Useful Tables ?

[sunbear1]

Hello: Does anyone have an opinion and/or plans for a gimballed table?? Just bought a boat without a table and was hoping you out there might have some ideas as to what makes a table useful. Thanks, MarkH

[rebel heart]

Cockpit table, salon table? And you want it on gimbals so that it's always horizontal?

[sunbear1]

salon table but i could make for the cockpit too but am beginning to think it might be overkill in any location??

[capt_douglas]

Gimballed table or dog bowls - decisions, decisions...

They can be useful but depending on the side you're on, the food will either be at your knees or throat. Personally, I try to never heel the boat so much that I need gimbals.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by sunbear1

salon table but i could make for the cockpit too but am beginning to think it might be overkill in any location??

Yeah the only things on gimbals on my boat are the stove (which allows lateral swing along the longitudinal axis) and the oil lamps (full gimbals on those). You want to be able to put weight on a table and not have it sink underneath you.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by capt_douglas

Gimballed table or dog bowls - decisions, decisions...

They can be useful but depending on the side you're on, the food will either be at your knees or throat. Personally, I try to never heel the boat so much that I need gimbals.

Dude you're not sailing if the lee rail isn't submerged.

[capt_douglas]

I tried that once, rebel, but the beer got away from me.

Alcohol abuse is a terrible thing.

[Brob2]

Originally Posted by capt_douglas

depending on the side you're on, the food will either be at your knees or throat

No, you'd have a gimaballed setteé with that too, right

OP, you're instincts suggesting leaving that idea alone are correct. Not really functional at sea. Perhaps in port if you have a noticeable list.

[hugosalt]

Does not Geraldo Rivera have a yacht (Voyager) formerly owned by IBM CEO with a gimballed table, maybe its for sale?

[sunbear1]

I don't like Geraldo's table that much--the beautiful wood,gleaming gold fittings etc. are not to my taste--but I'll ask--next time I'm on board. Really

[Arch Stanton]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

Dude you're not sailing if the lee rail isn't submerged.

Dip the lip!

[roger.waite]

Think big.

What about an entire gimballed saloon!

Beer and body moving in unison! An essential aide to any drunk.

[sunbear1]

The french make one I think. Sir Francis Chichester had one installed and there is a photo of him sitting in it in one of his books. the boat is tilted and he is sitting level.

[SabreKai]

I wouldn't put gimbals on the table. Too easy to have an accident with it. Imagine a nice hot pot of soup or tea on the table and the on watch crew happens to put some weight on the table edge in passing. Perhaps if it could be clamped in place at say 10 degree increments, but I think the engineering and costs of hardware would outweigh the practicality of it. I'd be more inclined to put deep removable fiddles on it and leave it solidly mounted. Use 1/4 diameter bronze or SS rod and drill holes into the table top.

As for making a dual purpose table, I used the aluminum tube and socket sets you get on RVs and build the table so It would drop down so the dining area became a double bunk for harbor, and the same table fitted nicely in the cockpit. The tube was stowed in the side rack by the quarter berth. I could fit 6 comfortably and 8 in a squeeze if they were all friendly.

Sabre

[bljones]

[QUOTE=Brob2;557083]No, you'd have a gimaballed setteé with that too, right

/QUOTE]
Hmmm... get rid of the roof, build it in teak, and vwah- lah.