Latest project:
The first picture is the jig I made to get the curve of the deck and hull. The second is the template that I made using the jig. I have finished fixing the $9 teak doors from Minney's Yacht Surplus. Now waiting on the teak veneer. Then, it will be time to cut some marine plywood and cover it with the veneer...
Baby steps...
Nice work, Rick. Where do you store the filler cushion for the saloon berth?
Rick : My only suggestion is that you may want to put some vents in the doors or the frame. A thought
Ron,
Great suggestion! I was starting to wonder about that and definitely will do something about it now. I got such a good deal on the doors I could not pass them up. Maybe some type of louvered vent will fit on each side.
Cheers,
Rick
If you can't find a louvered insert, what about using a mesh screen? I've used that before on various land projects.
Rick : Vents Underneath works too!!
Wow! I like it. Just when I thought I was running out of boat projects.
OK this was my louvered vent solution. I just could not find what I wanted in teak (OK, not at I price I was willing to pay. Especially not to import from New Zealand). Instead, I bought a 2" x 12" American walnut self rimming vent off of eBay and cut it in half. A little work with the router, gluing in a small piece of walnut and now I have 2 vents for the cabinet.
I'm going to try making my own teak plywood this weekend. A 2'x5' piece of Baltic Birch plywood, some teak veneer and a little glue. We'll see how it turns out.
Cheers,
Rick
Your cabinet looks excellent!! If you want it all to be a uniform color there is a stain from Minwax Polyshades (with varnish included) called "Olde Maple" that looks just like teak when applied sparingly. I have used it on Mahogany.
Aloha....
Hi Rick,
I have attached some pictures of the cabinet work that the PO did to expand the v-berth storage on our boat. The PO extended the v-berth shelf out and additional 5-6" and added a cabinet front as you did, but made the doors with wicket panels for ventilation. If you look in the second and third pictures you will see the dark wood of the original shelf and the lighter wood of the extension. The cabinet face and door frames are solid teak boards almost an inch thick. The cabinet is large enough to store the cockpit table plus all the berth linens and comforters. The only down side to extending out the cabinet is if you roll over in your sleep with your legs bent at the knees you will bang your shins on the bottom edge of the cabinet. The PO also replaced the sliding lexan doors in the main salon with matching cabinet doors. I will post these pictures as well if you are interested, just let me know.
Paul Shields
Pablo's Girl C34 # 551
Nice work and great ideas. For those of us that have a windlass for the anchor, we will need to get forward of the plywood bulkhead for servicing. Is the addition easily removable?
Hi Ken,
Yes, it can be removed. Removal requires removing about a dozen screws plus the screws for the original shelf. So "easy" is a relative term. For your own install, knowing that you will need to remove it periodically for maintenance to the winch forward of the bulkhead, you could modify the attachment to stream line its removal.
Paul Shields
Pablo's Girl C34 #551
Paul,
Yes I would be very interested in the salon modifications. Always need another boat project.
Hook 'em Horns,
Rick
Hi Rick,
Here are the pictures of the cabinets in the salon that match the v-berth. They provide a lot of space to store stuff that won't end up flying around on a close reach in a stiff breeze. The cabinetry has enough clearance to allow easy removal of the chain plate rods for re-bedding. These cabinets are not easily removed.
I have also attached a picture of the shelf that was added to the aft berth. This shelf is removable to gain access to the systems behind these panels (steering cables, fuel tank, etc.)
Hope this gives you some more project ideas!
Paul Shields
Pablo's Girl C34 #551
Ok Paul,
I love this project(s). A few questions:
1) Did you make the doors from scratch?
2) Do they clear the 2 dome lights under the shelf or did you replace them?
3) How wide is the shelf in the aft berth?
Looks wonderful. Great job!
Paul,
I have a question also. It looks like the original shelf can be seen through the caning? Do you have a picture with the doors open?
Thanks,
Rick
Hi Lance,
1) Yes the PO had the doors made from scratch. If you look at the picture "Another view of extension and hinges" in the January 31 post, you can see the details of the door construction. The door frame is 1x2 teak stock that has been routed with a rail and stile bit set to form the connecting joints of the frame. A straight router bit was used to make the inside rabbit for the cane panel in the door frame and the outer rabbit so that the door frame sets into the cabinet. The pre-made cane wicker panel is held in the frame with teak strips that are held in place with brads into the frame.
2) I am not sure which dome lights you are referring to, but the salon cabinet doors clear the salon lights that are mounted under the deck by at least 1.5".
3) The aft berth shelf is 10" wide. you could make it up to 12" wide and not have it interfere with the berth. I have added another angle shot of the shelf against the engine bulkhead.
Rick, as you noticed, the original shelf is still intact behind the cabinet doors. I do not have a picture with the salon cabinet doors open here at home, but I will take some this weekend when I go to the boat and post them.
Paul Shields
Pablo's Girl C34 #551
Great looking mods. What is the louvered vent under the setee against the bulkheard for? Also...is that another door added under the port berth forward? Need more projects ...
Hi Rick,
I went down to the boat and took these pictures today of the salon cabinets (had an assume sail today too!). I placed a tape measure in the shots too so you could get a perspective on how they relate to the original shelves. Notice that the cabinet face tucks in behind the original lower shelf lip. The cabinet face is screwed to this lip to hold it in place. The top is secured at the ends of the cabinets and with teak cleats at the dividers for the doors just behind the chain plate rods. Also, notice the clearance on the salon lights.
Susan, The louvered vent under the settee is for venting the AB compressor for the fridge in the ice box. Yes it is another door into the forward compartment under the port settee birth. This was a mod made buy the PO. I store my tools in this compartment and find it useful so I don't have to disturb the cushions when my hands are all dirty and I need another tool during a project.
Paul Shields
Pablo's Girl C34 #551
Had to break it into two post because of size of pictures. Paul
Finally done... My advice is to buy teak plywood, making your own is a pain in the arse!
Cheers,
Rick