Doug, I thought there was enough room between the deck and cushion for a shelf, but not actually living with it I will defer to your experience. I like your simple solution. I don't really need two full length shelves, just space to store those readily accessible type items like you mentioned. I'll take some measurements and start hunting for some containers. What do you keep in the plastic box below the dishpan? Where do you keep your hatch boards? Do you find the space below the berth useful? What do you store there? Thanks, Rick

Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 15:29:19 -0700 (PDT) From: Doug Kelch <doug_kelch@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: M_Boats: Port and Starboard Shelves To: For and about Montgomery Sailboats <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Message-ID: <20040629222919.78501.qmail@web13525.mail.yahoo.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Rick,

I spend many nights on my M15 every year and cannot recommend any location for permanently mounted shelves that would not interfere with sleeping or the constant rearrangement of gear.

I keep a dishpan on top of a plastic box in the space just aft of the the V berth, starboard side.

I also keep the long handled things like whisker poles, paddles, brooms, fishing poles etc. here. The long poles keep the dishpan from sliding laterally and the plastic box is just low enough to keep the dishpan from sliding forward.

When you need something from the "junk drawer - GPS, sunscreen, pens, knife etc you just reach under while siting in the cockpit (sailing along) lift up the edge of the dishpan and pull the pan on to the berth.

Most of the time I can find what I need by feel and don't have to actually slide the pan out.

Living space is precious and permanent shelves don't add enough value to encroach on the living space.

For what it is worth.

Thanks

Doug Kelch "Seas the Day" M15 #310