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"L" shaped diner/sofa bed for narrowboat


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Hi All,

My narrowboat has a free standing sofa in the lounge area at present.

I want to build an "L" shaped diner which converts into a double bed with the use of the table top.

 

Has anyone got any pictures to share that I can use for inspiration.

I don't want to over engineer it.

 

Andy.

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Neither of the above examples show a table top which doubles as the piece of the bed base inside the L. I have seen L-shaped dinettes where the table top has two sets of desmo legs - long ones for normal table height and short ones to set the table at seat height for bed mode. But that does rely on you being able to get desmo legs of the right length. I did read a suggestion somewhere that you might need to get the short ones made to length in hardwood on a lathe.

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I followed David S's idea for Legacy. The bed pull out works well but we made the backs vertical & now have to use cushions to achieve the needed back slope, wish Haggis had mentioned this earlier.? 

 

We had a table with folding legs made which sits up against the bulkhead when not in use. Once unfolded, we can set the table, sit down & then draw the table in to us to eat rather than having to slide in with knees under a desmo style table, you can guarantee I would tip everything up one day. That system where the table is on desmo legs is a pain if you have more than two for the meal & the holes in the floor which attract crumbs!. The folding table also has the advantage of being portable when we are eating "al fresco"

 

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7 hours ago, David Mack said:

. I have seen L-shaped dinettes where the table top has two sets of desmo legs - long ones for normal table height and short ones to set the table at seat height for bed mode. But that does rely on you being able to get desmo legs of the right length. I did read a suggestion somewhere that you might need to get the short ones made to length in hardwood on a lathe.

https://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/products/table-leg-stainless-steel-14-cf-168

 

image.png.0729008c465d3aea30312874c4808cd0.png

Edited by Phoenix_V
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10 hours ago, David Mack said:

Neither of the above examples show a table top which doubles as the piece of the bed base inside the L. I have seen L-shaped dinettes where the table top has two sets of desmo legs - long ones for normal table height and short ones to set the table at seat height for bed mode. But that does rely on you being able to get desmo legs of the right length. I did read a suggestion somewhere that you might need to get the short ones made to length in hardwood on a lathe.

 

that’s because desmo legs are the devils work, less faff is better in the long run ;) 

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56 minutes ago, Telstar said:

Thanks Everyone.

 

All good stuff.

Seems like a good idea to have the dinette area on a raised section of the floor.

Is that purely to improve the view out of the windows?

 

Andy.


I suspect it has more to do with locating and securing the desmo leg floor sockets. Without being raised the floor sockets would need to be sunk into the floor and even if there is sufficient depth and you can naturally miss the structural elements of the boat’s frame the fixing may not be particularly robust through ply. Mine are screwed through a false wood floor into 2x2 battens laid on top of the actual boat floor. I didn’t even attempt to go through the floor because being on the centre line of the boat the keelson would have been an obstruction. The fixings need to be good because some fairly heavy loads can be imparted into the holding down screws. Mine isn’t a L shape so it’s not entirely relevant to you but here’s a couple of photos. It took a lot of work to calculate the correct height, depth and pitch of the seats so they are comfortable while still being able to use the bed as a (very nearly) properly sized cross double below the gunwales and have a dining table big enough for four.



 

 

 

 

AEBDD4AF-7B7A-4D45-B86E-E4BCC48E758B.jpeg

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This is our version, photographed at the building stage. Two sets of legs (long and short), two tables long and short. cupboard under bench for bedding. Also three drawers on short side (two are mine for packets and tins storage; one is his for small tubes, elastic things, washers, bits and pieces of crud!) 

 

We have two folding Ikea bar stool jobbies (stored under the main bed) which  go on the long side of the table when it's set up for more than three dining. Cushions placed to provide mattress base and I have a mattress topper that gives a comfortable base for bodies.

 

Extra height does allow looking easily out of windows and you'll see the hatch is directly opposite the L-shaped pullman. And you'll see also where whichever of the tables isn't being used is stored. There's a little storage place between the steps/bookshelf and the galley radiator for the unused desmo legs. It's exactly what we wanted and has proved hugely useful over the years as spare bed for visiting family/friends . Not least because the L-shape makes for more social/drinks space indoors in non-Covid times!! 

Voyager 065.jpg

Voyager 091.jpg

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14 minutes ago, Jo_ said:

Extra height does allow looking easily out of windows

Looks great, thanks for the pics.

Is the area on a raised section of flooring?

 

2 hours ago, Captain Pegg said:

here’s a couple of photos

Thanks Captain.

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The raised area is just where you put your feet. Inside the cupboard and drawers (i.e. under the bench), it's floor level to maximise storage. The raised area lets the desmo legs slot in safely. There's a thin panel at the front of the raised section which can pulls off and pushes on on clippy metal things to store skinny things like .... umbrellas, BBQ tools, ?

 

Oh, and in the 'making' picture, you can see a wood panel sloping under the table. That panel is hinged and opens out like a little door to brace under the long table. So the long table has it's little desmo legs, the wooden shelf rim around the edge of the 'L' dinette and the wooden door which holds it at the foot end.

Edited by Jo_
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There are full plans for an L shaped (or straight) pull-out dinette in Narrow Boat & Dutch Barge Joinery Designs by Mike Jordan

 

CanalBookShop has it for £18.50, might be worth an email see if they have a secondhand copy if you want it

i don't suggest you pay the £199 asking price on Amazon

 

good book for reference as it covers a lot of projects

Edited by Hudds Lad
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17 minutes ago, Hudds Lad said:

There are full plans for an L shaped (or straight) pull-out dinette in Narrow Boat & Dutch Barge Joinery Designs by Mike Jordan

 

CanalBookShop has it for £18.50, might be worth an email see if they have a secondhand copy if you want it

i don't suggest you pay the £199 asking price on Amazon

 

good book for reference as it covers a lot of projects, i can probably scan the relevant pages for you if interested?

Or maybe @Mike Jordan would sell you the plans

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The book hasnt been available on Amazon for about 10 months, and is only available from the outlets mentioned.  Stupid prices seems to be amazons way of stifling demand for books they are unable to supply.

The book was intended to help boaters but was initialy very popular with other menbers of the trade, with some of the designs being made at many yards.

Regards

Mike. 

 

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  • 4 months later...
On 10/04/2021 at 22:01, David Schweizer said:

A few photos of the one I built for Helvetia

 

1729020154_Setee4.JPG.ba83ef550df6766b800470924078011e.JPG

 

1037576201_Setee6.JPG.efadbf45baefd2a4f7aea9e1d5346f32.JPG

 

1900293663_Setee7.JPG.02dfb66f714f2ff5cb57d6f7ecf579e0.JPG

 

393379636_Setee10.JPG.809ad5569122a3a5ef42d2ea5c106f72.JPG

 

I can download some sketch plans if interested.

 

 

That looks excellent... if you could download some sketch plans I'd be grateful as I am looking to replace the seating I have in my boat.

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