Be gone cursed dinette!

[Scott]

After a week of cruising with family in the San Juan Islands last summer, I have tried to figure out how to make the "boat camping" experience better for all involved. Although the 25.5 is advertised to have several "double berths", we all know this means a berth which is only somewhat wider at the shoulder than 24 inches, but with no guarantees on width at the bottom of the berth (as in "v-berth double"), or on distance between the top of one's head and the bottom of the cockpit ( 8 inches, as in the inboard section of the "aft double quarterberth").After much thought, my solution was to tear out the dinette and replace it with another settee and a folding table which mounts on the main bulkhead. With the table folded up, I think an extension berth can then be fashioned to this settee, and one on the opposing settee to join in the middle to from a pretty roomy athwartships double.This would solve all kinds of problems posed by having to break down the old, and too narrow, "double" dinette at night. My questions are:1. Anyone ever tried this?2. Is there someplace that sells "off the rack" folding bulkhead tables I can look into?3. Anyone go so far as to design the "dinette to settee/extension berth" conversion contemplated?Right now there is just an empty space where the dinette was. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has undertaken any part of the above. If I don't hear from anyone, I will be sure to keep other H25.5 owners posted about my success with this conversion. Thanks!Scott from Bainbridge Is.

 

[Harvey Small]

Something similar

I added a swing-up extension to one of the side berths on my old Macgregor 26. It was just a piece of 1/2 or 3/4" plywood with a couple of hinges and two swing down legs. It was sized so the backrest cushion fitted on it & gave the berth some shoulder room. The trick is to figure out how to keep the hinges from snagging things when it's in folded down position. Swinging it under the seat cushion isn't a bad idea if the hinges don't stick out too far.

 

[Mike Pajewski]

Check "Spur's Boat Book"

There is a book titled "Upgrading the Cruising Sailboat" by Dan Spurr. There is a chapter about making a folding table. The top was plywood, but he used some type of spring loaded hinges that could be unhinged to remove the table completely if needed. Check it out, it could have your answers.Mike PajewskiH26 "Loon"

 

[Jay Hill]

Also look at...

...any (most) cockpit table with double folding leaves. The hinges on the leaves are double action and inset slightly into the wood making a smooth surface when folded. The same hinge is available in the hardware section at West Marine.

 

[Scott]

Good idea Jay

You have a good suggestion in just buying a few hinges. I may rip the old dinette table in half and then re-attach with a piano hinge. I can re-use the support leg from the dinette table, and, just maybe, have a pretty nifty fold down table at little or no cost. Thanks!