Mod to 37c table
Hi, I've modified my folding table, but not because it takes up too much room -- I've gotten used to it as it is. However, I've modified it so that I can remove it whenever I want to, which means that it's now a lot easier to step the mast and get access to the bilge areas. But I do move the table to the stbd side of the cabin when I need a bit more floor space, so this approach might work for you. My mod was to relocate the forward-most table leg so that it is just aft (instead of just forward) of the mast, and then to carefully cut out the top center section of the table. When cutting the top segment of the table out, I cut from the widest section of mast hole out in an athwartships direction about 1/4 inch, and from these small cuts made two parallel cuts forward to the end of the table (about 10 inches). That whole piece lifts out. I fabricated and epoxied a piece of hardwood about 1x2x12 to the underside of the table to strengthen it where I cut. This hardwood piece juts into the cutout the 1/4 inch I mentioned earlier, so it serves also to support the cutout piece, which now slips in an out whenever I want to move the table. Vertical grooves I routed in the support pieces accept a small piece of hardwood that I glued on to the bottom of the cutout piece, so everyting stays in place once installed. I also had to modify the supports for the table leafs as well, but now the table can be removed anytime I want to or need to. It is a bit difficult to describe in words the details of what I've done, but if you're interested I'll try to take some digital photos or diagrams and e-mail them to you if you get back to me. This was a wintertime project for me last year and works well. The table is still very stable, and one has to look closely to see the removable piece forward of the mast, as I used a very thin saw blade to do the cutting.
