Bookshelves ... ?

sarabande

sarabande

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I have decided the fridge can no longer be used as the library, and want to put together a two shelf bookcase about 20 inches wide.


There's a space on the bulkhead by the mast (athwartships) or I can purloin a chunk of a crew berth (fore and aft). **


What are the pros and cons, and do people prefer a removable solid wood cross-piece to hold the books in place, or bungee cord, please ?


The only design criterion is that the books stay in the shelves under all conceivable conditions.


* * This will mean one crew member will have to be no taller than 5 ft....
 
Bungy cord will not fulfill your criteria

Perhaps a bit of wood in a groove that can be 'clicked' into a closed position and yet easily slid back down for easy access
 
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sarabande said:
I have decided the fridge can no longer be used as the library, and want to put together a two shelf bookcase about 20 inches wide.


There's a space on the bulkhead by the mast (athwartships) or I can purloin a chunk of a crew berth (fore and aft). **


What are the pros and cons, and do people prefer a removable solid wood cross-piece to hold the books in place, or bungee cord, please ?


The only design criterion is that the books stay in the shelves under all conceivable conditions.


* * This will mean one crew member will have to be no taller than 5 ft....
Click to expand...

How about one of those mini, narrow dishwashers ?

Take out all the silly whirling stuff and hey presto, a soft-closing metal book case; the handle on the front could possibly be incorporated into a galley bum strap or safety harness system.:)
 
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All things being equal, a bookcase on a thwartships bulkhead rather than the hull side will be better, as the books are never being tipped out for prolonged periods. A bungee might just work in that case although it's a little inelegant. For a bookcase on the hull side, bungee doesn't work for more than a few paperbacks as the weight of books on the unfavourable tack will stretch it even if set up quite tight, and you'll have them hanging half out of the shelf and possibly even escaping. A couple of my pilot books are all beaten up around the spine thanks to Kindred Spirit's previous owner's bungee attempts.

A wooden batten that drops into slots is the obvious answer, although I've also thought about a flap hinged at the bottom and extending a third or half of the way up the spines of the books. In either case, a fixed low lip (10mm or so) that you have to lift your chosen book over will stop the rest immediately sliding out when you remove the bar or lower the flap. As with any lip or fiddle I'd leave a short gap at one or both ends of it for cleaning purposes, makes it much easier to wipe out small bits of crud with an occasional damp cloth.

Pete
 
I made a simple brass retainer for mine. It consists of a 1/4" brass bar the length of the bookcase with a piece of 1/8 x 3/8" brass section at each end at right angles, pivoted at the back of the bookcase. The round bar keeps the books in place and is simply lifted up remove/replace a book.

I also have the 10mm piece of wooden batten screwed to the shelf (recommended by prv) so that all the books don't slide out when the retainer is raised.
 
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Bookshelves I made using the same moulding as used on the shelves in the sleeping cabins. There is a similar one over the chart table.

IMG_20140101_000201.jpg
 
I did consider a wooden cross-bar fitting into slots, a ledge at the front and a metal bookend, half under the books and the upright holding the end volume, with a peg underneath that fitted into holes in the shelf...

In the end I was given a Kindle on which I now have some 190 books and pdf copies of manuals for most of the equipment on board. Charging is via a double USB socket that is fed from the batteries; the other slot I use for charging the iPhone.

Not the same as holding a proper book in my hands but infinitely more convenient. Weighs less and occupies no more space than a thin paperback.
 
The OP does not specify what sort of books he is is intending to deal with.

I have a selection of paperbacks on a (roughly) fore and aft shelf in my after cabin which are held between a couple of metal book ends and have never appeared to move even in the most horrendous seas.
I wouldn't expect hardbacks to be so civilised.
 
useful ideas, especially the deep lip at the bottom of the shelf. Thanks everyone, athwartships it will be.


It's not only reading books but almanacs, pilots, reference files in A4 folders. The Kindle; despite my espousal of all things electronic, I cannot commit to the risks of having 50% (?) of the reference paperwork on a reader, though it does save a huge amount of space and mass. A lot of the tech manuals do come in .pdf already, so they are on the ship's laptop, and often in printed medium as well. Belt and braces....
 
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Tranona said:
Thanks. I dare not admit how much the two lengths of matching moulding cost from the Bavaria factory!
Click to expand...

:)

Ariam's interior is all cherry-wood. Solid cherry is easy to obtain, but it seems that nobody is making the faced ply any more. Various suppliers both large and small could only offer cherry-faced MDF. So when I wanted to build a new engine-bay bulkhead, I ended up having to get a sheet custom made by Robbins. Probably fortunately, I can't remember the price now, but it was not cheap.

With five coats of normal Epifanes and two of Rubbed Effect, it's a perfect match for the existing woodwork. You'd never know it's not original, so I'm glad I did it that way.

Pete
 
Did similar with my old boat. Bought a piece of mahogany and an old style shipwright moulded it exactly the same as the shelving in the forecabin. Fortunately the ply was Sapele and I bought an offcut that just needed a bit of staining to get a perfect match.

Won't be so easy with the new boat, but the factory mouldings were ready finished. Needed more care cutting and gluing up, but end result looks factory made (as it should)!
 
I always thought those side shelves on a boat were a perfect place for a roll top. It can be completely open most of the time but in bad weather or extended sailing it can be completely shut, like a roll top desk. That way there is no risk of missiles in the event you are knocked about a bit.
 
pmagowan said:
I always thought those side shelves on a boat were a perfect place for a roll top. It can be completely open most of the time but in bad weather or extended sailing it can be completely shut, like a roll top desk. That way there is no risk of missiles in the event you are knocked about a bit.
Click to expand...

True, and I've seen it done on a couple of boats. You do lose a bit of space for the stuff to roll into, and I suppose it's a little more expensive to build hence rarely seen on production boats.

Pete
 
Bob Stay said:
Nice gaff yawl, is there a story behind her?
Or do you just dream of getting a proper boat one day? ;)
Click to expand...

Ah, one of them 'four cornered sail' police! My father, who had a 1930s Gaff cutter called Wanda, used to call Triola a "two string plastic bathtub" - harsh, harsh words for a beautiful Swedish lady like Triola... I can still just about remember the topsail halyard bend... ish :confused:. Wooden ("proper" yadda yadda) boat = divorce, simples :encouragement:. I always countered his shameless comments about Triola with the fact that my decks never leaked, his always did no matter how hard he tried...
 
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