Teak dining table foldaway (lots of pics)

[jfm]

Hurricane asked about my inspector gadget table on another thread so I thought I'd give some details. I wanted a proper dining table for the aft deck which would fold away when I want the deck clear for swimming or cleaning, yet not feel flimsy or wobbly when used as a dining table. I have a decent table on the flybridge but the aft deck is better when anchored in the wind (cos you're in the lee of the boat's superstructure) and also when you have folks on board for a few days it's nice to have a change rather than always eating in the same place.

I'm really pleased with the result. It's a custom made teak top in 5 parts, on a besenzoni M133 pedestal. The pedestal is heavy, has just one central pillar which works fine even though this table is 950mm x 1700, is height adjustable gas struttily, and has extending arms to support the table fold out bits. Teak decking in Plymouth made the table top, in a 6-25-6 teak-marine ply-teak sandwich, with solid 37mm square teak around the edges. They did a really nice job, with invisible hinges

Here's the thing in action, going from tucked away in a corner to a full on 7 seater dining talbe with nice curved sides so perfect for conversation. There's also a halfway house position (well, 2/3 way) where the tble is full length but only 2/3 width, and this works well as an evening table, adjusted to lower height.

 

[BrendanS]

That's very neat!
Did you supply the design, or did they do it, or did you or they copy something similar seen before?

 

[tcm]

ooh quite nice. I can't see how the gas struttiness works, does it spin to go up ands down or dya have to lean on it, buttons etc?

Sepretly, the girl at the table port side appears to be wearing BLUE jeans, and after all your trouble eliminating the blue from the decor, dammit! Mind you the curtains look a bit blue through the patio doors. Also the sea is blue as well...

 

[jfm]

The pillar is telescopic and filled with gas. Theres a single clamp screw. So you have to reach under, back off the clamp screw, then the thing rises on the compressed gas, and you clamp it where you want it. It also spins round if you release the clamp screw, but that's not a great feature on my boat. You'd need a 55 foot cat really to take advantage. Ah, wait a minute...

The girl on the port side is a bloke, Neil Works on the internet so has to have that hairstyle. The blue perspex and door tint is deliberate - all part of the plan. See, the boat is meant to be totally non blue EXCEPT for the perspex/glass tint, which I want in bue The sea is only blue during the day, which is a glitch I'm having trouble with; at night it can be any colour you want, via digital control pad.

 

[jfm]

Tis a jfm design. Kinda simple of course. The curve matches the Sq58 aft bench, so that was easy. The quick attach aluminium arms are simple but work well, and the secret to the whole thing being rigid so you can lean on it or thump it without spilling the wine of the person opposite is the rebate along the straight join between the 3-pieces and the two add-on bits.

Most of the credit of course goes to besenzoni, whose pedestal is a work of art...

 

[epervier]

Cracking piece of kit JFM, can't say I'd like to pay for it mind, couldn't have been, ermm, inexpensive. (didn't want to use the term "cheap" /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif)

really nice table and well thought out, well done you!

and thanks for showing us.

 

[Alistairr]

A lovely piece of furniture jfm.

If its such a heavy base, how do you get it from under the stairs to the seating area, surely dragging it will eventually cause damage to your deck?

Beautiful though.

Cheers

Al.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Nice job and nice size too. Often cockpit tables are too small to seat a good number of people around. Personally, I'd get paranoid about peeps spilling red wine or oil on the pristine teak though /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[jfm]

Al, perhaps surprisingly it doesn't scratch the teak. It's very heavy so to move it you lift a bit of weight off the leading edge (but dont actually lift the leading edge clear of the deck) then drag it flat over the teak. Honestly, no grooves at all. The base is flat anodised aluminium with very rounded edges. I thought of putting rubber sheet glued under it but it doesn't need it

Deleted User, if you oil it the spilt wine and food doesn't mark it. It needs severla coats of oil to start, then refreshers, plus a sunbrella suncover to stop it drying out during the week. If you prefer bare looking teak furniture then food stains are a prob but I dont like bare teak furniture and prefer the oiled look

 

[benjenbav]

That is awesome. My worry would be how you stop the light fingered from nicking it if it's not nailed down?

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

[ QUOTE ]
That is awesome. My worry would be how you stop the light fingered from nicking it if it's not nailed down?

[/ QUOTE ]

It's a fair point but any outside stuff could be nicked eg liferaft, anchor, fenders, nav kit on upper helm and anything in deck lockers so the table would just be another thing to worry about /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Firefly625]

jfm,
OK, very nice. But doesn't give off that DIY look that my projects do, such a shame. People will look at that and not realise the time and effort gone into making it. Now if you hadn't spent quite so much time on its design and execution people would have been able to see it was home grown!

Now, what's then next project to keep you busy.... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[MapisM]

[ QUOTE ]
The base is flat anodised aluminium with very rounded edges. I thought of putting rubber sheet glued under it but it doesn't need it

[/ QUOTE ]I can see why it doesn't scratch the teak deck, but I'd have expected some rubber sheets to be required for the opposite reason - i.e. keep it from flying around upon the first serious rolling when anchored. Surely the weight helps to keep it steady, but you never know...
And that applies also underway, when folded under the stairs, obviously - or can it be secured somehow?
Gorgeous job anyway, really impressive!
That said, didn't you consider to make it with seams, on the same style of the deck?
It would have maybe added a further bit of costs, but It's surely pretty expensive anyhow.

 

[jfm]

Next project??? Loads to do - how long have you got?

I also put a teak table on the flybr...

I didn't like the wood colours of old dash, with the oak cabinetry...

So I got silver panels from Fairline's OEM supplier and a new steering wheel

Some nice chocks and recessed deck fittings...

An electric seacock system for the black tank with microswitches and indicators to tell you the valve is open/shut, grafted on by me to the Sealand indicator/auto system. Plus a battery/inverter control panel. The brick to the left is fwd looking sounder, it came with the boat else I wouldn't have bothered. The 2 pictures below are before/after, and are of the auxilliary switch panel at the starboard side of the lower helm

Oh, and I still love the flybr seats

 

[jfm]

I know it sounds a bit implausible mapis but there's no way it will move at anchor, in a kind of rolling that you'd choose to go out in. Weight is massive, so lots of friction on the deck. Of course I have ratchet straps that can quickly secure it, and I can lash it under/to the stairs if there is very bad weather

No, I didn't want black caulking on the table top. Personally, I just dont like that look. Table tops imho should be flat teak, oiled, with perhaps a routed groove or too, but not black caulked. Imho!

Costwise this thing was not cheap. £1300 for the pedestal. £3050 for the 5-part teak top. Allow £300 machining for 8 stainless steel threaded parts sunk into the teak and milling the aluminium channels. Then £600 to have it delivered (with the flybr table) from Plymouth to the boat (in Essex). Then £300 for the 4 chairs, plus a bit for custom sunbrella cushions, So, eek, very change out of £6000. It does look and feel the biz though...

 

[Firefly625]

[ QUOTE ]
Next project??? Loads to do - how long have you got?


[/ QUOTE ]

Oh, you have been quite busy.... and all looks magnificent. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[MapisM]

Yup, 'course the black caulking on table top is a strictly a matter of personal taste, and flat teak oiled is unquestionably elegant.
A lot depends on how the caulkings are shaped though.
I had a few very nice pieces of home furniture made by the yard where I used to keep the boat a few years ago, and they also look and feel the biz! (also imho, obviously).
I'll post a pic when I'll be back tonight to show what I mean, that's much easier than any explanations.
Re. costs, wow! Surely a case of you get what you pay for.
Good deal on the chairs though, by the look of them.

 

[Observer]

Very, very nice jfm. The whole set-up on this new boat shows an infinite capacity for taking pains. You should be very satisfied.

Two Qs:

- what happens to the chairs when under way?
- is the wicker style not a bit of a dirt trap?

(Knowing you, there are fully thought though answers.)

 

[jfm]

Two Qs

1. The aft deck doesn't move around much in 95% of med weather, so the chairs are normally not tied to anything while underway, and they don't move. They can be stacked and quickly strapped to the flybr staircase banister though, if weather got worse. On the previous boat, with similar weight chairs (teak director chairs) and lighter table I dont ever recall having to tie them to anything in 5 years of med crusing. They just sat there, perfectly happy, table always erected.

2. Yes the wicker could be a dirt trap. It's an experiment and if it doesn't work they were (relatively) cheap so I can try a plan B Lots of boats seem to be ok with wicker, and so far it looks ok. Actually they are not wicker, they are woven strips of leather look stuff (PVC prob, I dunno) about 10mm wide, over an aluminium frame. They can be sponged and hosed, and dry in the sun. So it's an experiment, but I think it will be ok

It's a really nice spot for evening dinner at anchor. I need to fiddle with the halogen lights in the GRP fybr overhang, above the table, to fit a dimmer switch for dinners, cos they're too bright. I'll have to find those Jimmy the Builder dimmer switch threads

 

[MapisM]

[ QUOTE ]
A lot depends on how the caulkings are shaped though.

[/ QUOTE ]This is an example of what I meant.
Not necessarily better than flat teak oiled (as I said it's a matter of personal taste), but an alternative worth considering imho.