Bench Top Creation

After having worked out what I wanted in the layout of the saloon, it was time to get started.  Continuously looking at the design doesn't make it happen.

Firstly the table would need a support frame which will be attached to the cupboard under the table, and the mast compression post.

I wanted the support frame to be made of Stainless Steel, so would need an engineering shop to make it up for me. I put created a detailed drawing of what I was after and took it to an engineering factory near where I was living in Wanchai (HK). To give me confidence in my drawing, the guy in the factory seemed to understand what I wanted.....  "seemed to" because he didn't speak English, and I can't speak Cantonese.

We agreed on a price, and I left 50% deposit, wrote my contact number on the drawing, walking away happy. While it was only a small job, I still expected it to take about 2 weeks, to my surprise the frame was ready two days later, and was exactly what I wanted.

Now with Confidence from the support frame experience, it was time to tackle getting the bench tops made.

The Plan

Step 1: Make full size paper patterns of the bench tops in the boat to make sure that the design works. (at least layout wise).

Step 2: Make detailed drawings from the paper patterns (these took me soooo long to do).

Step 3: Take the drawings to the kitchen place to get quotation and place order.

Step 4: Sit back and relax, it was going to take a couple of weeks for them to make it.

What Happened

Step 1 & 2 all went ahead as expected, however at Step 3 things changed. I presented the drawings to the sales assistant in the kitchen bench top shop in Wanchai (you can get everything, and I mean everything, in Wanchai), he asked me to select the colour I would like from the samples while he worked out a price. We had a similar language challenges as in the engineering place, but we could communicate ok, it adds to the fun of shopping. Shopping is not something I enjoy doing back home in Sydney, however in Hong Kong, it is fun.

He came back with price, this is where I could use the “standard phase” in Cantonese when haggling over price.  The phrase is "Wha!" (it is a general purpose phase, however in this situation it roughly translates to "holy crap"). He responded with "ok ok" (I understood that part), and immediately dropped the price by 25%, while I thought the price was reasonable, I thought I would try and lower it further with the "old walk away trick"........ it didn't work. I had to repeat the exercise in the shop two doors down.  This time I got a better price from the start, but still did the "Wha!"  (part of the fun), and got a further drop in price. We agreed on the price and the order was placed, again with 50% deposit.

The order was again ready before I expected, only 4 days.  I wanted it delivered to the office, where it could be stored until taken back to Sydney, where the boat is located. I received a phone call, saying that they would deliver it that morning. It would be at 11am and for me to meet them outside the building (silver van). I was on time, but no sign of them, the driver then rang me directly, and with broken English/Cantonese told me he was here, where was I...  I was in front of the building, couldn't see him. I went to solicit help from the security guard at the entrance to the loading bay of the building so he could talk to the driver. The challenge was the guard didn't speak English either.... no worries, I called hte drivers number and simply handed over the phone to the security guard. The driver was already waiting at the loading dock, problem solved.

Gally benchtop, sallon table, and drop leaf on office floor

I got out my paper patterns and laid them over the top of the finished bench tops, they were perfect.  Language barriers are easily solved with pictures, hand gestures, and smiles.

The two main reasons for getting them made in Hong Kong was, firstly convenience (living in HK), and secondly was price.  It is significantly cheaper to have things made in Hong Kong than in Sydney. It never ceases to amaze me that both processed food and fresh vegetables from Australia are much cheaper in Hong Kong than they are in Sydney. I had solid surface bench top made 20 years ago on a previous boat, and that was more than three times the price I had just paid.

Getting the bench tops and frames back to the boat would be done over time, each trip I would box up and item, and take it as check-in baggage.  Doing it over several trips was not due to hitting weight limits (I have a 46kg allowance), but the challenge is handling the boxes at the airport. As I make regular trips, it wasn't too much of a problem spreading it out.