A Drawer for the Nav Table

 

 While this may be what a nav table should look like, as you can tell from the top photo, it's not the case on S/V Whisper.  After 9 years, I decided to make a change.  Since I never sit at the nav table, it was time add an accessible drawer.

  

 

With the table out for modification, it became obvious that the unused knee hole would be more useful with the addition of a shelf.

 

In the shop, the plan is to cut out a slot in the bottom to use for the new drawer bottom.

 

For the shelf I ripped teak slats on my table saw & mounted cleats fore & aft in the unused footwell.  The closest it ever got to "feet" was as the catch-all storage for my shoes.

 

The box of the drawer & the surrounding frame are so robust because I had the unused teak of my crib boards available. Since I had installed doors 9 years ago, the boards have gathered dust in my storage unit.

 

 

I bought 22" drawer slides from Rockler Woodworking so that the drawer would fully extend.

 

 

While others may prefer the use of the nav table as designed, I prefer my option. Most often I sit at the salon table from where this photo is taken so the drawer is within easy reach. If the friction stops built into the drawer prove too weak for a heeling Whisper, I will add a cabinet latch that became surplus when I replaced a dry galley storage unit with a microwave. But that is another blog...