Drop leaf tables

[WX]

looking for designs and ideas. my table will be around 20" X 48"....though this could change:D

[JimConlin]

More details, please. Will it be fixed, hinged to a bulkhead, removable, on a centerboard trunk, or what?

[Mrleft8]

20"x 48" down? or up?

[paladin]

I have several such drawings that I made many years ago....if I knew more precisely what you were looking for I could e-mail the appropriate files....all the previous questions....

[WX]

Okay, the dimensions are for the up position. Down position needs to take up as little room as possible. Support would be on two vertical posts, aft one could go to deckhead. I envisage a centralfixed section of the table around 6" wide. I also want to mount it back from the v-berth to make access easier. I would also like to have the hinges fro the dropleafs set back so that in the down position the leafs hang under the central section.
Here's a photo of the area.
http://bambooman.gallery.netspace.net.au/albums/Redwing/00001_G_002.jpg

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

Will you ever want to spread a chart on it?

If so, worth considering chart sizes - the official idea is to standardise them on ISO "A0" or ANSI "E", but this will take decades - A0 is 39.4" x 55.7" ANSI E is 34" x 44" and A1 is 27.8" x 39.4" - ANSI D is 22" x 44".

A British Admiralty chart if not AO is 28" x 44". US charts are similar but not so standardised.

(The point of the ISO series being, as you know, that standard paper sheets in these series can be folded in half keeping the same proportions of 1: square root 2.)

Some people like tables with flaps that fold down, in which case you really ought to make ruled joints.

Other people, like me, like tables with one wide flap that folds down and one narrower flap, the size of the top when the flaps are folded down, which folds up and has fiddles on the underside when folded out and the upper side when folded up.

Some people like a cave in the middle of the top covered by a flush hatch in which you can stow bottles of wine upright.

Some people like drawers in the ends for cutlery.

Some people, like me, like the table built on a pair of stainless steel or bronze tube poles running from sole to deckhead, providing handholds and making the table very difficult to break when thrown against it in a seaway.

Some people like swing tables. If so, you need a very heavy lead weight close below the pivot point - not low down or the table will develop synchronised rolling under way...

Some people, like me, like Larry Pardey's idea of a table that is pivoted between poles like a swing table but instead of being ballasted is held in place by a big skylight lifter so the angle can be varied, the argument being that you probably won't tack in the middle of a meal...

Some people like to finish their table with French Polish and some people like me like to use two pack polyurethane varnish so you can stand a hot pan on it without ill effects...

[WX]

Further thoughts are. To make it large enough for half chart size, ie folded that is 28" x 23". Secondly to make the central fixed 6 inch section hollow so that a chart folder can be stored on end inside. The forward table support to end flush with the underside of the table and the aft end to continue up to the deckhead. This would make a good handhold for moving around in a seaway.
Please keep the ideas coming:D
I'll get some drawings happening soon.

[paladin]

I'll just try to have the drawings reduced an put on a cd and send them that way...then you can print them any size...

[WX]

Thanks Paladin. I think you have my address? You could email them if it's easier.

[WX]

Well Mr Sibley has lent me a couple of books chock full of all sorts of ideas, so I have plenty to think about.
Comfort in the Cruising Yacht by Ian Nicolson
and
Practical Yacht Joinery by Fred Bingham

[Jay Greer]

Larry and Lynn Pardy have a table in Taleisen that is really quite practical. It is attached to stanchions that run from the floor timbers to the deck house overhead and afford good support to grab onto in a seaway. The table can be used in the folded position allowing two to three people to be seated on the port side. When folded out the table can accomodate six. Fiddles can be attaced to the sides as well. In addition, the table can be adjusted to match any angle of heel and two oil lamps are attached to the stanchions to provide plenty of light when the table is in use.
Jay
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9db24b3127ccec75e06bd6d8e00000040O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9db24b3127ccec75fc6e14dfe00000040O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9db24b3127ccec75f18704d0000000040O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9db24b3127ccec75e7cfc6df200000040O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

My version of the Pardey's table - this photo was taken with the boat laid up so the cutlery drawer is missing (sorry about the polythene bag and stray wiring also due to lay up!)

The fiddles on the underside of the leaf (thanks, Camper and Nicholson for that one) and the cutlery drawers sliding fore and aft are the main differences.

The supports for the leaf hinge, rather than slide, as in the original, and are kept out of the way with wood turnbuckles when not wanted. The brass hook holds the leaf part open allowing you to leave stuff on the leaf when someone wants to get past:

http://i535.photobucket.com/albums/ee352/acraigbennett/DSCF0935.jpg?t=1241554380


Different oil lamp too: pressure lamp under the skylight above the table. Easy to read by.
PIST showed me where to get it.
http://i535.photobucket.com/albums/ee352/acraigbennett/DSCF0704.jpg?t=1241555235

[paladin]

I could never get mine to burn reliably....so I mounted a small solar panel inside the hatch and made a dc to dc converter to charge a half dozen "D" cells to power the led's at night.........and I finally ran out of my stash of whale oil candles about 3-4 years ago...still have the candle lamps, though.

[John Meachen]

That looks remarkably similar to the Bialadin lamp I have sitting in the shed,except for the fact that it works.I originally bought it to use while night fishing and after the night that was so cold the worms were frozen and snapped like twigs-I lost interest in such things.

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

It is a Bialladin and it does work splendidly. It replaced, on PIST's advice, a much flashier polished brass Optimus that was hopelessly unreliable and now decorates the garage rafters. Sometimes, British really is best! ;)

[gofish]

Oil lamps? "D" Cells? Whale blubber candles???

We think living conditions on our sportfisher are tough when the supply of fresh picked mint runs low for Mojitos.

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

Oil lamps? "D" Cells? Whale blubber candles???

We think living conditions on our sportfisher are tough when the supply of fresh picked mint runs low for Mojitos.

"How the other (powerboat) half live!" :D