Arion has a table

[brackish]

I mentioned I needed a table.  Others sent pictures of various portable folding, between the seats, over the bridge deck, etc. and I liked them all but wanted one that met specific criteria.  It had to be large enough to dine two in comfort, four a little crowded.  It had to be like a real table you could get your knees under.  It had to be mountable both in the cabin and in the cockpit.  It had to be able to be stored on board in a place that would not take up one cubic inch of habitable cabin space. 

The PO had the original, but never sent it and after a number of 23 owners said they didn't like it for various reason i gave up asking.  I liked, on my larger boat, the type that is double hinged off the cabin bulkhead, but had trouble figuring out how to make one large enough and it would take up way too much valuable habitable space when stored.  I like Curtis V's storage method on top of the forward cabin ceiling, but still it would take up space and I already bump when I turn over in my sleep.  Additionally it would cut off the light from the solar vent and disrupt the airflow somewhat. 

So here is what i came up with using scraps from the shop.  It is similar to the stock table but much lighter.



The two pieces on the outside (with the blue felt for non marring sliding) are the storage brackets.  I was originally going to make it hinged so it would fold and fit under a berth, but when I took the frame up to the boat to check the fit, I found this area that would accept it whole in a place that can be used for nothing else, over the stove.  The sliding stove can be pulled out without interfering with the table.



to make it work in the cockpit, I made an additional bracket:





Table mounted in the Cabin (post is the one that comes with the stock table):



and cockpit:

[Sedona Don]

Slick .... nice job!  Think I will copy that!!

[BruceW]

cool idea!

I think I'll experiment with a bracket like you made, and try the original table I have. Currently, I have it "stored" in the v berth, but I'm trying to not have anything there, so I'll have to see if it can go back under the quarterberth like you have it. Hmm, without looking back at your picture, I'll have to understand how that bracket gets installed in the cockpit too.

[brackish]

cool idea!

I think I'll experiment with a bracket like you made, and try the original table I have. Currently, I have it "stored" in the v berth, but I'm trying to not have anything there, so I'll have to see if it can go back under the quarterberth like you have it. Hmm, without looking back at your picture, I'll have to understand how that bracket gets installed in the cockpit too.

The stock table on my boat, even though I never got it from the PO, was stored as a box cover over a rather large, nice, teak storage box that slid under the companionway all the way back to cover the bilge area.  Problem was that the box had to be removed to get anything out of it and to do that required moving the ice chest out first which was in front of the box.  Too much trouble so the box stays in my attic.  The different versions of this boat had different companionway designs but you might check that area as a storage spot for your stock table if the area where I have mine doesn't work for you. 

The cockpit bracket just sits or wedges in there is no hard connection.  The lower crossbar sits on the motor cover with a tab behind it for stability.  The two side pieces drop down alongside the cockpit seats a little tight so that they kind of wedge in.  The piece coming from the upper cross bar has a threaded insert, as does the table and a threaded knob locks it to the table along with the two toggle clamps.  When it is all set up it is very stable.  I've had four folks eating there and bumping the table without rocking or spilling anything.

[BruceW]

Heck, when I came to look at this thread, I was expecting some kind of cockpit floor fitting that would hold a center pole for a table. I like the idea of just setting things in, and not having to gouge out a place for another fitting. Very cool to see how you have fixed this up. Wedging, much better than...well, it's better than anything else I can think of.

[Bob23]

Brack:
   Not to hijack this thread, but is that a StaLok fitting on your backstay? Any problems with it, do you like it ok?
Bob23
Oh, very nice table arrangement. I may steal and alter it for a cockpit table. I dealt with the cabin table by making a pull out chart table where the sink used to be.

[brackish]

Brack:
   Not to hijack this thread, but is that a StaLok fitting on your backstay? Any problems with it, do you like it ok?
Bob23
Oh, very nice table arrangement. I may steal and alter it for a cockpit table. I dealt with the cabin table by making a pull out chart table where the sink used to be.

No just standard swaged fittings that came with the boat.  In all my years and all my boats have never had one with Sta-lok fittings but I've never heard anything bad about them.