As I mentioned in the post about the Southampton Boat Show, I stumbled across a stand selling teak goods for boats. They had a large collection of well crafted woodwork to do pretty much anything. Handy, since I’m rubbish at work work to any sort of display quality. Kudu doesn’t have room for teak fittings though, so I was ready for dismissing the stand and continue my merry way around the boat show. Fortunately one of the chaps that was with me took an interest in their teak cockpit tables since he wanted one for his Vancouver 27. The tables were on nifty adjustable mounts, and as soon as I saw the mount I had a bit of a eureka moment. Ping!

One of the biggest draw backs of Kudu is the lack of an area to work on my computer. I have to sit on the starboard quarter berth, twisted through 90 degrees in order to use the chart table as a desk/table. It works, but it’s really not comfortable, and being right next to the hatch tends to be where the rain gets brought in to the boat if I open it up to get in or out on a rainy day. Quite honestly, this was one of the biggest reasons I brought Vreli, since I desperately wanted to build a Chart table on Vreli and seat so I could work properly.

This mount though, this ready made bit of brilliance, it could allow me to built a table in Kudu’s cabin that could stow away. It would totally transform the comfort and usability of my boat. I asked the stall holder for a demo of this budding idea. It was even better than I thought. It articulates in pretty much every way you could want.

It was at that point that a further flash of inspiration came to me. Washboard! If I made the table the same dimensions as the washboard (Kudu only has one single board, which I would not change by the way) then I could use the table as an emergency replacement.

You can buy spare mounting plates too, so with yet another idea I did. I too could be a posh boat and have a cockpit table, just by having an extra mount.

Anyway, enough of me telling tales. I’ve spent the last few hours putting my idea in to practice, so here are some pics.

The mounting plate comes with a pre drilled bit of plywood. Unfortunately it’s not marine ply! I suppose that’s not too much of an issue in the cabin, but it was also too big, so I cut a couple of new bits of marine ply to suit the job. One was a pad which you can just about see in the picture behind the aluminium plate, and the other was a backing plate. I spent some time with the sander to finish off pad properly since it’s on show, but didn’t bother with the same treatment for the backing plate. Oh, it’s worth noting that the kit comes with the appropriate M8 screws.

Testing the emergency washboard idea works by using the existing washboard. I was concerned that the mast compression post wouldn’t allow it, but it does… just.

Here’s a better view of the table mount, and the quick release mechanisms. The entire thing pulls apart very quickly, and you can just make out the extra rail on the right hand side of the table base plate. That allows the upright to slide in to place for neat, flat stowage.

Here’s the finished setup with a freshly cut washboard/table.

…and again in the “out of the way” position. It involves a bit of a rehearsed manoeuvre to get it there, but after a couple of minutes I was used to it, and can move it out of the way in about 5 seconds, as long as the laptop cables aren’t caught on anything

Just to prove it does as I said. Note the offset mounting position of the base plate. That was required to get it to rotate properly around the compression post and bulkhead. If it’s dead centre, it simply won’t work.

Any way, job’s a goodun. I’m rather happy with my new table.

I’ve managed to find a website for the company I bought from, and although I got a bit of a boat show deal, I still think the price on their site is fair for the quality of it.

Lagun Table Swivel Bracket at K J Howells & Son

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