Is the bed in the Master Cabin of a 4788 part of the bow structural support?

[Guest]

Hi all, I am planning to get a bow thruster installed in our 1997 4788 Pilothouse and I was thinking of reconfiguring the bed when it goes back together.

Does anyone know if the bed platform in the master cabin of the 4788 is an integral part of the bow structure or is it just a platform added after and is not really needed for support.

I would hate to weaken the bow by changing the structural support.

Thanks for any information that can be provided.

Mark

"Mahalo"

[ksanders]

The bed comes apart with screws for the most part.

You might get a little suprise if you take it apart though...

Your potable water tanks are underneath the bed...

[mmichellich]

Most folks install a bow thruster in their 47 by cutting off a bit of the bottom tank-say 25 gallons. The poly can be welded. This requires both tanks to be removed from under the bed first.

[Guest]

I was aware that the water tanks are under the bed but my concern is whether or not the sides of the bed are considered structural support for the bow of the boat at that level.

If I cut away the sides of the bed to allow more of a walk-around, would it weaken the bow at the midway up level?

Thoughts?

Mark

[mmichellich]

MGarland wrote:
I was aware that the water tanks are under the bed but my concern is whether or not the sides of the bed are considered structural support for the bow of the boat at that level.

If I cut away the sides of the bed to allow more of a walk-around, would it weaken the bow at the midway up level?

Thoughts?

Mark

Are you talking about the cabinet (and door) next to the floor on each side of the bed? I have often wondered if there wasn't a better way to access the bed but if you look in these cabinets there is not much added level floor space to be gained is there? I am sure those are not structural.

[Guest]

mmichellich wrote:
Are you talking about the cabinet (and door) next to the floor on each side of the bed? I have often wondered if there wasn't a better way to access the bed but if you look in these cabinets there is not much added level floor space to be gained is there? I am sure those are not structural.

I'm quite sure that small cabinet and door are not structural but the tops of those cabinets is quite heavy and could quite possibly be designed to prevent implosion in heavy seas.

It is sort of mid way between the floor and the ledge below the port holes. If I was designing a boat of that size I could see myself adding bracing to the fiberglass hull at about that level.

I agree that there is limited space to be gained but a step part way up could be benificial for someone with mobility issues.

Thoughts?

Mark

[Carlo]

I have a 98 4788 in which we installed a Bow Thruster. We totally removed the bed structure before installing the thruster. As far as I could see there was no structural support in the bed structure. I removed the secondary water tank from it's location in the keel and had a new one made to sit directly behind the main water tank. The capacity is about the same. Removing that tank allowed us to put a storage area under the floor in the main stateroom which you can easily get at. We actually tore out most of the bed structure and rebuilt a new one to accommodate the new water tank, thruster tube, motor, battery and charger. The bed drawer area looks the same but some of the drawer fronts are just that as we needed the room taken by the drawers to accommodate the aforementioned stuff. We also did the two stateroom into one conversion, as well as removing all the carpet in the staterooms and installed teak and holly wood flooring. I also did a major rework in the bunk bed area to regain unused space behind the baffles. It is amazing how much space was wasted behind the factory installed panels. I also re did all of the material on the cabin walls in the main cabin as well as the bunks area.

The bow thruster is worth installing. We live in Nova Scotia and the prevailing wind pushes me again the dock most of the time. The Bow thruster allows me to leave the dock in comfort and without putting any pressure on the dock be using the engines to turn the boat into the wind. It has been helpful in some tight Marina spots that we have visited.

Cheers

[Foster]

Any chances you can post some pictures of your new cabin layout?

[Guest]

Thanks Carlo, that is interesting, I am also planning to relocate/replace the secondary water tank as I really don't want to lose the water capacity.

What unit did you install for the thruster, what horse power?

Three times in the last 2 weeks I have tried to dock with a 20 K wind blowing off the dock and each time I get close but the wind catches the bow and away she goes.

I will be taking the bed apart in 2 weeks and I will see what I have to work with at that point.

My boat already has the second stateroom removed but the bunks at still there, good suitcase racks.

Mark

[Carlo]

Here are a five pictures of various stages of our renovation in the main cabin.

Carlo

Attached files [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/718205=31288-IMG_2833.JPG[/img] [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/718205=31289-IMG_2880.JPG[/img] [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/718205=31290-IMG_2885.JPG[/img] [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/718205=31291-IMG_2887.JPG[/img] [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/718205=31292-IMG_2896.JPG[/img]

[Carlo]

Here are 5 more pictures of our renovation

Carlo

Attached files [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/718208=31293-IMG_2900.JPG[/img] [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/718208=31294-IMG_2910.JPG[/img] [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/718208=31295-IMG_2911.JPG[/img] [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/718208=31296-IMG_2917.JPG[/img] [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/718208=31297-IMG_2918.JPG[/img]

[Carlo]

Here are a few more pictures

Carlo

Attached files [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/718209=31298-IMG_2930.JPG[/img] [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/718209=31299-IMG_2932.JPG[/img] [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/718209=31300-IMG_2933.JPG[/img] [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/718209=31301-P7090158.JPG[/img] [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/718209=31302-P7090159.JPG[/img]

[ksanders]

Carlo wrote:
I have a 98 4788 in which we installed a Bow Thruster.

Very nice Carlo! I love the way the teak came out!

[Foster]

Very nice Carlo! I love the way the teak came out!

Yes, looks amazing. Can I trouble you for a few shots of what you did to the stateroom and the bunks? We are thinking of pulling them out to create better clothing storage.

[Carlo]

Here are 5 pictures in random order of the Master stateroom mods

Carlo

Attached files [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/718288=31308-P1040261.JPG[/img] [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/718288=31309-P1040263.JPG[/img] [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/718288=31310-P1040266.JPG[/img] [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/718288=31311-P1040267.JPG[/img] [img]/media/kunena/attachments/vb/718288=31312-P1040268.JPG[/img]