A Triton Super Table

[Jim H No.266]

Hail Tritonians:
Does anyone have a great design for a cabin dining table? It seems like the essential civilizing feature for sailing and eating. I'm aware that the Triton came with a fold down table, but I can not find an original design to copy or modify. Ideally, the design should be simple to store with-out being permanently mounted to the bulk-head.
Jim H Heart's Ease, No266

[Tim]

After the great success of my new cockpit table, I've been thinking of adding a receptacle down below so that the table could be used there as well. Since the table leg threads into a standard deck fill plate receptacle (which might not be attractive on the cabin sole), I've been thinking of hiding the receptacle below the level of the floor, with a small removable section to cover it when not in use. This addition may or may not happen this winter.

While my cockpit table was built for outdoor use (and is therefore pretty utilitarian), the basic concept could be easily spruced up by using wood instead of VHMW polyethylene.

Cockpit Table Construction--Click Here


To me, the Triton interior is so small that any sort of large table would just be supremely in the way. This makes any table a compromise, at best--larger size=more in the way; smaller=more maneuvering room, but perhaps less useful.

That said, the small size of my table design (about 21" diameter) is more than enough for two people to eat from, including dinner plates, drinks, and utensils. And the design is rock-steady too, unlike many folding designs.

Just a thought to consider--one of many possible options.

[Figment]

Tritons originally came with a fold-down table? Cool.

We have a table leftover from a PO that we finally got around to using this year. It's a one-piece hunk of plywood with two studs sticking out of one end. Those studs fall into a pair of keyhole-shaped sockets that are mounted on either side of the forward passageway.
The aft end is supported by a swing-down leg.
When not in use, it stows under one of the settee cushions.

It's big. 2 persons maximum allowed in the cabin during setup. I may trim it down some this winter if I find a free minute.
It's quite stable. No fear of knocking over another's drink when you get up to refill your own.
It prevents access to the forward half of the boat. Everyone hit the head prior to setup.
It was invaluable for cardplaying and sandwichmaking on an otherwise-ruined afternoon of torrential rains.

[dasein668]

Mike's description matches my set-up exactly?except the leg on our table is a separate post that fits into a socket on the underside of the table.

It is big, which is nice, and is also annoying... Plus the lack of access forward really annoys me.

But then, anyone who knows me knows that I have a short fuse! hehe

[Tim]

I have a mahogany table that came with my boat. It immediately went into storage and hasn't seen the light of day since, so I don't know exactly what the setup was. I'm pretty sure it's as Nathan and Mike have described, and was intended to latch into the keyhole-type brackets on the original door trim. I removed and disposed of that trim long ago.

[Robert The Gray]

When I got my triton and began work I decided to treat her as a daysailer and a coastal cruiser. Iwas not going to live on her nor make multiple day ocean voyages. Here on the west coast, Oakland CA. the offshore cruising choices are limited. I love to go down below to eat a sandwich and read the paper or listen to music while hanging on the hook, after a short three hour sail. In the stock triton the seats are set at a height that prohibits any view out. I was commited to installing a permanent dinette. I realised that to attempt to sit four people athwartships was insane, and that I did not have the length on the port side to make it fold down into a bearth. So I decided upon a fixed two person dinette on the port side just starting just aft of the existing forward bulkhead. I mocked it all up with cardboard boxes and seat cushions. The forward seat had the least room because of the dog house step down at that point. I sat there with my head just below the headliner ,leaning against the wall and measured where my butt hit, and that was my seat height. I do not know how to place pictures onto this forum but I would love to show my answer to the table issue.

regards

robert [/img]

[Tim]

Robert,

Follow this link for a description of how to post photos on this forum.

Posting Photos: A Description

If you prefer, feel free to email your photos to me, and I'll post them for you.

[Tim]

Unfortunately, the photo sites often don't allow photos to be displayed in a manner such as that used by this forum. Therefore, the photos don't shop up properly.

Robert, I have the photos you sent me and will try to get them posted later on today. Just haven't gotten around to it yet!

[Tim]

Here are the photos of Robert's dinette and interior. There are 13 photos.

[Rachel]

Robert,

Wow, thanks for the photos. Your boat looks fabulous! Of course I've been tossing ideas around in my head while boat shopping, and you've got a few of them done there, plus many more I hadn't even thought of! It's very cool to see what it looks like, in reality. I'm sure I'll refer back to these photos many times. Especially once I've found a boat! :-)

Thanks for posting them Tim.

--- Rachel
(shopping)

[Figment]

Are you kidding me????

That looks incredible!!! I don't even know where to begin with my gushing adoration. Freakin' gorgeous.