Here is the simple nav station. I really don't like the layout and radio location. It really isn't much of a nav station, it is more like a book case next to the radio. Although the rack folds down, it isn't large enough for a chart or navigating. I will still call it a nav station and then build a nav station around it...yea, that's the plan...build a nav station.
Here is the nav station with the first coat of finish. I am using Minwax "gunstock" stain which has a red tint to it. Most all wood had suffered water discoloration and mold.
Still gotta finish the inside of the nav station. This will be part of a modification of the quarter berth where I am planning on extending the nav station to incorporate a chart table.
I am very limited on room but I think the new idea will work. This is a rough idea but at least I know what it is suppose to look like. The plan is to have the nav table slide into the upper part of the quarter berth, out of the way. It will slide out and connect to the existing galley counter making for additional table surface of five square feet (give or take a splinter or two). Add some new RED/WHITE led lighting overhead. The quarter berth will be used for storage and or sleeping since it is about eight feet long.
I finally drug a piece of mahagony plywood down to the boat to start the nav table project. It was raining pretty hard and thus everything in the cart got wet in route to the boat. I had been toying with the idea and just the night before, I decided I wasn't going to build a nav table. Today, I have committed to the idea.
I am trying to find a level so I can mark it and have some familiar reference to relate to. The bubble tends to travel from one end of the sight glass to the other. I'll just have to guess and split the difference.
Checking the upper part of the quarter berth so I know how much room I have for a person sleeping in the quarter berth and a nav table and a storage shelf (not shown yet) and an led light for reading and lighting the dark reaches of the quarter berth. The nav table will slide out from under the quarter berth and since it attaches to the galley counter, it will double as a buffet table capable of serving groups of 25 or larger.
Here is the bottom of the nav table so far. It is dado'd, glued and screwed - awaiting finish prepping. Since I have been using up my stock of scrap mahogany and teak, I have been forced to use a couple pieces of oak on the table railing.
Gluing down the light holder assembly. If this idea actually works out, I will show you more of it.
Attaching a cross-brace on the underside of the table needed some weight to hold the brace fast so the poly glue would do the sticky thing.
This is the catch for the light mount.
Another view of the light mount catch.
Glued up and ready for some planing. The bar code sticker is left on because of new international foresting laws to prove that any new construction was done with "legal" woods.
If you cut things the correct size to begin with, there would no reason to plane so much. However, when Tatoo of Fantasy Island had a choice between sanding, he always chose da plane. Sue didn't get the part about Tatoo so I showed her a Fantasy Island clip on Youtube. She gets it now.
Sanded and ready for some stain.
First coat of stain. I originally planned to glue a nav chart to the table top and then seal it in with varnish, however, the chart did not stick well and the first coat of varnish lifted the chart and I had to decide to scrap that idea. So removing the chart and cleaning the glue from the table was the first order of business. What I will do is cut a 1/4" piece of plexiglass to fit the table top and lay it over a chart and attach the plexiglass to the table top.
More nav station plans of sorts. Sometimes they even have critical measurements on them.
5-LED light fixture. I found these at Harbor Freight in Tacoma in a three-pack. This will get mounted to the bottom of the nav table to light up the quarter berth and also act as a reading light for the quarter berth. They use 3- AAA batteries and I have run them for four days straight before they dimmed beyond functionality.
Underside of nav table after first stain coat and initial 50% varnish coat. This still gets a notch cut out for the support post mounted to the galley cab.
These make-shift plans seem more like a doctors' prescription.
First attempt of the cut out. Not quite the correct shape for the trim.
With the notch cut out of the table and the trim pieces cut and ready, all I need now is some glue and more clamps.
The track system seems to be a test of my patience. With compound angles and variable level onboard, I am wanting to be done. I have a mix of oak, fir and mahogany ply to make these slides for the nav table.
The slingshot mount cut from 1/2" mahogany marine ply. I got to get some more of this stuff.
This is a mockup of how the rail assembles without the boat in the way.
This section of the rail will protrude from the bulkhead and be trimmed at the appropriate angle and trimmed out.
This is the aft mount for the rail. It will attach to the cockpit-side of the quarter berth.
Track installation.
While the tracks were drying, the table is set in place. This is going to be very functional. I am looking forward to having this finished. I actually cleaned the cabin and took all the tools and material away a couple weeks ago and it looked clean in here. I can't wait to have that feeling again.
The track is cut at the angle of the bulkhead and then trimmed out. Still have some sanding and finishing to do but this is all about done.
The compartment light in this position lights the entire quarter berth. It just swings down and when finished, push it back up until it locks with the spring loaded ball latch.
In this position, the light can be used as a reading light.
Nav table in the closed position.