This is a HUGE step in the right direction!

Reconstruction has begun in earnest.  As you saw in previous posts, I ripped the old, rotten bunk out of the boat.  This week I have been working on rebuilding it with the new convertible chart table modification.
Originally I was going to raise the bunk about 6 inches to give a good seating position for the chart table, but after doing measurements realized that I needed to raise it 9 inches.  No, I didn't look at my notes upside-down!  I then realized that this boat is probably not going to be the last boat that I own, and more importantly, even though it could be a seriously capable offshore cruiser, most of the boating population will never lose sight of land.  Therefore it makes many of the major upgrades for offshore cruising unnecessary or even useless to the casual sailor.  Even though upgrading the boat to offshore capability puts the boat on a much higher level of safety, I would never see the pay back.  It makes more money sense to leave the boat as close to stock as I can.  Obviously I am making a few changes, but I think that even for the casual cruiser they are positives!

Because I am trying to leave the boat as close to original as I can, I had to come up with another idea for the bunk.  The bunk is going to remain at the original height.  With the chart table up, it will put it at about neck level for me, and I am 6'1" tall.  Therefore I need a box to sit on.  I think that I can build one that will fit under the convertible bunk so that when not in use, it is storage.  Then when you want to use the chart table, lift it up into position, and pull the box out and put it on the bunk.  It seems like a really simple fix to a not so easy to explain idea.


I am so excited to be building rather than ripping out old, rotten wood, or removing old, dubious quality installations done by the previous owner.  There is such a contrast in the plywood (Russian, 5 ply Birch) that the bunk is being built out of when compared to the rest of the boat that has aged somewhat poorly.  Like with most thing, a coat of paint is going to go a long way to make things look better in the cabin, but it is still really surprising to see the contrast.


I ended up going with the Russian Birch plywood because I needed something that was as close to on par with marine grade plywood, but didn't want to pay something close to $100 per sheet.  The other consideration was that the bunk is not a structural piece of the boat, like the main bulkhead was.  Therefore I think I can get away with a slightly lesser quality ply to get the job done.  Plus, it is going to be painted with oil based paint and in the cabin, so it should not have water issues.

 Since I desire storage under the bunk, rather than just wasting the space, I had to put in a top loading hatch.  It was cut from the bunk.  Once the hatch piece was out, I went on the glue and screw in tabs for the hatch to sit on.  This means that the hatch will be supported around its entire perimeter, which makes the hatch able to support the weight of a sleeping person, as well as make the bunk more structurally sound overall.  The hatch was oversized, as it makes loading and unloading much easier.  It also allows bigger items to go under the bunk.  In the true fashion of this build, I am going to try to reuse the old bunk hatch covers for the floor area under the bunk.  It I think will add some interest, and maybe even a little storage for small things underneath.  We will see if this actually pans out, but it is the idea of the moment.

All in all, I am very happy to be back to working on the boat, and pleased with the progress I am making.  This coming week should provide me ample time to get things done, as I am on vacation from work all week.  I am looking forward to more building!