Book Shelves

We found a few extra places to store books aboard. Interested? Well, there are plenty of paces within view. THAT is possible on ANY boat. You must look around your boat's usable space, then look at other boats...and you will eventually SEE what you need.

Useable by only a few sailors like us, with an extra companion way; we decided to use our very infrequently used and certainly not required companion way that leads off our intermediate deck into the aft end of our pilothouse.



It is a location that one can get used for ingress or egress while dockside, but not comfortable or safe to use at sea. short intermediate deck. This deck area had few hand holds in the original design of the boat. (Addition of hand holds was remedied within other projects during my ownership) Standing high on a raised deck and too near the boom as well as minimal hand holds, relagated this 'house' companionway, an easily traded item. I traded it for what we were actually finding ourselves using it for: books, DVD's and other things. Outside the companionway was used for mounting the Life Raft, still another project.

Passagemaking, we have made 6" wide "Belts" of Sunbrella fabric with velcro for fasteners, to 'Wrap' each step. Everything is secure even in the worst of conditions we have experienced at sea, which with few exceptions, has rarely gone higher than 35 knots and 15' seas. Plenty sloppy yet the books stay put!

Click photos to enlarge.

Beside the starboard settee and low down, we installed a small standard teak book rack good for a few magazines and flashlights.


Early on, while routing wires, I found a little nook not used above the aft hanging locker; a space within a space. I had to cut it open, trim it out and put a small shelf inside, but it's now perfect for placing my wallet, a flashlight, boat keys etc.
Boats have plenty of wasted spaces, if you just look for them!
It became Dorothy's. She's loaded it with some books, eye glases, and other little things. Might not seem like much, but if you have no place for such things at bed time, it becomes a priority.



In our aft head, I made an teak bar adjustable, to help contain books along the side of the hull. We have never had a problem with water from the port above it as that has a screen on it and we only open the port, when in port!


It's nothing much, but probably should be mentioned: Alongside the the microwave oven, is a nook Dorothy uses for her most commonly used cook books. It works!

Now, have you ever thought of: How much space is available under the sole...Yup....Under your feet?
Answer: Plenty