40 Ocean - main cabin bookshelves

[Yngmar]

The big "garbage pits" on either side of the main cabin have been annoying me since I got the boat. Set too low in the hull curve to put a book in lengthwise and wasting a huge amount of precious storage space to dead air at the top, plus impossible to keep tidy.

So I finally got around to this. A pontoon neighbour knew where to get supplies here and even offered a ride to a nearby Leroy Merlins (huge DIY store at some shopping center outside Albufeira). Half an hour and some 26 EUR later I left with some timber bits.

I re-used the original sapele bar and made it into a fiddle for the new shelf, so the only part that is visible is original, making it look pretty convincing. The shelf itself is some particle board with plastic veneer. I already had the plywood in hand when I saw this, and it did safe me a lot of time staining and varnishing and days of mess in the cabin (we're liveaboards), so I picked the particle board instead. Marine plywood or real veneer is not available and would probably cost a fortune anyways. The shelf supports underneath are solid pine square profiles (edges rounded off a bit to match the look) with some woodstain to make them match.

Took most of today to do this on both sides, and I'm very pleased with the results. Now the books fit in on top, with a nice extra storage space for all the small bits below. I still have to make a webbing strap with buckle to hold the books in place on each side.

[Laysula]

Looks smart. Nice job. Funny place to keep the soap though.

[Noelio Abrunhosa]

hi.

great job. i have seen people using bungee cords to keep the books in place during rough passages

regards

Abby

[Salty]

That looks very neat Yngmar.
On my B36(2002) there are very large areas below the line of cupboards and a shelf that runs across the full length of the tops of the port and starboard settee backs. These areas are crying out for some kind of modification to enable them to be used for stowage of small stuff and with some form of retaining system to prevent it all from falling out at the first sign of rolling. Your modification gives me some thoughts, though maybe not for this winter lay up period.

[artemis]

Hi There

you have done a cracking job there well done can I ask where did you source the same colour wood!!

Mike
Artemis

[Symphony]

Depends on where you are and if you have a good timber merchant locally. It is a mahogany type wood, often sapele, but these woods vary considerably in grain and colour so you need to sort through what is available. The lighter coloured ones are sometimes better as you can stain them before finishing, but you may have to experiment to get an exact match. If you are south coast UK then Howells in Poole have a good selection of mahoganies. When I had my 2001 37 I bought several pieces and an offcut of sapele faced ply from them.

[Yngmar]

can I ask where did you source the same colour wood!!

From Leroy Merlin at Algarve shopping. But as I said, it's just fake sapele plastic veneer, which happened to be available:

I re-used the original sapele bar and made it into a fiddle for the new shelf, so the only part that is visible is original, making it look pretty convincing. The shelf itself is some particle board with plastic veneer. I already had the plywood in hand when I saw this, and it did safe me a lot of time staining and varnishing and days of mess in the cabin (we're liveaboards), so I picked the particle board instead. Marine plywood or real veneer is not available and would probably cost a fortune anyways. The shelf supports underneath are solid pine square profiles (edges rounded off a bit to match the look) with some woodstain to make them match.

[artemis]

Cheers for the reply

Mike
Artemis