Posted: December 14 2008 at 20:57 | IP Logged

Anybody here figured out a good way to make it easier to remove the v-berth and cockpit tables from their posts? The bases unscrew and work fine, but where the top of the posts slide into the metal boots that are screwed to the underside of the tables sticks HARD and provokes much profanity in response. I've tried to no avail using T-111 to lunbricate the outside of the black cap on the top of the post. Any other suggestions?

Also, has the heardware on the underside of the v-berth table in anyone elses boat been reworked in a way that may have been intended to make the table easier to raise and lower?

The design of this boat is so well thought out and it's obvious that Doral paid attention to many, many details....but these tables are a royal pain. Thoughts, ideas?

Posted: February 27 2009 at 21:25 | IP Logged

 Haven't checked this site for some time, hence the late imput. Have experienced the same problems mentioned in both posts on our 2005 Monticello. Namely, the table is hard to remove. I found that grasping it on both sides and jiggling it back and forth sideways as I pull straight up works. However, like NW- Vermonter, we just leave it down and use the cockpit table. It becomes daytime canvass and clothing storage (duffels underneath) and my bunk at night (As we are seniors and need to use the head at night, my wife takes the aft berth and I the V - it's also easier to check the anchor if necessary).

I have noticed that one should avoid sitting on the aft part of the table as it can pop the front fitting. You get use to the quirks after a while. We did a three week circumnavigation of Georgian Bay last summer (roughly 500 S miles) and only one "pop-up".