Galley shelf installation

[Bobg]

Making a galley shelf like the ones seen in the archieves, I can't fing anything on how to hang the shelf to the ceiling, do you drill through the boat and put bolts, or is the roof strong enough to run screws?  would like to have wood dowles instead of steel pipe with a flange, although not criticle to do the wood.  Any ideas would be appreciated, also how to connect the other end to the boat.  Thanks guys   Bob

[Steve S.]

Hey Bob:  Many ways to do this.  I'll try to take a picture of the shelf I added and post it.  But since that may be a while, here's what I did. 

The shelf extends about 20 inches from the starboard side, right over the fridge cover.  I attached one end to the teak accent strip that extends to the upper cabinets.  For the end that is now in mid-air, I got a 1" dia chrome railing pipe (for free!, the local canvas shop is always throwing out 1 to 2' pieces.)  I then got a 2" by 5" by 1" piece of teak and sanded it so it would fit flat against the coach roof, just above the end of the shelf.  On one side of it, I drilled a 1" hole to accept the pipe.  I also drilled a 1" hole at the end of the shelf to accept the other end of the rod.   Using a plumb of some sort, line up the hole in the teak piece so it lines up with the hole in the shelf.  Mount the teak piece to the coach roof.  (I actually cut a larger hole in the teak piece to accept a halogen light).    After cutting the pipe to size  In the rod, I drilled a 1/8" hole about a 1/4" from each end.  Place the rod in the holes and drill a small pilot hole in the end of the shelf so it lines up with the hole you cut in the piping.  Do the same for the teak piece you mounted.  Then using a long thin screws, you can secure the ends of the pipes.  I left enough room to allow for recessed screws and then put plugs in the holes.  I know this sounds complicated, but if you look at the projects page and click on Galley Shelf near the bottom of the list, you'll get the idea. 

I too, installed lights in the teak ceiling piece and in the bottom of the shelf, basically using the same technique as descibed in projects, except I cut the grooves in the plywood core of the shelf and laid in wires and then glued on Honduram mahogany veneer.  (a little teak oil and it looks just like the teak.)       

[Ron Hill]

Bob : The easiest way to hang the shelf is to get a stainless tube (cut to length and some Bimini hardware) to secure it to the overhead and to the shelf.  Look in West Marine or Defender for those   hardware ends. 

[Stu Jackson]

See:  http://www.c34.org/projects/projects-galley-shelf.html

As Ron says, great stuff in the old material if you search for it.  The C34 Website Google search engine, here: http://www.c34.org/c34-search.html  is very helpful.

[Stu Jackson]

Lighting:  Captain Al's lighting uses a 120V system tied into his inverter/charger.  When we were discussing this back in '98-'99, I told him what we did, using the same lights.  The lights themselves are 12V, tied into a transformer that converts from 120V down to 12V.  We simply bought the 12V "replacement lamp part kit" at Home Depot without the transformer/plug and wired the 12V lights right into our lighting circuit wiring, so no need to use the inverter.  Same lights, just no 12V/120V/12V switcheroo.  Our lights have lasted these past almost ten years, although I still have a few spares onboard.  You can see our install on the main Projects page pictures at the top, and here, too:  http://www.c34.org/projects/projects-aquavite.html

[Bobg]

thank you all for your answers, so do I run screws to the couch roof, or run through bolts, I am thinking screws that won't go through, but will that be strong enough?  I like the idea of 12/120 volt lights. Bobg

[Steve S.]

Run screws.  The core up there is plywood (at least it is on my 88').  They'll hold.  If you want to be conservative, drill the holes, fill'em with expoxy and drill'em out again, but I think that is overkill.