Association Forum - Catalina 25 Table swap question

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Catalina 25 Table swap question

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

nputman
Deckhand

Member Avatar

USA
10 Posts

Initially Posted - 12/10/2005 : 14:01:16

Can anyone answer this question? I have a Catalina 25 that the table folds down from the bulkhead. Can I switch it out easily to the dinette kind? I want to do this so I can sleep the family more comfortably. Are there any other ways to do this?
Thanks,
Noel

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 12/10/2005 : 14:53:25

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by nputman
 Can anyone answer this question? I have a Catalina 25 that the table folds down from the bulkhead. Can I switch it out easily to the dinette kind?...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Noel,

Because the traditional and dinette models have different interior molds, it would be almost impossible to easily convert to a dinette interior and highly impractical.

Although the dinette interior lends itself quite easily to converting the cabin to a queen size berth with zero modifications, there are those who have fashioned larger berthing accommodations in the cabin of traditional layouts.

Good luck.

Here is a picture of my inflatable queen mattress in my dinette layout. On our last week long cruise, the bed stayed up 24/7 allowing the girls to have a comfortable place to lounge and play. The time they spent on the bed was their favorite part of the cruise.

Edited by - dlucier on 12/10/2005 15:07:32

nputman
Deckhand

Members Avatar

USA
10 Posts

Response Posted - 12/10/2005 : 15:01:42

Any tips or suggestions on fashioning larger berthing accomodations for my traditional layout cabin?

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 12/10/2005 : 15:17:48

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by nputman
 Any tips or suggestions on fashioning larger berthing accomodations for my traditional layout cabin?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

In the past, I've seen ideas that ranged from using plywood with hinged center legs to span between the port and starboard settees to using sturdy slats to make the span. In either setup, a queen sized inflatable camping mattress should fit quite nicely in the space.

I'm sure others who have made the traditional bed will chime in.

Edited by - on

nputman
Deckhand

Members Avatar

USA
10 Posts

Response Posted - 12/10/2005 : 15:33:42

Thank you. I would very much appreciate suggestions on how to convert that space into a sleeping area.
Thanks,

Edited by - on

atgep
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

1009 Posts

Response Posted - 12/10/2005 : 15:43:16

I use a full size air mattress. To support it, I fount that my the 2 Igloo coolers I carry are just the right height. I also have a tote that I have "stuff" in, that is the same height as well. I put the 2 coolers and a tote and have an awesome bed.

Keep in mind, I have a traditional interior and the Lower floor on my 88. I purchased the items according to size for this very purpose. I found the boards I was using were too cumbersome to deal with. I have slept on the new setup for 10 nights and am sold on it.

Tom.

Edited by - atgep on 12/10/2005 15:45:08

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3467 Posts

Response Posted - 12/10/2005 : 19:26:37

Tom,

That is a great idea using Igloo coolers. They are functional and support the mattress. I have to definitely look into that. Has lot's of plusses. Chances are that when you want the use of the bed, it is just that time that you could use the coolers for loading stuff inside of them for the overnighters. I have an '89 with the traditional setup and so ...the height of the seats is probably similar/same as yours.

Larry

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 12/10/2005 : 21:31:47

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by OLarryR
 Tom,

That is a great idea using Igloo coolers. They are functional and support the mattress. I have to definitely look into that. Has lot's of plusses. Chances are that when you want the use of the bed, it is just that time that you could use the coolers for loading stuff inside of them for the overnighters. I have an '89 with the traditional setup and so ...the height of the seats is probably similar/same as yours.

Larry
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Larry,
mash the giant reset button. First, why do you want a big bed? Sex? Not going to happen. Do you want to render the forward part of the boat inaccessible? That will happen. This is how you do it.

Larry, you have something that virtually no one else has, you may not even know it. You have a flat floor. no one else can put a bed on the floor, you can. Take the port back rest and lay it on the port side of the floor, take the starboard back rest and lay it on the starboard side of the floor. Take a regular sleeping bag and slip a self-inflating camping ground pad inside of it. Lay the sleeping bag with pad on the back rest cushions on the floor. Now dress the "bed" with what ever sheets etc you like. You now have a killer single bed that every other Catalina owner would kill to be able to make. (Do you know about everyone else's floor?)
Ok your wife has a bed. Now for you, get an over-sized sleeping bag and put a twin sized tempur-pedic mattress topper in it. Lay it on the quarterberth cushions, dress it with sheets etc, and you now have a killer bed. (I threw my quarter berth cushions away and use two mattress toppers) Kiss the little lady goodnight and try not to step on her if you go to the head.

Edited by - on

atgep
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

1009 Posts

Response Posted - 12/10/2005 : 22:28:12

Frank,
I like the big bed, especially when it is hot. When it is cold, I like the v-berth.

"First, why do you want a big bed? Sex? Not going to happen."

Says who........The full bed makes it...more interesting.

It is a royal PITA to get to the john with the bed in place. A small price to pay IMHO.

The table/ boards were too hard to deply with all the stuff I usually carry. I shortened the table and bolted it to the bulkhead.

Tom.

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3467 Posts

Response Posted - 12/11/2005 : 08:14:18

I guess with the winter months upon us and having recently bought my boat, I look forward to reading the innovative ways that others have used their boat. Right now, I have no plans to sleep on the boat these winter months but I am still sailing. The previous owner had a brand new cover made for the boat and so I had that on during the 2 light snows we just had. I removed the cover yesterday and installed the new 4 spring motor bracket, taking the old 2 spring model off. Today, I will either go out for a sail, reinstall the solar panel that I temporarily took off or put the cover back on. Maybe all three. I am also taking some more photos and when I get a chance will start loading them onto my website.

Larry

Edited by - on

nputman
Deckhand

Members Avatar

USA
10 Posts

Response Posted - 12/11/2005 : 08:21:07

Dear fhopper@mac.com,
I recognized the table, but where did that other darker piece of wood in the foreground of the pic come from?
Thanks,
Noel

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 12/11/2005 : 14:35:41

It is 3/4" A/A birch/maple ply that is stained with mahogany (I have since learned to dilute stain with teak oil). If you look carefully you will note that the wall brackets and rubber stops are gone from the bulkhead. With those items removed the third panel fits behind the table when it is stowed. It is a commitment to using the table as a bed rather than a table. later i began keeping the panels in one of my dock boxes and simply not having them on board. The three panels make a double bed, a fourth panel makes a queen, the width of the port settee is equal to the width of a queen. The back rest cushions on both sides need to be taken off for the queen air mattress to lay there. I left the seat cushions to pad the seat fiddles. For us this turned out to be a great bed but a serious discombubilation of the interior. One thing that keeps me so happy as a quarterberth sleeper is my air-conditioning, the distribution fan under the stairs makes my wife, (the floor sleeper) very happy as well. I will install marine air one of these days, it is just a matter of time. When that happens I will stay in the quarter and my wife will move to the V, (next to the refrigerator).

Edited by - on

Esteban
Navigator

Members Avatar

139 Posts

Response Posted - 12/11/2005 : 16:25:28

Hey Frank - I like your idea of using the folding table for a double or queen. Do you need to support it underneath? Do they rest on the keel trunk box? Is the table strong enough to hold a 200 pound guy? ditto with the 3/4inch sheet.

I might just get more overnight trips with the admiral if I can make something comfortable. Maybe even....

Edited by - on

nputman
Deckhand

Members Avatar

USA
10 Posts

Response Posted - 12/11/2005 : 19:35:47

I think I am going to cut some oak slats to span the distance, although I am not light myself and a bit worried about the effect of gravity in the middle of the night.
Noel

Edited by - on

nputman
Deckhand

Members Avatar

USA
10 Posts

Response Posted - 12/11/2005 : 19:36:53

I think I am going to cut some oak slats to span the distance, although I am not light myself and a bit worried about the effect of gravity in the middle of the night.
Noel

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 12/11/2005 : 20:48:38

My wife and I together weigh around 600lb, the 3/4 ply and table have no problem handling both of us.

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.