Navigation Table

My vacation is comming to an end. To make end this period with a specially pleasant job, I've dedicated the day to the navigation table.

The navigation table should be a central element in each boat which intends on sailing seriously. For me, it is the preferred place to sit and meditate, develop plans, discover new places to visit and just let your mind fly.

On most monohulls I've been sailing on, though, the position of the navigation table has allways disappointed a bit. Usually a bit cramped, it allways lacked a good view to the outside. Which is why I allways tended to carry the chart outside to make a visual check. Something which is not very recommendable to do, since it exposes an important navigation instrument to wind, rain, salt water and even total loss overboard. Arpex offers me a confortable sitting position with a splendid view outside, and a moderately sized table to work on. The chart and other navigation instruments can allways stay in a sheltered position.

As I work on it, the table slowly develops a couple of neat details like fiddles, grips, slide rails, supports, pencil holder and other stuff.

The table will be removable and portable, so that I can use it as writing support on deck. It sits perfectly on the boats chair's arm rests.

The day was not solely dedicated to the navigation, I have also worked on the floorboards, which needed sanding, epoxi sealing, gluing of reinforcement structure on the underside. The varnished floorboards look nice, but I'm afraid they will not be very practical, since it will probabely be very slippery when wet. Something to solve later, after some life experience.

I've drilled sufficiently large finger holes, to prevent snaging. A board which was initially one large piece was cut in two to improve handling. The four wooden boards draw a lovely pattern on the floor.

In total, the finishing is roughly amateurish, I'm afraid. But it is just fine enough for me. I've never had farflying ambitions regarding that. What I want, is that the boat and its parts be solid, reasonably well built, nice to look at from a reasonable distance. Not much more than that... Of course all these factors are subject to personal interpretation... This is a learning platform for a largely autodidact boatbuilder.

By the way; It is now that I have discovered that the absolute best way to apply epoxi on wood for sealing - it is with a squeegee. It allows for good penetration of the resin into the wood grain, and allows to squeegee off all excess, resulting in a perfect finish.