Has anyone built a boat shaped table? Pics? (1 Viewer)

[TheDirtMerchant]

At some point in the next 3-9 months I'll be building a table (in time for my first chip arrival maybe).
I found some threads about table shapes (super-ellipse, ellipse, oval). I'm think ellipse or super-ellipse,
however, the boat shape seems to make a lot of sense. *ellipse with the ends cut off...
but has anyone done it? Pros/Cons? Measurements? Unsure what, if any, difference in materials would end up being needed.

 

[allforcharity]

Pro: it's unique, and you will have a story to tell

Con: it's unique, and you may have stories told about you

 

[Eriks]

I’m trying to picture it, what would the benefits of that shape be? (Not trying to be a smart-ass, just curious).

I have built/owned/own an oval, a round and an octagon shape. Of these, I like the octagon best. Yes, it only seats 8 but that’s a full table in my eyes. It’s easy to deal from any spot and every player have an assigned space. Plus it’s easy to store.

 

[TheDirtMerchant]

I’m trying to picture it, what would the benefits of that shape be? (Not trying to be a smart-ass, just curious).

I have built/owned/own an oval, a round and an octagon shape. Of these, I like the octagon best. Yes, it only seats 8 but that’s a full table in my eyes. It’s easy to deal from any spot and every player have an assigned space. Plus it’s easy to store.

On an oval, the ends are as far as possible from the middle and there's difficulty with sight lines.
An ellipse allows more elbow room than an oval, but the ends are still far. The boat shape cuts the ends off
of the ellipse and brings the ends in some. An octagon is good also, but I would want a bigger one.

I'm planning on building a table and I can make it whatever shape I want, but I'm not a woodworker so can't truly
do "anything"...I do need simple and easy...Octagon definitely increases cuts and more aligning....

Anyway, a boat shape seems to be simple, sensible and spacious...but I would like to see and hear a review of one.

See this discussion thread:
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/wsop-feature-table-shape.82065/

 

[Eriks]

I see, thanks! That’s pretty cool, don’t think I’ve seen it before

 

[Skagglio]

You could try contacting the owner of this table for some tips!

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/fugly-poker-table-thread.3757/post-1490058

 

[TheDirtMerchant]

You could try contacting the owner of this table for some tips!

View attachment 892183

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/fugly-poker-table-thread.3757/post-1490058

Tips on what not to do. Sheesh.

 

[Highli99]

Will this be a sailboat or motorboat? How many decks will it have? Is there going to be a mast? Will it be fishing boat, pleasure cruiser, container ship, or warship. If you go warship, will it be modern style or old fashioned with cannons?

 

[upNdown]

Tips on what not to do. Sheesh.

You keep saying “boat shape” but I don’t know what you mean. That one above looks like a boat shape to me, fwiw.
Are you talking about a table like this WSOP table? If not, how is your vision different from that one?

FWIW, I think seats 4, 5, and 6 look brutal on this table.

 

[TheDirtMerchant]

You keep saying “boat shape” but I don’t know what you mean. That one above looks like a boat shape to me, fwiw.
Are you talking about a table like this WSOP table? If not, how is your vision different from that one?
View attachment 892189

Yup. That.
Mentioned in a different thread I referenced earlier (post #4):
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/wsop-feature-table-shape.82065/

Shape(s) reference:

 

[TheDirtMerchant]

Yup. That.
Mentioned in a different thread I referenced earlier (post #4):
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/wsop-feature-table-shape.82065/

Shape(s) reference:

So, that's what I'm asking. Has anyone built that table at home?
Any challenges specific to that shape?
I found plenty of threads about oval tables. Pros/Cons, etc. But nothing about the boat shape.
How many fit comfortably? What's something that you would change? Is an ellipse better?
Anyway...just asking

 

[Irish]

Any challenges specific to that shape?

Adding corners will make the build a good deal more complicated. It'll be very difficult to make a single piece rail with a close to 90 degree corner, wrapping those cleanly so they look nice is damn near impossible. You'd likely either need to break the rail into multiple pieces or get a custom stitched rail covering with seams at the corners (like what shown in the pic @upNdown posted above).

The benefit of a table without "sides" (oval, ellipse) is that you can spread out more evenly when you're at less than full capacity - or if you try and squeeze an extra guy. A boat table, similar to an octagon, make that a little more difficult. On the flipside though, it does help to define each player's space better, which is nice when you're sitting next to "that guy" that feels the need to take the area of 1.5 players

You can make a table with multiple rail pieces look nice, but IMHO that's tough to do without getting creative. I made a 4 man game table with this approach by adding wood framed cup holders at the corners:

Dunno how well that approach would work for a 10 main boat though.

 

[TheDirtMerchant]

Hmmm. I'll probably end up going with an 8' or 9' oval/ellipse...but
I'm going to heavily consider the boat.
Do you think separate rail pieces would be that difficult? Or having separate rail pieces wouldn't be aesthetically pleasing
for an average home build (and by average, I mean my lack of skills with putting this together)?

 

[doublebooyah85]

I have a 96 inch table and could really use 4-6 more inches I’ll say it everytime I see a poker table thread lol

 

[TheDirtMerchant]

I have a 96 inch table and could really use 4-6 more inches I’ll say it everytime I see a poker table thread lol

That's what she said.


Seriously though...you have an Oval? and a 9' would be better than 8', yeah?
I'm sure at this point I'll be going with 9' (108"). But...flattening the end might happen.

 

[doublebooyah85]

That's what she said.


Seriously though...you have an Oval? and a 9' would be better than 8', yeah?
I'm sure at this point I'll be going with 9' (108"). But...flattening the end might happen.

Oval and always hire a dealer.

If it’s a self dealt game I would go with an octagon table

If your building your own I recommend buying gorilla gaming folding legs

 

[MickM]

I am just completing my first build. Mine started out as a boat shaped conference table.

I radiused the four corners and came up with this shape.

This is the final result. It is a very soft oval but I am very pleased with the shape and size. Hope this helps....

 

[TheDirtMerchant]

I am just completing my first build. Mine started out as a boat shaped conference table.
View attachment 892264
I radiused the four corners and came up with this shape.
View attachment 892267

This is the final result. It is a very soft oval but I am very pleased with the shape and size. Hope this helps....
View attachment 892271

Started as a boat shape, but you rounded it down to an oval.
Any reasoning on the change of shape? That's what you planned from the beginning?

Or, you started out going boat shape, but switched to oval for some specific reason?

 

[Irish]

Do you think separate rail pieces would be that difficult? Or having separate rail pieces wouldn't be aesthetically pleasing
for an average home build (and by average, I mean my lack of skills with putting this together)?

Not necessarily more difficult, just more complicated (and yes IMHO less aesthetically pleasing) .

When your rail is a single piece, it's relatively straightforward to build, pad and upholster, and there are lots of resources here and on the web for how to do that. It essentially just sits over the table, it's easy to situate in place and bolt down - some folks don't even bolt down the rail, they just have it sit on the table. If you do it in pieces, you have to bolt down each piece. And you have to upholster tight enough at the seems such that the pieces will fit together with the extra material in place. Wrapping corners are tough, and yes IMHO when you have two individual rail pieces that come together, that doesn't look nearly as nice as a seamlessly constructed rail.

Here's a example of an octagon down with multiple individual rail sections, and it's done really well:

I just think the look of a single piece rail is much nicer, and it's way easier to build. YMMV

Also with regards to table size, I typically shoot to give each player 22"-24" of rail space. Take the perimeter and divide by number of players and you get space per player. I usually make my oval tables 92"x44", which gives 10 players ~23.4" inches each.

 

[MickM]

Like you, I did a good bit of research and actually found a post this post
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/new-table-build-from-boat-shaped-conference-table.46721/
I really liked the oval shape but not the squared off ends. Be aware building an oval table requires more patients in locating center lines as there are not parallels.
I thought Stonker did a great job so I took ques from his build and then edited for my own taste.
Cheers!
Mickm

 

[TheDirtMerchant]

I think what I might do (which will never happen), is build a ellipse/super ellipse table,
but if the price of lumber comes down to pre-covid levels, try to "upgrade" and build a boat shape.
And if I don't like it or its ugly...keep it as an extra for two table tourneys or something like that.

 

[TheDirtMerchant]

Not necessarily more difficult, just more complicated (and yes IMHO less aesthetically pleasing) .

When your rail is a single piece, it's relatively straightforward to build, pad and upholster, and there are lots of resources here and on the web for how to do that. It essentially just sits over the table, it's easy to situate in place and bolt down - some folks don't even bolt down the rail, they just have it sit on the table. If you do it in pieces, you have to bolt down each piece. And you have to upholster tight enough at the seems such that the pieces will fit together with the extra material in place. Wrapping corners are tough, and yes IMHO when you have two individual rail pieces that come together, that doesn't look nearly as nice as a seamlessly constructed rail.

Here's a example of an octagon down with multiple individual rail sections, and it's done really well:

View attachment 892266

I just think the look of a single piece rail is much nicer, and it's way easier to build. YMMV

Also with regards to table size, I typically shoot to give each player 22"-24" of rail space. Take the perimeter and divide by number of players and you get space per player. I usually make my oval tables 92"x44", which gives 10 players ~23.4" inches each.

yeah...my mileage will be as you expect (not aesthetically pleasing).
I'm probably unnecessarily thinking about the boat shape and won't do it.
But...I like the idea of it.

 

[doublebooyah85]

I had an octagon table that we had a custom glass made to sit over top of it, so it had year round capabilities.

 

[Eriks]

Not necessarily more difficult, just more complicated (and yes IMHO less aesthetically pleasing) .

When your rail is a single piece, it's relatively straightforward to build, pad and upholster, and there are lots of resources here and on the web for how to do that. It essentially just sits over the table, it's easy to situate in place and bolt down - some folks don't even bolt down the rail, they just have it sit on the table. If you do it in pieces, you have to bolt down each piece. And you have to upholster tight enough at the seems such that the pieces will fit together with the extra material in place. Wrapping corners are tough, and yes IMHO when you have two individual rail pieces that come together, that doesn't look nearly as nice as a seamlessly constructed rail.

Here's a example of an octagon down with multiple individual rail sections, and it's done really well:

View attachment 892266

I just think the look of a single piece rail is much nicer, and it's way easier to build. YMMV

Also with regards to table size, I typically shoot to give each player 22"-24" of rail space. Take the perimeter and divide by number of players and you get space per player. I usually make my oval tables 92"x44", which gives 10 players ~23.4" inches each.

I have a similar though mine doesn’t look as nicely built. Got mine off Swedish craigslist:

 

[Easylife]

No but I did find a table shaped boat

 

[TheDirtMerchant]

No but I did find a table shaped boat View attachment 892347

Must be Flex Seal all over that!

 

[allforcharity]

Technically, most of our tables are not "ovals". They are capsule shaped, or a rectangle sandwiched between two half circles.