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V-berth Pix of "V" Supports and Cushion Platform Insert

Papidoos56

1973 E32-2
I recently acquired a 1973 32-2. Strangely enough it has a triangular V-berth cushion but no supports or Triangular insert. Very strange. Could someone post a couple pix to show me how these pieces are supposed to look so I can duplicate?
 

toddster

Curator of Broken Parts
Blogs Author
My 1971 boat also lacked a keystone insert. The V-berth was supposed to be two separate bunks that only shared footsies.
 

Papidoos56

1973 E32-2
Does anyone have a picture of what one should look like or do I just wing it. I find the V-berth best if you share more than "footsies".
 

Dave G.

1984 E30+ Ludington, MI
Do you have any pics so we can maybe offer up ideas ? My initial thought is some strips of wood or aluminum angle recessed along the edge and a V shaped cut piece of plywood to fit on top.
 

Papidoos56

1973 E32-2
I am sure I can figure out how to build something that will work. Just hoping someone out there with a V-Berth with a Keystone insert could take a couple pix for me to show me the supports. I am guessing I will make them out of teak (OUCH! You seen the prices lately?!) or Mahogany strips and a base made out of 1/2" or 3/4" marine plywood with a trim around the edges. Would love to see a couple pix just to see if the design I have in my head matches the reality.
 

clayton

Member III
You could source 2 x 2 mahogany deck railing balusters from a local lumber yard, or even a short length of 5/4 x 4 or 6 mahogany deck board. Probably cheaper than ordering online from a marine retailer. The deck grade mahogany is typically an African species or Phillipine and tends to have a reddish hue when new, it does brown out over time. Depending on the color of your interior wood, you could try cherry, maple or even poplar and experiment with stain. Maple and poplar are readily available at the big box stores as well as your local lumber yard.
 

toddster

Curator of Broken Parts
Blogs Author
Well, there are different ways of doing it. One could sew or staple the base directly into the keystone cushion for example.
3/4" x 1 1/2" (1x) strips are plenty strong for side-cleats. IDK how svelte you are, but my feeling is that the open end needs some support or reenforcement. Like a cleat glued & screwed onto the keystone plywood.

Google provides:
Untitled 4.jpg
I ran into some model-specific problems that wouldn't be relevant to the E32 (one side of the "V" curves away so there is no way to anchor a cross-piece). I'm toying with chopping down the useless bifold door and using the bottom part of it to support the long end of the keystone while simultaneously forming the fourth side of a temporary locker (For shoes, maybe? Dirty laundry?) below.
 

Papidoos56

1973 E32-2
Thanks for the picture. That is what I figured. And the idea of tacking the underside of the cushion directly to the plywood appeals to the one piece vs two piece to move about in me. I hear you on the long side issue. A piece of strong face trim, like the 1" thick teak I just saw with perhaps notches on either side to hold it might be just the ticket. this way you drop the piece in and it is held securely. I think I got it. See drawing.Keystone Cushion Insert.jpg
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
That wood "keystone" seems attractive, but also a lot of work and a hassle to store in a rolling boat.

Perhaps an adaptation of the stock Olson slide out fill piece? I realize that ours works well because the mold for the forepeak section has a shallow recess for the slider to move forward and back. I got to thinking tho... that recess is only about 5/8" deep. Factory finish was piece of Formica-top plywood with a teak trim on the aft edge. That piece of trim had been ripped out before we bought the boat leaving ugly screw holes. The trim is needed to help keep the fill piece in place, i.e. keep it from sliding aft and falling off while the occupants toss and turn in their sleeping habits... or toss and turn for other reasons... :)

I replaced it with a same-dimension piece of honeycomb skinned with a couple of layers of glass, with an extra piece of 2" glass tape underneath in the rear where support is needed. Then I milled (fancy term for a klutzy amateur) a piece of teak trim that is glassed to the rear, and invisibly glass taped/tabbed to the surface on the inside. The panel is painted with EasyPoxy and the teak trim is varnished. This supports my 210# sitting weight with no problem.
When the fill cushion is set aside, the panel slides forward into the molded boss in the surface.

Thing is........ if you would not notice an approx. half inch rise under the cushion in the center portion when you are sleeping, such a panel could be used on that E-27. Or a host of other Ericson forepeaks. You could taper the top of the filler gradually of the forward tend, and also about halfway back down each side to avoid noticing the transition with you shoulder blades.
On the Olson the filler just slides forward in the day time.
FWIW, we do not notice the slight depression at night where the filler has slid out of, so this might not be a problem for you either.
You might want to add some 3/8" guide battens to each side to keep the new slider centered.

IIRC, in the fable, the persnickety "princess" supposedly noticed the pea under a thick mattress due to her royal sensitivity. That was only a story, and how large was the 'pea' anyway? :)
Cushion support pix are in this blog entry.
 
Last edited:

Mark F

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
Hi Papidoos56,

Your drawing for the v-berth cushion insert support looks good. If you are concerned about matching the wood in that area more than likely the interior wood in your 1973 E32 is mahogany.
 

toddster

Curator of Broken Parts
Blogs Author
BTW, I discovered that the keystone cutout on my boat perfectly matches the forward (chain locker) bulkhead, making a convenient place to park the cushion when not in use. I wonder if Mr. King drew it that way on purpose?
 

Papidoos56

1973 E32-2
Hi Papidoos56,

Your drawing for the v-berth cushion insert support looks good. If you are concerned about matching the wood in that area more than likely the interior wood in your 1973 E32 is mahogany.
Thank you for the great ideas. And yes, I did find out that most of the wood inside is in fact Mahogany... a huge savings...especially when the prior owner let the stanchions leak for years! ARGHHH.
 

Papidoos56

1973 E32-2
That wood "keystone" seems attractive, but also a lot of work and a hassle to store in a rolling boat.

Perhaps an adaptation of the stock Olson slide out fill piece? I realize that ours works well because the mold for the forepeak section has a shallow recess for the slider to move forward and back. I got to thinking tho... that recess is only about 5/8" deep. Factory finish was piece of Formica-top plywood with a teak trim on the aft edge. That piece of trim had been ripped out before we bought the boat leaving ugly screw holes. The trim is needed to help keep the fill piece in place, i.e. keep it from sliding aft and falling off while the occupants toss and turn in their sleeping habits... or toss and turn for other reasons... :)

I replaced it with a same-dimension piece of honeycomb skinned with a couple of layers of glass, with an extra piece of 2" glass tape underneath in the rear where support is needed. Then I milled (fancy term for a klutzy amateur) a piece of teak trim that is glassed to the rear, and invisibly glass taped/tabbed to the surface on the inside. The panel is painted with EasyPoxy and the teak trim is varnished. This supports my 210# sitting weight with no problem.
When the fill cushion is set aside, the panel slides forward into the molded boss in the surface.

Thing is........ if you would not notice an approx. half inch rise under the cushion in the center portion when you are sleeping, such a panel could be used on that E-27. Or a host of other Ericson forepeaks. You could taper the top of the filler gradually of the forward tend, and also about halfway back down each side to avoid noticing the transition with you shoulder blades.
On the Olson the filler just slides forward in the day time.
FWIW, we do not notice the slight depression at night where the filler has slid out of, so this might not be a problem for you either.
You might want to add some 3/8" guide battens to each side to keep the new slider centered.

IIRC, in the fable, the persnickety "princess" supposedly noticed the pea under a thick mattress due to her royal sensitivity. That was only a story, and how large was the 'pea' anyway? :)
Cushion support pix are in this blog entry.
I really like your slide-out idea. It solves that storage issue that I find so problematic. I am going to play around with some possibilities but thanks.
 
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