Table dilemma

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Dutch01527

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I have a 1984 Dehler 86 Duetta boat. It has a saloon and rear cabin but no fore cabin. We like the layout but have discovered a annoying issue.

There is a very large table that slides up and down the mast support in the saloon. About 5 foot long and would seat 6+. It ruins the head room when stowed up and is difficult to get around when the down in position. https://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/archives/dehler-duetta-86as/r381204-table-up2.jpg

I am in two minds:
1) Live with it. The boat interior is in very good original condition and removing/adapting it would be vandalism of a soon to be “classic” (if thought of in car terms).
2) Adapt the table to be less intrusive and more suited to our needs. Possible by cutting it in half across its breadth and installing a base plate that means that it could be removed completely and stowed or bolted back on in half or in full when needed.

What would you do?
 
Dutch01527 said:
I have a 1984 Dehler 86 Duetta boat. It has a saloon and rear cabin but no fore cabin. We like the layout but have discovered a annoying issue.

There is a very large table that slides up and down the mast support in the saloon. About 5 foot long and would seat 6+. It ruins the head room when stowed up and is difficult to get around when the down in position. https://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/archives/dehler-duetta-86as/r381204-table-up2.jpg

I am in two minds:
1) Live with it. The boat interior is in very good original condition and removing/adapting it would be vandalism of a soon to be “classic” (if thought of in car terms).
2) Adapt the table to be less intrusive and more suited to our needs. Possible by cutting it in half across its breadth and installing a base plate that means that it could be removed completely and stowed or bolted back on in half or in full when needed.

What would you do?
Click to expand...

Lovely cabin! I like your option No.2 of cutting the table in half thwartships but i would then hinge each half from a new centre fitting so each half hinges down to a vertical position very close to the support strut. When both are hinged down, rotate the assembly 90 degrees so you can still move forward either side of it.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
I think Stemar has the right idea, that's what I did.

I have a smallish boat with an original table that can seat 8 which is daft, It's probably as big as an Oyster 45's. It was difficult to get around so people tended to leave the U settee underused, which is a pain on a smaller boat. With a bit of crafty design I can still use the U berth as a double and the new, smaller table is fine for two to four people.
I can no longer race in class without the original table! However if I wanted to I can fish it out of the loft and refit in about 20 mins.
 
Stemar said:
Don't vandalise the original, put it in the loft until you sell your (by than classic) boat in original condition, and make a table that suits you now
Click to expand...

+1
Definitely keep the original but remove it and make something that is more practical for your needs.
Or modify it in a way that could easily be put back to original.

If / when you come to sell, buyers have the advantage of being able to continue using your improved practical version or refitting the original if they're purists, either way they can't criticse or complain as they have the best of both worlds. That will help both saleability and value.
 
Stemar said:
Don't vandalise the original, put it in the loft until you sell your (by than classic) boat in original condition, and make a table that suits you now
Click to expand...

Thanks. That would be perfect but access would mean removing the internal mast support. The table is one solid piece.
I have never looked at how the support is fixed and I had assumed that the mast weight plus rigging down pressure would mean dropping the mast. Not something I had planned. Am I wrong?
 
Taking the mast down would certainly be the safe way to do it, but if you can slacken off the standing rigging and take the weight of the mask on a mast derrick, you should be able to disconnect the post below, switch tables and put everything back without any problems. I'd choose to dry out to do that as you don't want some muppet making a load of wake just as you hit the critical moment!

Of course, whether it's worth the faff is another matter
 
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