The C250 water ballast model comes with a large table designed for use both in the cabin and cockpit and stores in a lip just below the V berth hatch. The table is too large and makes access to the V berth difficult. Both its size and weight make it difficult to manage when moving to the cockpit and if it is stored under the V berth hatch cover, access to the locker is difficult.
A few years ago, an attempt to deal with this was made by adding a small table top to the lid of a 24 quart ice chest as more cooler space was desirable for cruising. That cooler became the drink box because it was easier to access than the primary ice chest. It worked ok, but not great. The cooler was not efficient enough and the table was sometimes yet too large but when eating, too small. It was obvious that a table had to be leaved so as to be large enough for meals and convertable to a small enough footprint to get around easily.
The table had no fiddles, which meant nothing could be left on it while sailing. Lastly, the cooler was contained by a box of mahogany veneer and the table top made of pine and the stains weren't a close match with each other let alone the teak of the cabin leaving the whole, quite frankly more functional than attractive.
Needed was a design that had
After looking at several designs, it seemed clear that one design met the goals... leaves hinged over the top with the fiddles on the under surface.
- leaves that folded over the top to provide fiddles while sailing, suitable to contain the lap top
- more eating width, enough for two plates with the result that the plate would be a more suitable distance from the settee
- better looks
- the flexibility to be used both in the cabin and cockpit, keeping the original intent of Catalina to be convertible
- a smaller footprint, easier to get around when folded
- ease of moving the table between cabin and cockpit, lighter and more compact
- adequate fiddle size for a snack plate or cutting board of cheese n crackers, etc. in the cockpit while sailing
A drawing was sketched and materials sought. First thought was to build it from white starboard as it is easy to work with and acceptably attractive as the original table was white. Teak would be ideal but was expensive. Then I remembered some shipping crate wood that I'd been bogarting for twenty years, which I thought was mahogany, a suitable alternative. Most of it was thin planking about a half inch thick but there were a few thicker stringers. None had yet been planed. The crate was the shipping container for an import metal lathe from China I'd bought many years previous.
After digging it out of the barn rafters.... a discovery... it was teak.... surprise and joy. It had some small nail holes but those not cut around would fill. The shortcoming was that it would plane out at about 5/16, which meant that the design would have to provide adequate support structure and consideration for adequate meat for hinge screws.
Pictures are being taken and will be added to this page later for those who might enjoy the woodworking process. The plan is of course freely offered.
Progress report one
The table base and fiddle section have been shaped, fitted and glued, as well as one leaf section before running out of clamps.
Table Base Structure (necessary because the the table top will be veneer thickness)
Like Oscar's and Suzie's, this table will use the Catalina original tubular legs
making it convertable to either cabin or cockpit
Shown in the Cockpit (will leave crossing space between table and pedestal)
With the legs rotating, the table will be easy to move
Fiddles (will be cut apart later for the two leaves)
Putting reverse radius on fiddles (save the sanding dust for filler)
Making slotted hole for serial connector (using rasp in home built sander/router)
Checking Computer Connections
Sanding Fiddles Prior to Glue Up
Make Sure Fiddles are Square
Biscuit Joining a Table Leaf
Glue Up of One Leaf (be sure to not only clamp but hold flat)
Progress report two
Joining is finished, surfaces planed and a jig built for routing the hinge recesses as well as nail holes filled using a home brew of glue and sanding dust. The brew turns very dark however, leaving me hopeful that it will sand out ok.
Table Top Joined (wax paper to keep the clamping supports from being glue to top)
Note: normally a joined top should have an odd number of parts and the grains inverted between each
so that the two outside pieces have the same grain rotation. The sawing of these pieces however
wasn't obvious, evidently the tree was quite large.
Surface Planing (finished out at 11/32)
Router Jig (for recessing the hinges)
Filler Brew (for nail holes and a slight gap on one joint)
All parts are sanded
Progress Report Three
Sizing was done today, hinge recesses cut in and fiddles fit to dimension.
Next process is sanding the edges, cutting relief for the hinges, gluing the top on the base and the fiddles on the leaves. After that it will be downhill, hinges will be easy to install and finish will simply be multiple coats of teak oil.
Cutting Jig stapled to top for cutting with the router
note: extra thickness pieces so short staples don't penetrate the top
Router Cutting the Top
note that an inside jig cuts a radius equal to the router base
Table Top Cut Out
the two leaves will be held together and done the same way
Jig is ready to route the first of four hinge dados
This turned out to be tedious to ensure the jig was exactly situated
Hinge Recess (an additional cut will be needed on the edge)
Size of table with leaves open is 24 x 22 1/2
Jig to size and hold square for finish sanding the cross fiddles to length
Finished Shape
Progress Report Four
The table is finished :) . Installing the hinges into the prepared mortising was easy, and of course oiling is the simplest finish invented, another :) . Cup holders were also made, these large enough to handle coozies.
In the Shop
On the Boat (now Catalina's coffee table really looks sadly miss colored to everything)
I'm Happy With the Result
From the V Berth
In the Cockpit
Folded out for a sunset meal
Notes:
- adequate space exist to cross between the table and the pedestal, even with a cup holder on the pedestal
- the table even when open does not interfere with going into or coming from cabin
- the table is light enough that it was no problem to move from the cabin to the cockpit by just reaching out of the companionway and setting the table legs into the mounts
- cup holders (large enough for coozies) swivel to desired position or out of the way
- sitting distance from folded out table for eating seemed good
- the table is close enough to the companionway to set things on the table without ascending the companionway ladder... a benefit over a table mounted to pedestal and of course as probably more 250s have a tiller than wheel, works for them as well
- it looks as if the table would not interfere with sailing though this was not a design goal, the mainsheet tackle clears ahead of the table and the sheet under the table
For those interested in a comparison with the original Catalina Table...
Folded (compression post position relative to both)
Open
The pics may provide a better understanding to the claim made earlier that the original table is too large. I think it might be observed as well that the new table if having been made of starboard would have looked good.
Occasionally a project spurns ideas for something else and that happened with this. I've wanted for some time to deal with the clutter of a few things at the table such as deck of cards, box of dominoes, score pad and pencils, etc. My next project is a diddy tray or drawer to either fit on the coffee table or forward of the compression post. Covering that odd finish on the coffee table would be a plus...but, thats another project with another page.
There is always one more project for a sailboat...
Thanks for following this one... hope it was interesting.
