The head on our 2003 26M was difficult to use. I had originally put the head up on the factory installed head shelf. If you tried to sit cmfortably you felt like you would fall off. Otherwise you had to have a BM standig erect which is not effective.

I took out the shelf and put the head onthe floor facing aft with it backed up against the wall to the V-berth. this allows people to sit comfortably. I had tried to see if it would be comfortable facing forward but it pinched the knees together. Facing aft gives much more room.

I took the shelf and cut in half. With this and some other 3/8 plywood and mahogony wilsonart laminate I made storage shelves where the head was supposed to be. Im happy with it.

I dont have a pump out but could put it in through the V-berth.

Modified head and shelf

On a trip to the Dry Tortugas we found we did not have enough storage so we decided to raise the settes and put on hinged lids. Since no one was using the berth across from the bead I decided to put in a storage cabinet. I traced the shape of the port sette/boat wall onto a 10 1x6 and maed a curved box. For the satarboard the curve was negligable and I a polygon(does not have 90degree corners) form the measurements of the port sette. Itraced the shape of the wall onto plywood for the edge of the cabinet.

Sette Risers/storage

The cabinet sits inside the sette and is later bolted there. It can be removed. If the area is needed for a berth for a tall passenger/crewperson.

Partial construction

There are 2 hinged lids on the sette so that you dont have to remove both cushions to get into one area. One lid under each cushion.

Starboard sette photo #1

Same sette looking aft.

starboard #2

This is the final raised sette storage area and finished storage area. The cabinette is cut into four parts inside. Cut in half vertically and horizontally front to back. There is and Oval door to each compartment. Almond laminate on top with chair rail around it to help keep things from falling off. You might be able to put a similar cabinet in a newer 26M but the seats are supposed to already be raised and the moving galley changes everythng. I prefer the stationary galley(good thing since thats what I own). I also hung 2 straps with clevis from the smoked glass above the galley to hold our portable DVD player/viewer. and next to this from 21 other smoked glass screws is the paper towel dispenser. I did put some wood behind the fiber glass to sure up these screws. sorry no pictures of that. 7-2-05. JK

Cabinet and raised sette storage areas