Persisting string array in single column

Question

Our main domain object has multiple string[] properties (various configuration options) and we are thinking of an elegant way to persist the data. GORM creates joined table for the each array so we end up with about dozen joined tables.

I wonder if it would be possible to serialize each array into single column of the main table (someway delimited) and parse it back into array onload?

Do you have suggestions how to do this? I'm thinking either hibernate usertype or grails property editor? I spent some time with usertypes but without luck.

thanks pk