Posted: March 23 2010 at 14:27 | IP Logged

Just bought a used 2004 Prestancia.  Silly question...

Boat came with a handy cockpit table, which is plastic (no doubt made to be weatherproof material), and is conveniently stowed in a 'sleeve' on the top of the engine hatch roof.  To access you simply flip a switch to raise the engine hatch and grab the table top and stand.  I'd like to upgrade this with an actual WOODEN table top, probably of my own design and making.  Would a wooden table, stowed there, pose a fire hazard due to proximity to engine area...?

Tim

Posted: March 24 2010 at 11:23 | IP Logged

  THANK YOU ROGER !  Appreciate the reply.  Yes, I'm of the same opinion, but I was starting to get a little 'suspect' when I considered that I'd probably have to put 3 - 4 coats of polyeurethane and/or UV protectant or some other 'sealant' to prevent the weather from penetrating the table ...through to the wood.  This 'added' element is what I was hesitant about using.  I guess for the short term, that I would definately have to have the 'bilge' fans going for a longer period - to eliminate any build up of this 'new' odor, before starting her up.

THANK YOU AGAIN

Tim

Posted: March 24 2010 at 21:04 | IP Logged

Tim,

One other consideration - most engine compartments have a fuel, oil, and engine odor which can cause your table to pick up and have such as smell. Could be such that it would bother you to eat on the table if it picked up such a smell.  My engine compartment is large and engine odor free - elegante model.  No leaks of oil and it's pretty clean in there.  Other boats I have experience their engine compartments and they stink like a gas station - oil, fuel, bilge water too - smells.  Hope it works out well for you.  Perhaps a good heavy duty vynl bag to keep the table in would protect it from that?  You could test it by putting a piece of wood - in a bag or not, in there for a week or so and see if that wood picks up any smell.

Roger

Posted: March 24 2010 at 22:30 | IP Logged

That's certainly an idea.  THANKS.

No doubt, I've got other areas on the boat where I could 'stow' the table too.

Tim