Date: 1 November 2015. Securing the Microwave.

© janice142
 

The new galley is coming along nicely. I have installed the refrigerator successfully. See the Securing a Refrigerator (fans too) article for details on that. Additionally, I now have a shelf above the refrigerator. That shelf makes a perfect spot for a microwave oven. Today I will show you how I have mounted the microwave so it cannot move while underway.
 

My Rival 700 watt microwave sitting on the shelf:

Immediately I am certain you can see a problem or three. The first issue I spotted was that window. Should the boat get waked badly the corner of the microwave could come in contact with the aft window. To prevent that I took a small piece of wood and screwed it into the teak window frame.
 

Eventually I will do something creative with the back side of that wood. It is visible from the cockpit.
 

Next I needed to prevent the microwave from sliding sideways and then forward. The easiest solution I could come up with involved two more pieces of cutting board. Yes, I could have used wood. I thought the cutting board would be better. It is easier to cut (less messy) and will not warp if it gets wet.
 

Cutting with a dull jigsaw blade netted me a couple of pieces that were a bit wobbly. So too am I. Because these will not be visible, they are Good Enough.
 

After they were cut I drilled holes in them. Three holes along the front strip and two on the shorter side piece.

I did not measure to get the holes spaced perfectly. Instead I eyeballed it and drilled away. Not every project needs to be perfect. Good Enough and done are sometimes quite sufficient.
 

The microwave will be wedged into the corner. I placed it on the shelf, marking where the two cutting board braces needed to be.  Then I screwed the braces down. Voila: done.
 

The long side is not straight. The microwave will not wiggle so I am going to call it Good Enough.

Good Enough
The microwave cannot slide sideways. It will not be able to slide forward either.

The final potential problem would be a bounce. What if the microwave could jounce up with a jolt and then go forward and fall off the shelf?!? When things are rocking and rolling the last thing you want to hear while at the helm is a crash.
 

You know there is nothing you can do when something falls. It is already too late.

Waves are beautiful when you are ashore. At sea they can cause havoc. Safety aboard Seaweed includes securing all loose items.

Due to the years aboard our 40'er I know the importance of having a boat ready to go at all times. That is critical. The
engine difficulties exacerbate my unease. Soon however all that will be remedied, and in the meantime there is the microwave issue..

Preventing the microwave from jumping was the final stage of the process. In that regard I wanted to secure the microwave to the countertop.

I thought about building a box. A box or cabinet would allow me a place to put things on top of the nuker. The box idea failed as the last thing a 23' boat needs is a flat surface with Stuff on it.

Fighting clutter is a constant battle for me.
 

Thus I decided on a strap. I wish I had a wider black strap in my stash. This one, formerly for a camera is adequate. The strap does not have to be super strong as momentum would be required to break it. As that cannot happen this is quite Good Enough.
 

The strap is outbound, at the center of where the microwave sits.

I removed one of the bolts that holds the shelf to the hinge. Next I used my soldering gun to burn a hole in the black strap. Then added a fender washer and poked the bolt through the strap. Finally I put the bolt back where it came from, using the original locknut to secure everything together.
 

Side Note: I am concerned that the strap might be frayed by the fender washer. I will be keeping an eye on that. If I find a problem I will redo the hole. There is plenty of extra strap length. The next time I shall add a rubber gasket under the fender washer. I should have done so originally but did not think of it at the time...
 

CAMERA STRAP secures microwave with TIE DOWN LOOP at bottom.

On the opposite side I thru-bolted a tie down loop. (It is visible just above those lovely bolts for my newest solar panels.) On the under side of the shelf I used both fender washers and locknuts. That tie down loop is not going anyplace.
 

By tightening the strap I am able to guarantee the microwave will remain in place while underway. Additionally, I will be able to nuke aka cook while underway as the door is unaffected by my multi-prong security system.
 

The microwave will stay cool because I have not blocked the vents.

All and all, I am a happy boater. The microwave is perfect for heating water for my tea. I can enjoy popcorn in less than five minutes with no pans to wash up. I tell you this: I love having a microwave almost as much as my refrigerator/freezer.
 

Life is truly wonderful afloat. I am blessed to be here.
 

Do you have a microwave aboard your boat?
Does anyone have a pet chameleon on their vessel? The First Mate Gallery needs a picture. Hint!
 

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