Where to put the BBQ on a MKII?

[tonywright]

Laste weekend we were confronted with the choice: where do we put the BBQ on the stern rail? Discovered there is no obvious answer.

Choices:

(1) beside the GPS receiver and flag mount on the starboard side: pretty sure this would not be good for the Raystar unit, and the flag would definitely have to be stowed.
(2) behind the outboard mount: interesting to see how fireproof the outboard tank is on a Honda 2hp?
(3) on the rail surrounding one of the rail seats: not so comfortable for sitting.

Once installed: the bimini canvas seems pretty close: could this catch fire if there is a flare up?

What I decided: when using the BBQ, remove the OB motor and put it on the dinghy ready for use and fold up the bimini. Use the rail behind the OB mount. This means some work and prep time every time we use the BBQ (which is of the removable kind, just leaves a small bracket on the rail, just big enough to injure a back if installed in the seating area).

Anyone come up with a better idea?

Tony

[Momentum M]

Tony....we also have a similar boat and yes there's not may spot to install the BBQ.  We have a Force 10 (it's on the small size) that does the job.  We have it on the stern, starboard side so, like you said it's beside the flag post and the GPS antenna.  It's bracket bring the BBQ about 8" or so outward so I don't have a problem with the Bimini. I roll the flag around the post (I don't remove it) and I may drop the the gate/later so now I have a confortable platform to stand on while I BBQ.  I wish their was more room so I could get a bigger unit...meaning a bigger cooking surface but its does the job.  I'll try to post a picture...but it's on my other computer.

[Momentum M]

Here's one picture

[Momentum M]

Now the second one....as you can see on the pictures...it even clear the cushion on the stern seat

[tonywright]

Great pictures Serge, and I can see how this works.  Is it at all awkward to reach the BBQ, ie do you need a steady hand with the steaks to make sure they don't end up as fish food?

Mine is a round BBQ with the mount centered over a rail. Very easy to reach, and so far I have managed to catch anything heading overboard. Maybe I need a new BBQ though?

A key revelation, looking at your stern seats: so that's what those bendy seats are for that they sell at the boat shows! The PO gave us one that he hadn't used yet, so I was trying to figure out how it would be useful 

Tony

[Momentum M]

OK...Maybe I've put to big of an attachment so I'll try again.

[Momentum M]

My dog thinks that they're confy

[Momentum M]

As you can see from the pictures...you can do many things with them.  Lay them flat on the front deck if you want to, use one bent 90° against the sheet bags and one flat to give u complete seating...for 3/4 or ea side.
The cost is approx 60$ cdn ea and we have 6 so for under 400$ u get complete seating.  I may had that they're made of material that do not absorb the water so in 5 min, with a dry rag, they're usable again.  As a bonus, the material doesn't stick to your skin..specially on hot days.

They can be used anywhere, dock/finger, front deck, beach, park etc.

If you turn them sideways, you have a complete seat/back rest.

All this for 1/4 to 1/6th of what the dealer/Catalina wanted for there leather cushions.

To sum up...we luv them

[mrousseau]

Hi Tony,

We were confronted with the same issue.  We have spoken with a stainless steal welder who suggested welding a bracket on to the railing which would enable to put the barbecue and keep it out of the way of the bimini and gps chartplotter antenna.  We have seen this installation on another boat and it works very well.

Best of luck

Annick and Michel

[Ron Hill]

Where ever you place your grill make sure that it can't be attacked by a piling during docking or be able to rotate it to the inside if it starts to get in trouble (like I do)!!

Us guys with a narrow MKI stern rail have NO sympathy for the problems of a wide MKIIs stern rail with twice as much space!!   

[Ken Juul]

After loosing several brats to Neptune because of inconsiderate power boats creating wakes around anchorages I took my grill off the overwater rail.  I now just move one of the cockpit cushions to the other side and put the grill (with feet) in it's place.  Alternately if we have a crowd it can go on the cabin top.  After it cools it goes back in it's place in the cockpit locker.  The gas bottle goes into it's storage sleeve under the stern perch seat.  The "stainless" version we got with the boat died about a year after we purchased Luna Loca.  We replaced it with a $19 portable Coleman from Wal-Mart.  Since it stays in the locker out of the weather it is still going strong after 6 seasons, and won't be lost to a piling that shows up in the wrong place. 

[Joe Kern]

Ron's post made me laugh.  Lots of ways for things hanging off the boat to get you in trouble.  Nothing better than having the grill nicely off out of the way and your dock lines neatlty coiled and hung off the pilings only to have them wrap around the grill as you go past the pilings on the way out of the slip.  Almost as good as forgetting that one spring line or your power cable.  Trust me, I have come close on all of them.  Needless to say, I keep my grill in its cover in the starboard aft locker until I need it.

Joe