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Under bed storage project.

Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 6:48 pm
by thinwater
I thought perhaps this one would be of interest to the group. It was very simple and solved a problem that has anodized us all year. I had postponed fixing it until I had lived with the stock situation for a bit.

http://sail-delmarva.blogspot.com/search?q=bunk+storage


While you are visiting, why not visit my Dad's site as well? He is an artist and I am I'm proud of his work, so there. He does water colors of Cape May, sea scapes, country scenes, and other stuff. He 85 and still going strong, opening another show this weekend.

http://sail-delmarva.blogspot.com/searc ... the+family
http://kenfrye-artist.blogspot.com/

Re: Under bed storage project.

Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 7:06 pm
by mikeandrebecca
Very nice. I bet that works at least as good as our solution.

Re: Under bed storage project.

Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 7:13 pm
by thinwater
mikeandrebecca wrote:Very nice. I bet that works at least as good as our solution.
Your solutions got me thinking...

Let's keep poaching each other ideas, and we'll both make out better!

Re: Under bed storage project.

Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 8:40 pm
by mikeandrebecca
Agreed. :)

At the risk of derailing this thread, Rebecca and I went climbing today (indoors, at a gym). I have done a bit of climbing before but this was Rebecca's first real experience. She is, as I expected she would be, a natural. I contacted a local climbing instructor today to see if he will go over single-line ascension techniques with us. I also have an old friend who is an arborist. We are planning on hooking up with him this coming Friday for him to teach us how he ascends lines. I saw your post on the other forum relating to the mast mate ladder. Is that the method you prefer to use to get to the top of your mast?

Yes, I like the Mast Mate.

Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 9:26 pm
by thinwater
I was up fixing the deck light and adding some anti-bird lines this afternoon. I set it free (no sliders) and found it easy. But I'm a climber from way back and am comfortable with the motion. You basically work your feet up very heavy webbing rungs while your hands wrap around the mast. I climb at about 1/2 the pace I would climbing a fixed ladder. Rubber faced gloves help. You still need a seat harness and carabiners and slings to tie-off to work. I like the Mast Mate because it gives me foot support, which helps me move around and keep blood flow in my legs. I can do it alone if I use a Jumar (rope grab) as a safety on a spare halyard stretched tight vertically.

That said, many people love the ATN system; I think it is more popular. I have used it and it was trouble free. They feel safer, perhaps. Perhaps they find the climbing motion awkward, who can say. It is less expensive and more compact, which matters to cruisers. I may just a be a fossil, using old equipment that I have already.

I think you will like either.

Re: Under bed storage project.

Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 9:40 pm
by mikeandrebecca
Why not just use ascenders, or even prussik knots, and a harness?

The most recent issue of cruising world has an article on the subject. I know you are familiar with the method.

The ATN system is a pre-packaged mechanical accender system

Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2009 8:24 am
by thinwater
mikeandrebecca wrote:Why not just use ascenders, or even prussik knots, and a harness?

The most recent issue of cruising world has an article on the subject. I know you are familiar with the method.
Nothing special. If someone can help you select gear that works for you, you will end up about the same place. The ATN system is rather over-priced for what it is.

I wouldn't choose to use prussiks; I've done it and it is annoying.

All of this said, my favorite method, if there is much work to be done at spreader hight (say, replace the light fixture or a spreader) is a regular ladder! Pad the top rung, wear a harness, and tie-off the ladder. Crazy on a mono-hull perhaps, but very handy on a cat.

Personally, I like the mast mate better. I set it free of the sliders most of the time, on which ever side of the mast I will be working on. I do tension it well with the halyard. I run a Jumar on a safety line to one side. It would be even faster if a helper could belay me with a halyard, though I would still use slings to tie-off, in part because that limits swinging

Re: Under bed storage project.

Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2009 9:29 am
by mikeandrebecca
Got it.

Someone suggested installing permanent (folding) mast steps (stairs) on the mast. From my calculations it seems the cost would be comparable to the top climber. There was one other cat in our marina that had them installed on their mast. Too bad they already left for the bahamas or I would have asked the owners if I could try them out. :)

Re: Under bed storage project.

Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2009 10:03 am
by amytom
Mike,

I thought about the folding steps too but I'm worried about the halyard getting caught up on them. Just the old SSB rcvr antennas used to get caught up when trying to raise or lower the main in heavy seas.

Drew,

I like your drawer idea but had two questions:
1. Where did you find the plastic slider material?
2. Is there a reason you decided to put the hinge on the inboard side instead of the aft end?


Tom

Yeah, I can see my lazy jacks getting in the steps too.

Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2009 12:08 pm
by thinwater
and I only go up the mast ~ 2x per year.

* The plastic angle was salavaged from left-over parts of a plastic garden shed; extra parts for a different door location. I believe there are vinyl parts for garage doors at Home Depot that could be ripped into very similar dimensions - I saw them last time I was there. The angle is ~ 1/8 x 1 x 1 1/4. Alternativly, a thin plastic runner could be added to a common aluminum angle. That was the original plan, until I looked at the might-need pile.

Don't rip the vinyl with a table saw or such; it will shatter. Use a lexan cutter (a cross between a glass cutter an a knife). Just score repeatedly and snap.

* I felt the inboard side would give better access. Also, the inboard location makes a nice "hinge" for the matress. It looks like it would be heavy, but it is not. Having a hinge really improves the leverage. Note that I have 2 heavy quilts on the bed, too, so it is not light. We are well past sumer here and getting close to freezing at night, though it has been a very warm fall.

Actually, vinyl gutter might work

Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 1:17 pm
by thinwater
Just use the 90 degree corner. I couldn't see anything else promising.

Re: Under bed storage project.

Posted: Sun May 15, 2016 9:00 pm
by Phenix-former-owner
The original post on your blog for this was:

http://sail-delmarva.blogspot.com/search?q=bunk+storage

Maybe it is my browser, but I can't seem to find any of the original post there and I did a quick search of your blog and I couldn't seem to find it. But I remember reading it and I think I remember even commenting in the blog entry. I wonder if you might guide me to find it?

Thanks.

Re: Under bed storage project.

Posted: Sun May 15, 2016 10:27 pm
by thinwater
That blog post was taken down.

In a nutshell, I built a 1/4" x 10" deep ply/epoxy box about 1/4 narrower than the opening and about 30 inches long. It hangs from the edges using a vinyl 90 strip and is free to slide. It is also a big help to hinge the cover (piano hinges) so that you don't have to struggle with the board. There is a dowel brace, like you have on the hood of your car, holding the lid open.

If you would like some pics, send me an email with your email and I would be glad to send them.

Re: Under bed storage project.

Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2016 10:04 am
by bg5w
As info, I did use Drew's idea of the piano hinge on the lids and use a 2 ft aluminum rod against the outside bulkhead to hold the lid up. Makes getting into the locker a breeze.

bob gruber
island time 32