Cabinet shuffle

Behold! Custom cabinetry. That microwave is actually a dead version of the one we currently use and which is "right-sized", at a mere 700W of draw, for occasional use aboard.

What is stowage? More than just a mispronunciation of "storage", stowage is specifically securing items on a boat so that they can't fly free on a seaway, which would be comical were a rubber spatula involved, and fatal with a large, full can of paint or "Big Bertha", your favourite motor mount persuader.

Yes, this is the sort of tedious detail with which I plague craftspeople who know their business.

The stowage lacking on the good ship Alchemy is has been centered in the forepeak workshop (more to come soon on that topic) and in the galley. As discussed in the latter half of this post, there was a big empty space above the sinks just crying out to be filled with useful stowage, and to do so in a way that was functional and didn't look like treefort-grade crap was beyond my skill set.

Enter Fred Blair. Fred is a pal of my father-in-law, Dave McMurray, who designed boats and ran a Pickering, Ontario-based chandlery in the 1980s. Fred and Dave connected via that work and presumably found common cause as Fred is a "Shipwright, Cabinet Maker, Custom Woodworking" person held in high esteem by Dave. So we met in January and he took the job, which was good for us as we had had poor luck to that point getting this particular task fulfilled.

Photo (c) Fred Blair: Shipwright, Cabinet Maker, Custom Woodworking

As can be seen, the cabinet we wanted was, design-wise, pretty basic, but had to be of undisputed strength, given the motion of the ocean and the prospect of jamming it with not-entirely light cookware.

Photo (c) Fred Blair: Shipwright, Cabinet Maker, Custom Woodworking

Early on, we decided against the five-inch-tall "mug rack" below the microwave "nook" in favour of taller cupboards on top. This allows a more logical arrangement of wide, short things, such as barbeque tools and our electric grill, up top, and pots and/or bulk food supplies below.

Routering the right way.. Photo (c) Fred Blair: Shipwright, Cabinet Maker, Custom Woodworking

Fit and finish with the hinges of wonderment. Photo (c) Fred Blair: Shipwright, Cabinet Maker, Custom Woodworking

The interiors are beautifully finished; the only alterations I've made, save for the mounting holes drilled earlier today, are to put a series of vent holes on the underside of the dish storage area. If dishes are stowed still a little damp, they can drain over the sink closer to the centerline.

Varnishing. Photo (c) Fred Blair: Shipwright, Cabinet Maker, Custom Woodworking

In addition, the internal shelves and separators can be moved about and independently secured as needed, and the rear of the microwave compartment is well-vented to lessen the chance of overheating.

The finished product at the shop. Photo (c) Fred Blair: Shipwright, Cabinet Maker, Custom Woodworking

The hinges are something else. They close almost hydraulically and once I install the magnets Fred provided, I suspect they'll need a fair bit of force to open, which is desirable on an ocean-bound vessel as we hope to sail.

Even the back is pretty.

Installation of a cabinet made of 3/4" marine plywood means some tricky maneuvering. I'm not sure what this cabinet weighs, but it feels similar to our 30 kilo SPADE anchor, Naturally, one item is made for dropping and the other isn't. After measuring out and drilling some mounting holes (note the big and torquey Makita drill I trot out for whipping through steel bulkheads), I had to fab up a sort of strut to keep the cabinet, which at one point had all three of us positioning it freehand over the sinks, supported while I drew drill marks on its future home.

The leftovers from the boat cover construction find a use.

A quick blast of epoxy paint on the bare metal, which still took, Makita enthusiasm notwithstanding, three drill bit changes to get up to the desired 1/2 inch bolt hole sizing, and we were ready to dog down.

This will be recovered by the fitted cherry strips that were there before. I don't think the bolts I've used will be too proud.

 And here's the result. The internal partitions were removed for reasons of access.

Fits like a charm. Picture a spice rack in that space above.

The mounting bolts have washers either side of the bulkhead and the cabinet, and are secured by heavy Nylok nuts. Picture also some sort of 12 VDC pointing directly down into the sinks.

There is not a huge amount of clearance here, but I can see to wash, and Mrs. Alchemy, at a foot shorter, likes the ease of access to the cabinet contents.

This cabinet solves a lot of problems for us. That open area on the side-mounted cabinet held the microwave before, and is now freed up to hold food or bottles. The cabinet is strong enough and well-bolted enough to have on its side a handhold to make the transit to and from the pilothouse safer. All in all, we are well-pleased, and will be even more so once it's filled with our kitchen stuff. Thanks, Fred! And thanks to FiL Dave for connecting us with such a talented craftsman.