit.  If so, do you weld?  SS is hard to weld, so I hear anyway.

Curtis

[Salty19]

Hi Curtis-

The pulpits/seats were a not-on-the-options-list factory custom install.    You would have to contact Hutchins to see if they can either provide specifications or supply the parts for you.

There should be a few 23's and larger built with stern rails seats from the factory, so perhaps Hutchins can hook you up.  Only potential problem I can see is cost and bolt hole pattern mismatches vs. the original pulpit.   

I used the seats quite a bit yesterday in steady 8-10 knot breezes.   Really gives a nice view and makes you feel like a captain, but I would only use them in good conditions.   One of the benefits was a bit better view of coming black water/gusts.  It also helped me track my hat that had gone overboard (but alas did sink to the depths!).

A tiller extension is somewhat mandatory to steer from up there. 

[curtisv]

Hi Curtis-

The pulpits/seats were a not-on-the-options-list factory custom install.    You would have to contact Hutchins to see if they can either provide specifications or supply the parts for you.

There should be a few 23's and larger built with stern rails seats from the factory, so perhaps Hutchins can hook you up.  Only potential problem I can see is cost and bolt hole pattern mismatches vs. the original pulpit.   

I used the seats quite a bit yesterday in steady 8-10 knot breezes.   Really gives a nice view and makes you feel like a captain, but I would only use them in good conditions.   One of the benefits was a bit better view of coming black water/gusts.  It also helped me track my hat that had gone overboard (but alas did sink to the depths!).

A tiller extension is somewhat mandatory to steer from up there. 

Salty,

I'm more interested in getting a solar panel mount for larger panels.  I've been given a referal to the same local guy from two people.  He does a lot of custom truck racks for lumber (or whatever - more people seem to use them for truck top boats like sunfish than lumber around here - I'm confident my dentist doesn't haul much lumber to the beach).  Most of his work is in anodized aluminum but I think aluminum is harder to weld (though easier to cut and debur or polish) than SS, so I'm hoping he can do SS.  I may be wrong since I don't weld.

btw - I think a tiller tamer or cansail or equivalent would be a better choice than a tiller extension.  Just relax and wait to run aground (OK - I'll admit that I've actually done that - but I was very relaxed for a while and it was just sand).

Curtis

[Caboose]

Cupholders on sailboats?
Ok, maybe past the 30' range.
Face it, we are just overgrown dinghy sailing.
I'll try the duct tape idea and see how it goes.
Besides, duct tape fixes almost everything.

On the other hand, that cute co-ed down the street would make a great cupholder.

[Craig Weis]

Not only a swell cup holder but a binocular and cell phone or any nick knacks. And this teak holder from West Marine also is a great handle to lift the cover off from above the fuel tank.

I bought 4 of those fasteners with a wood screw on one end and a machone screw on the other end. Once the wood screw was in the 'cup holder' I dabbed four dot of paint onto the machine screws and gently and accurately placed the holder onto the fiberglass, leaving a tell tail as to where to drill the glass and screw 'em on with brass acorn nuts and flat washers. Oh and also I drilled four holes in the back of the shelvf to let the rain water or splash out. Hit her with a little Cetol.

And it's generally out of the way when sailing. Depends on who's holding her cup.

skip.

[Billy]

I looked at those at WM. They are about $35. Another day another dollar.
But I do like the set up.

Salty's is nice too. Love the cat seats! I do think it might be better to but the cup hold on top instead of in front, as you cannot sit there due to the tiller, and foot room is somewhat limited. But for now....Duct Tape

[Greene]

Cupholders on sailboats?
Ok, maybe past the 30' range.
Face it, we are just overgrown dinghy sailing.
I'll try the duct tape idea and see how it goes.
Besides, duct tape fixes almost everything.

On the other hand, that cute co-ed down the street would make a great cupholder.

Ran your idea by the Admiral - she said it was fine as long as I understood it would cost me 50% of everything I own.  Need pic's of coed to decide.

Mike

[Bob23]

Mike:
   Forget the coed idea...too costly and she probably talks too much. I like Skips cup holder but, being a builder/carpenter, I'll make my own from whatever scrape wood I have lying around. Should take all of 1/2 hour. But I prefer my binocs forward a bit...keeps the salt spray away from 'em.
   Maybe I'll post a photo. JK!
Bob23

[brackish]

Taking this a bit off topic, has anyone tried to or considered putting hinges on the back of the fuel locker cover so that it pivots up rather than coming straight up, loose.  Mine is a major PITA as it binds when trying to raise it if it gets out of perfect plumb during the process.  Would have to take the teak guides off, but I'm considering it.

Bob23 raised our expectations with:
Maybe I'll post a photo.

Fat chance