CS20 cockpit organizer (console?)

[wkisting]

Until now, I've always had a few items that I like to keep in close reach, but which always seem to be in my way as I move around the boat. Yesterday, I finally got around to building a nice little mini-console that holds them, so I thought I'd share a pic.

It still needs paint to make it look nice, but it is a nice snug custom fit to hold my binoculars, air-horn, small flashlight, and anemometer (wind gauge). The VHF radio will actually mount on the side of the box in a quick-release hanger, but I just threw it in to give a sense of the scale. The box is 5-3/4" wide, 6-3/4" tall, and 4-5/8" deep, which is as large as I could make it without it intruding into my knee room or being at high risk for getting knocked/torn off by shifting passengers. I may also put small hooks or small fabric pockets on each side for holding the excess slack of the mizzen halyard and mizzen snotter, which previously have always been flaked loosely on the thwart or the sole.

With the tiller hinge, berth panels, compass/mount, simplified CB downhaul, and anchor drawer, that makes six big projects I was able to squeeze in during my 4-week break from teaching. Back to school tomorrow, so that will put a damper on more projects. But she's starting to look the part of a tidy little ship.

[John Turpin]

That should come in quite handy.  I hate having small items roll around the cockpit and under my feet.  I also like how your GPS/chartplotter hides under that thwart.

[wkisting]

Yep, that's a very handy location for the GPS... shields it from spray, UV, and knee-bumps. I'm not sure why the picture looks distorted, but the two control lines for the CB actually hang neatly to the side of the unit, not in front of the buttons like it appears in the picture. Then the box is right on the other side of those control lines.

I realized last night that instead of screwing the box permanently onto the back of the CB case, I could drill slotted mounting holes so that I can leave the mounting screws in place, but slide the box on and off quickly. That way, I can stow all the gear (and the box) inside one of the hatches for transit/security, but mount it quickly when underway. Works great.

[Hirilonde]

I realized last night that instead of screwing the box permanently onto the back of the CB case, I could drill slotted mounting holes so that I can leave the mounting screws in place, but slide the box on and off quickly. That way, I can stow all the gear (and the box) inside one of the hatches for transit/security, but mount it quickly when underway. Works great.

Any time you tighten and loosen screws in wood you do 2 things:

1. you wear away wood which eventually means the screws will not hold

2. you make it easier for water to enter the hole (yes, I know it is in the bottom of the thwart, but water gets into everything on a boat)

Is it that much trouble to remove the stuff from the box and stow it each trip?  Or maybe make some kind of fastening system that does not rely on tightening and loosening of screws

[wkisting]

Well, I think I didn't describe it well. The screws do not get tightened and loosened. They stay in place permanently so that I can seal around their bases. They are screwed into the back of the CB case, but not tightened down all the way so that the screw heads stick out by about 1/4" (the thickness of the back face of the box). Then, on the box, I cut a large hole (big enough to pass the entire screw head through) with a small notch (the thickness of the screw shaft) in the 12 o'clock position. That way, the screws stay set, and to attach the box, you can just slide it over the screw heads and give it a soft tug downward to "lock" it into place.... a lot like some picture frames do.

Works slick, and the screws always stay put.

Over time, the screw shaft may gradually wear away at the slotted holes in the box, but I'll just dab them with some epoxy once a year or so. The wood is well saturated with epoxy and (as you can tell from the picture) now in the primer stage.

It wouldn't be a big deal to remove the items each time, but this way the box doubles as a gear caddy inside the seat hatches when I'm transporting the stuff, and saves a little time/convenience.

[Ray Frechette Jr]

What I find amazing is that such a good idea can come out of one who thinks keeping a motor on a Core Sound is a good idea.

I am sure Joe the deep thinker boat builder would have nothing to do with a motor.  He is so buff I am sure he doesn't make lame excuses like Heat keep him from a good turn on the oars.

[Hirilonde]

Well, I think I didn't describe it well. The screws do not get tightened and loosened. They stay in place permanently so that I can seal around their bases.

Ah, ok, well that's better.

Over time, the screw shaft may gradually wear away at the slotted holes in the box, but I'll just dab them with some epoxy once a year or so.

Even if the do dads for a boat do suffer, you just live with it or throw them away and make new ones.  I just hate to see the boat suffer when with some more thought it could have been avoided.

[ricknriver]

Thanks Wes for sharing all the great ideas and pics.  Been looking for similar solutions for my BRS15.  Rick

[wkisting]

Even if the do dads for a boat do suffer, you just live with it or throw them away and make new ones.  I just hate to see the boat suffer when with some more thought it could have been avoided.

I totally agree... that's how I settled on this (simple) design, which I built from leftover scraps from the original boat build (I didn't throw away ANY of the cut-offs from my Okoume or Meranti when we built the boat). If it wears out or gets destroyed, I can always make another. I had considered a more elaborate console with a closing top lid, more storage, and a little folding arm for a chart/lunch table, but that would've added ridiculous build-complexity, intruded into my legroom, and added appreciable weight, so I scrapped that plan.

One important lesson I've learned about boat-building (and/or about my own personal nature) is how easy it is to go overboard designing and building in all the "awesome" little bells and whistles that you can put on a boat, including those you never or rarely use, and end up compromising performance, simplicity, and convenience. I've been very careful with our CS to find solutions that are just right for our needs... not overbuilt or excessive, nor seriously deficient in comfort. So far, everything has worked out extremely well, an each new "upgrade" has brought an appreciable improvement in comfort or convenience.

Best of all, since I'm still using leftover epoxy and wood scraps from the original build, all of my boat-upgrade projects this summer were "free" except for my time/labor, some minor incidental costs (a box of vinyl gloves, a few fasteners), and the cost of a quart of Systems 3 WR-LPU Whidbey White (which I had to purchase since I didn't have any left-over from the build).

[wkisting]

Now that the primer's dry, I snapped a clearer photo of the box in its mounted position, showing how the slotted holes work. As you can see, the interior badly needs cleaning... all the build projects have coated everything in dust and grime.

[Ray Frechette Jr]

Now that the primer's dry, I snapped a clearer photo of the box in its mounted position, showing how the slotted holes work. As you can see, the interior badly needs cleaning... all the build projects have coated everything in dust and grime.

Nice idea Wes,  Though it might interfere with my access to my oars alongside Starboard of Cboard case.

[wkisting]

Actually, that's one reason I wanted the box to be quickly removable. If you build one with the slotted holes, you can pop it off quickly/easily when you need to access the oars. My oars are on the starboard side of the CB case also, and I might be able to get them out without removing the box, but I much prefer to remove the box than to risk snagging it and tearing it off as I try to remove the oars.

[Ray Frechette Jr]

So is ther aa perch for Joe in that organizer?

We really ought to have pics of him out sailing with you.

[wkisting]

Joe was tragically killed when I asked him to pose holding one of the 10' oars. The weight of the thing crushed the little guy, poor soul. 

Just kidding... I'll see if I can get him to make an appearance in the near future, after he manages to wash off all the sawdust I've coated him in lately.

[olp4835]

Hello Wes,

  The third sail between the masts, what is that called and where do you get one??  How much was it??

How is your paint holding up, what did you use for primer?

  Thanks, Otto

olp4835@gmail.com

[wkisting]

Hi Otto,

The third sail is called the "mizzen staysail"; I bought mine from Graham along with all the other rigging/sails/spars. It is hard to get a feel for initially, but once you get the hang of it, it makes a huge difference for sailing in very light airs.

We used Systems 3 Silvertip Yacht Primer under the Systems 3 WR-LPU paint. Builds and adheres well as a primer, so we were satisfied. Every now and then, a very small flake of paint gets knocked off by a piece of gear, but generally, the paint has held up extremely well, and has only worn off in places that have seen hard abuse from falling equipment or friction (such as where a rope/line has rubbed the paint). Touch up is simple and fast, but we've only had to touch up once in 3 years. (I'm prepping to add one more coat on the interior this weekend, but only because I have to mix up a batch to paint some other things I've made lately so I decided to freshen the interior to make it look factory new again).

Wes

[Daniel Gross]

wes, are your Registration Number Trailboards carved, painted or stuck on numbers?

I'm going to make a set for my weekender, looking at options.

Thanks

Dan

[wkisting]

My registration numbers are custom-cut 3" vinyl letters, in a font we liked. They stick very well to the varnish, and if you want to make them permanent, you can actually add a few coats of varnish right over the numbers to permanently preserve them from the elements and any risk of peeling off. (We didn't do that because our varnish was already fully cured and the numbers were adhered before someone recommended it. I didn't like the idea of tediously sanding carefully around all the little corners of the decals just so I could add a few more layers of varnish, but the next time we replace the lettering, we'll probably seal the letters right into the finish.)

By the way, would you happen to be the Daniel Gross I knew back at the University of Iowa when I was teaching there? I'm guessing it's just a coincidence of names.

[Daniel Gross]

Thanks, Wes in Missouri ours has to be 3" block style letters, no custom fonts.

your boards look great, I think I'll go the same route for now and tinker with them over

the winter.

Haven't been to Iowa or a university so probably a coincidence .

Thanks

Dan

[Hirilonde]

I think registration numbers are ugly no matter how you do them.  On my Renegade I made boards that tie to the lifelines which meet all the requirements set by RI.  When I am not sailing I store them in my hanging locker down below. 

Hmm, come to think of it, in the 5 years I have owned the boat I don't think I have ever remembered to tie them on when sailing, motoring or anything else.  Well, hopefully the DEM police or harbormaster will forgive me for "forgetting" to tie them on should they ever stop me for not displaying my numbers.