possible location for shelving on MacM

[innervations]

The Admiral is pushing me hard to get more usable and accessible storage space and one option I have been considering is adding shelves either side of the main hatch. We don't seem to need that head room to get into and out of the rear berth but I was after your opinions on whether this needs to be kept clear for other reasons? Has anyone done this mod? Apologies for the poor drawings. The red lines are meant to indicate position of the shelves which would run aft from this line.

[RobertB]

I have built a bit of shelving on my Suggest looking at the post http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/v ... ge#p239041. Note the picture

I also made a deep shelf unit over and connected to the moveable galley. Also try hanging fabric shoe rack/pockets on the wall of the head.

I determined the area you show to the port of the companionway would not be worth the trouble due to the existing storage I built over the galley and the fact it is a good reach to get to.

I also mounted a cabinet to the wall behind the head - see the discussion on installing a C-Head http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/v ... &start=105

[baldbaby2000]

I added a shelf on the port side of the companionway: http://www.macgregorsailors.com/modt/index.php?view=520

[mastreb]

The Admiral put 3M adhesive hooks back in that area and hangs canvas bags from them. You can really pack the bags easily, they come in and out very simply when we're packing or unpacking, they move with the boat when it moves (rather than having things crashing around all over in heavy seas), they're simple to install, and cheap. They also don't increase the boat's fixed weight. How they look depends mostly on the look of the canvas bags you use. I think they're pretty perfect for storage on a Mac.

[Russ]

The Admiral put 3M adhesive hooks back in that area and hangs canvas bags from them. You can really pack the bags easily, they come in and out very simply when we're packing or unpacking, they move with the boat when it moves (rather than having things crashing around all over in heavy seas), they're simple to install, and cheap. They also don't increase the boat's fixed weight. How they look depends mostly on the look of the canvas bags you use. I think they're pretty perfect for storage on a Mac.

We did a similar thing. Took some curtain tracks and mounted them along the liner. Got some canvas bags/bins and attached curtain slugs to them. This allows us to slide the storage bins to where they are useful.
The bins are quite versatile and allow lots of flexible storage.

[Ixneigh]

I cut a plywood shelf to fit in one of the combing spaces. It does make it harder to enter the back berth. I left the other one empty and go that way. The shelf is very useful
Ix

[innervations]

Thanks heaps everyone. I am going to try the adhesive hooks and hang canvas and string bags to see if this does the job.

[Kittiwake]

Like Ixneigh, I would avoid obstructing both of the headroom-access areas to the rear berth (ie. leave one).
I built a set of shelves very similar to those shown by RobertB, but located farther forward - where the cabin table meets the starboard liner and running the full length of the table. The table takes the weight of the shelving unit built from 1/4" ply and resting on a soft rubber mat: the whole unit clips to the starboard liner but can be unhooked if desired. We rarely un-hook it as we never use the table as a berth. You can't beat shelving for organizing bits & pieces where they can be readily seen yet are kept in place: books, gloves, sunglasses, wristwatch, pens, ...

[Ixneigh]

All this personalization is fun and all but gee wiz why don't they mold in pockets for things every boat needs, like fire extinguishers????? I just now got around to mounting mine, after it had been wandering around the boat since I bought it three years ago.
Ix

[Boblee]

You can use a velcro backed netting with pockets sewn in to make "bags" along the sides of the rear berth for clothes and anywhere else there is carpet for it to stick to, if the contents are too heavy use more velcro or drop to allow the bed etc to help support, sorry don't have photo's on photobucket for some reason (they were there).
Also here is a photo of what we did with the stbd side rear section it shows a drop down door for the compartment housing the 240v swbd which is supplied by mains and inverter but the forward section is great for quickly needed items like sunglasses, windmeter, phones etc which can also be charged there as it also has 12 and 240 outlets, below (obscured) is a drop down door for computor, maps, etc etc.

The port side is similar but the top section is used to house the radios and volt/ammeters and behind that is junctions for mains cables from the batteries to the main switchboard and below is another drop down door unfortunately I can't find a photo?
this is a photo of the galley front which I installed sliding doors to give unlimited access to the space unlike the factory one whic is very limited, all this is done in aluminium sheet and powder coated.

One of the things I like about our macs is that they are a blank canvas to change for our personal req.

[jimbo]

Thanks heaps everyone. I am going to try the adhesive hooks and hang canvas and string bags to see if this does the job.

Use the same 3M adhesive hooks to hang small plastic coated wire baskets - arrange two hooks at the top and one at the bottom to stop the basket swinging - the basket type designed as laundry organisers. The hooks and hence the baskets can be moved using the 3M releasable glue system so you can fine tune what you want to store where. Plenty of nice smooth gelcoat to stick 'em to inside. how long they stick - well - temporary and nothing that can be damaged from a fall is placed in them in my case. Will see how an Australian summer treats the stickiness.

I also attached a plastic drawer set forward of the galley and with some drawer retainers fabricated from common parts - provides secure pots, pans and plate storage ie heavier" items without locker diving all the time. The Admiral wants another layer on this drawer set now - out with the pop riveter again . . .

[mastreb]

Our 3M hooks are going on three years with no issues.

[Doug W]

Also here is a photo of what we did with the stbd side rear section it shows a drop down door for the compartment housing the 240v swbd which is supplied by mains and inverter but the forward section is great for quickly needed items like sunglasses, windmeter, phones etc which can also be charged there as it also has 12 and 240 outlets, below (obscured) is a drop down door for computor, maps, etc etc.

Boblee, we like these shelves. I'm curious, how did you install the brackets? Just a lot of very short screws? Some sort of screw-rivet or ram nut if the space between inner/outer hull sufficient? Or, did you go all the way through the hull? Thanks!

Doug & Angie

[Boblee]

Basically self tappers and sikaflex, the/any pressure is downwards and if they are tight shouldn't move and haven't after many many thousands of miles on land (rough) and water, did have a problem with the portside upper braket (radios, ammeter and voltmeter) as I didn't fit it as well due to not as much weight but made the bracket and the fibreglass a better match and no worries now.
Been there for nearly seven years, it's all made out of aluminium sheet, bent and welded then powder coated, note you could probably use large pop rivets to secure but the pieces would need to be a really tight fit.