Lagun Table Side Mount Retrofit in Twin Bed Elite 2

[Overland]

I think like a lot of Elite II buyers, we were torn between the twin beds vs the king. We chose the twin, but not so much for the size or comfort of the beds as it was the utility of nightstand and easy access to the overhead compartments. But we liked the idea of having a table and a large lounging area in the back, and so I set my mind on the idea of trying to have both.

At first I designed a custom table for the back that would latch into the nightstand in the back with a pole in front, similar to how the dinette table works. I showed it to Oliver and they thought they'd give it a try, but as time went on and things got delayed or forgotten, I sort of gave up on that idea and asked if they would just sell me the standard table top and legs and I would figure it out. They did, and it was a big mistake since I could never figure it out. The table was just too heavy and bulky to put up and take down, and there was absolutely no place to store it. Plus the height with the standard legs was too short for the mattresses we had (another poor decision on my part).  So on our first trip it was labeled the Albatross Table and it was just in the way the whole time. It didn't make another trip, just the two mounts screwed to the floor to remind me that not every problem has a solution.

But the solution does exist in the Lagun table. I'd seen them before in the king bed model but I had sort of dismissed them as being too small to be of use. But that was before @rideadeuce started this topic about their upgraded table top. Their top was much larger, foldable, and just generally nicer looking than what I'd seen before; and so it clicked with me that with the Lagun mount, we could have a foldable table that could easily be stored or moved out of the way for access to the upper storage.  Also the height could be whatever we wanted and unlike the table we had, could be quickly locked for travel.

There were just two problems for us - the mount in it's normal location would block the nightstand drawer; and on top of that, we had opted for an access hatch to the basement right in that same spot where the Lagun is usually bolted to the hull. I needed a way to mount the table to the side somehow. So I made one of these -

This contraption is made out of 15 Series extrusion from 80/20. I cut, mitered, and erector setted this little block and associated connectors to go beneath the bed overhang. The Lagun mounting plate (the vertical piece) bolts to the mount and then the whole thing gets bolted to the side wall under the bed in four places and to the bed overhang in four places. It looks complicated but if you have a miter saw and can play with Legos, you can build it.

Here are some pics of the block in place so you can see how it mounts. The top two bolts on the Lagun plate bolt into the side of the bed extension, then there are two bolts on the block that secure vertically into the base of the extension, then another four bolts that go into the side wall of the base of the bed, opposite the basement. I marked and drilled for the two vertical holes first, then temporarily bolted it in place to mark all the other holes. You need to do this since not all of the surfaces are perpendicular to the trailer or one another. But the flat bottom of the bed extension runs parallel to the floor so if you use that as your starting point then the table top will end up parallel to the floor as well. The end result is extremely solid -

The table top I chose is the 35" Nautic Sail top from Marine Teak. Look around on their site and you'll find a number of styles and sizes, any of which would be a great choice. (This is the same company as this one, btw, but they have more choices in table tops on their UK site.) I debated oiling it, but came to my senses and coated it in a couple layers of low gloss poly. Taking it apart to seal is no problem, but you do have to keep track of a number of shims that go under the hinges to make them flush to the wood.

So here's the final result. I really like the versatility of the top. Use it folded, unfolded, bar height, table height, sideways, lengthways, stick it over the bed for travel or to get it out of the way, or...however. With the mounting plate where it is, we can raise the table hight enough to clear the nightstand and lower it enough that it sits on the bed locked in place for travel.  As you can see, the drawer clears just fine.  The table will work best once we have our cushions made to replace the mattresses, but we just did a quick weekend trip with it and it works well even as it is.

And best of all, it fits in the closet -

Edited September 2, 2020 by Overland

[Overland]

If anyone wants to make the block I made, here's the list of pieces you'd need to order:

 

#3075 Extrusion, 24"

#4303 Bracket, 4 pieces

#4302 Bracket, 2 pieces

#3320 Bolt Assembly, 14 pieces

 

You'll also need some stainless ¼" or 5/16" bolts to fix the block to the hull.  I think most can be 1" or 1.25" long but you'll need two 3" bolts for the two vertical ones that go through the bed extension.  I used lock nuts and large fender washers to spread the load against the fiberglass.  I also cut off all the bolt ends around the bed side with a dremel and cutoff disk and filed them smooth so not to damage the mattress or cushions.

[KountryKamper]

Wow, nice work!

[SeaDawg]

Beautiful job, overland. Just what the Lagun was designed to do. But, on a land yacht...

Congratulations.

Sherry

[mossemi]

That is an excellent execution of a great idea. Thank you for the thorough instructions.

Edited January 1, 2021 by mossemi
Typo

[Overland]

Beautiful job, overland. Just what the Lagun was designed to do. But, on a land yacht…

Congratulations.

Sherry

 

When I was a kid, the family car was a big Ford LTD, so I have a soft spot for land yachts. That car was a little bigger than our Ollie of course.

[Rumline]

This is better than the factory solution because you can open the drawer with the table installed. Not to mention also have the basement access door. Color me jealous!

[Roadrunner]

Overland

The design and install are great work. I was about to commit to the Lagun Table for my build starting in May and changed it up and am cancelling the factory option and have ordered the table and Lagun mount as well as the parts from 80/20. Just in time advice (JITA). Thanks for sharing and your technical expertise.

I noted in the pictures the Lagun mount was positioned so that the rear table edge was close to the night stand when the table axis is centered mid ship. Would be so kind as to post the dimension from night stand to center of mount.

 

Thanks

 

Roadrunner

[Overland]

Can do - hopefully later today. If all you want is to center the table then the location of the mount isn't all that important, since you don't need to mount the table top in the exact center of the pivot. You'll actually get the most versatility out of the table the farther off axis you place the top. That way you can spin the top around for different positions. I'd concentrate more on keeping the leg as far out of the way as possible. Of course the closer to centered you mount the top, the more stable it will be. You'll have to experiment. How I set mine was to clamp the mount in place in different positions while experimenting with the placement of the top. I was hoping to get a position that would allow me to turn the table sideways so that it could be used as a desk over the bed for someone leaning against the pantry. I couldn't get it that far forward without the leg getting in the way (maybe it will work with some extra pillows as support), so I settled on a position that allows it to center in front of the nightstand lengthways when open, and crossways when closed, so that it could be used at 'bar height' with plenty of room in front by the beds. Here's an action shot of the table in full cocktail bar mode -

 

 

And, uh, we don't really drink that much.  I just like to be prepared, you know.

[Overland]

Here you go, looks like about 6 ⅛".

 

 

 

[rideadeuce]

Great job!

[mlb3820]

Well it's time for us to weigh in on this mod.  With inspiration from overland we went ahead and made a similar retrofit in our Oliver, with a twist.  We now have a table/desk as well as a twin bed bridge.

 

I give the complete details here on our website.

[Overland]

Cool - even more versatile!  Are those memory foam pads?  They seem to roll up really compactly.

[mlb3820]

Thanks Overland.  Nope we cut down a twin 3" natural latex foam mattress topper.  We added the same foam on top of the standard cushions to create our mattresses.

 

We tried to roll and tie them but that was sloppy, then the "roll and tuck" approach presented itself.  Takes a little elbow grease and having not too tiny hands helps.

[scubasteve]

Did you have the regular table installed before making this modification?  I noticed the floor mounting bracket in front of the small hatch access and the table leg next to the custom mount you constructed.  Just curious if you were using both or just decided to go with the new folding boat table?  Fabulous design and work on this project!

 

V/R,

 

Steve Dolak

[mlb3820]

Hi Steve,

 

I think you might be asking about the original post from Overland but you are responding to my post.  In any event, we did not order any factory installed table.  We ordered the access hatch to the basement instead.  Then we used Overland's approach (you might have seen the floor table mount in his pictures above) to mount the lagun table bracket under the driver's side bed.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

[Overland]

Yes, we started off with the king bed table in a twin bed.  That was a hare brained idea of mine that Jason tried to talk me out of.  It worked O.K., but I should have listened because the table is heavy and bulky and I could never find a place to store it when it wasn't set up.  So in practice it was awkward and it didn't make it past the first trip.

[scubasteve]

Hi Mark,

 

You're absolutely correct, my apologies!  Happy you responded though as I did come across your modification and Blog...very nicely done!  Did you make the Laguna mount yourself or did you get that from Overland?

 

V/R,

 

Steve

[scubasteve]

Thanks for the reply Overland...much appreciated!  I've been torn between ordering the King bed or the Twin bed version for the past year, but am glad I came across your post and reply that you would recommend the Twin bed version especially with your Laguna Table modification that gives you the extra table space when required.  Beautiful work on the project by the way!  By any chance, are you making and selling this Luguna mount that you created?  I really think many of us out here would be interested in this mount if it were available...me included!

 

V/R,

 

Steve

[Overland]

Oh you’re not talking me into that!  But I promise if I were retired I’d make them for everyone.

[scubasteve]

Good morning Overlander!

 

Do you look into any other options for a table between your twin beds  (i.e. telescoping table) with permanent or removable base?

 

Regarding your custom mount for your Laguna table, is there any chance you can forward some more detailed photos to me or better yet, provide me with a mechanical drawing so I can have one of my machinist friends construct one for me?

 

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

 

V/R,

 

Steve

[Overland]

I'll see if I can't get out there today and measure the width and depth for you, which is really all anyone would need.  The width isn't so important, provided you have enough to bolt through without getting into the corner brackets.  I think that the table comes with a template for drilling the holes - if not, you can use the table mount itself as a template.   The depth also will have some variability since I'm sure not every bed overhang gets riveted in exactly the same spot.  However, there's also come play in the end brackets since they can slide out if needed.  It's only a question of everything looking flush.  The base of the bed isn't 100% perpendicular anyway (very little on the tailer is), so you'll have a bit of a gap at the top.  I honestly don't remember if I tried to account for that or not.  The angle is slight and you'd have to crawl on the floor to see it, but there are definitely owners here (including me), who'd stress over that, lol.

 

I know it looks kind of complicated, but really it's only four cuts on a miter saw and two holes.

 

 

 

 

[Overland]

My bracket is 5 3/16" deep by 8 ¼" wide.

 

About the other table styles, yes, I looked at the marine pedestal tables, but I thought that the Lagun was more versatile and easier to remove.  And as it turns out, we don't ever take it down - we have good access to the beds with the table folded, and since my wife sleeps facing the wrong direction she uses it as her nightstand.

[wyofilm]

Once we pick up our Oliver, one of the first improvements will be this table mount.  Following is a good price for the complete table mounting system, in case someone else is thinking about this mod.  Now $138, was $235.  https://www.rv-table-mount.com/shop  This product excludes the table top.  

Thanks for the great idea and instructions.

[Mattnan]

Hi we made this modification using Overland's instructions.  I finished installing the mounting the bracket last Saturday.  We made one slight modification in that I added aluminum backing plates. (overkill).  I am having a folding table made out of mahogany by a local craftsman.  I hope to install the table top this weekend.  I believe this project will really enhance the usability of our trailer.  Thanks Overland you came up with a terrific idea and execution.