265 X - flat panel dash

[SkunkBoat]

I'll be mounting a new 12" mfd this winter. Closing up the dash box with black plexiglass(to match cabin hatch and hardtop doors) attached on outside of the where the clear plexi doors were. Mounting the mfd in front of the wheeel and the two Suzuki gauges top right.
Dunno what to do with space below the gauges. A little door to get in there would be nice but not a clean look.
Luckily, the body of the 12" mfd fits the opening so I won't have to cut fiberglass.

Suzuki control buttons will move nearer to throttles , leaving big empty flat space where the gauges were. Thinking of a 12"Wx6"Lx5"deep removeable tray with a hinged lid. Will move the ACCY/ USB charger into this area. This will be the "wallet, keys and phones" cubby. Give me easy acces to the fuse panel under the dash.
This area I will do in the "carbon fiber" look to match my new switch panel.

I hate to lose access to the "cubby". Has anyone ever removed the "plastic bubble" , closed in the back, and made some flat space under the windshield? great place for a bag of pretzels and a sweatshirt...
Obviously I would have to make it flat so it doesn't collect water. hmmmm?....maybe a skylight for the Head?

 

[doug228]

I have seen people make mount the screen on a fixed panel to one side, leave the other side of the cubby cover on a hinge to maintain that storage space.

 

[Fowl Hooked]

Skylight or a powered vent in the head would be nice, I've thought about the vent but haven't figured it out yet. Like the idea of a cubby up there, I use the glove box below the helm now but it gets pretty crowded when I start adding crew phones/wallets/keys etc.

When I redid my instrument panel I flush mounted a remote VHF speaker. Both of my radios are in the overhead box and I couldn't really monitor them while running with the curtains down due to the wind noise. External speaker has solved that problem. Panel is a bit crowded now but I'm hoping to upgrade from the 3 Command Link square gauges to the single multi-engine display and will be removing that 4-position switch when I redo the panel next time. Liked the idea of isolating power when I did the original electronics upgrade but it's proving out to be unnecessary. May need to see if I can work a small cubby into that redesign when I do it.

 

[SkunkBoat]

I have seen people make mount the screen on a fixed panel to one side, leave the other side of the cubby cover on a hinge to maintain that storage space.

I was going to do that but I think the full dash looks cleaner and I want to move the gauges up. Not set in stone yet.
I guess if its all black plexi it could look good...I would have to use just the existing door opening instead of going over the outside....and try to mount the 12" on that. Thats tight.

 

[SkunkBoat]

Fowl Hooked... do you have any venting of that enclosed space with the heat of two 12" MFDs? I was thinking the bottom edge might keep a small gap for air flow.
You have the panel sized just right...do you have measurements?
Did you get them in there without cutting the opening? Mine will go, but I think it will be off center to the bottom.

I'm moving an old 4208 MFD up into the hardtop. It won't look good next to the modern touchscreen and we can watch sonar from cockpit.

 

[Fowl Hooked]

Fowl Hooked... do you have any venting of that enclosed space with the heat of two 12" MFDs? I was thinking the bottom edge might keep a small gap for air flow.
You have the panel sized just right...do you have measurements?
Did you get them in there without cutting the opening? Mine will go, but I think it will be off center to the bottom.

I'm moving an old 4208 MFD up into the hardtop. It won't look good next to the modern touchscreen and we can watch sonar from cockpit.

Skunk,

No added venting. There is some access inside the console area to the larger helm area where cables can be run and then the stuffing tube into the overhead so I suppose there is the potential for a little convective venting to happen but I wouldn't think it's much. Thought about it for a while leading up to the refurb but couldn't figure out a clean way to do it and didn't want to just pop an electronics fan into the side of the console. The prior arrangement with an HDS10 and an old school Furuno was also flush mounted like this, just inset into the original opening with the edges caulked, never had any heat issues and so far haven't had any problems. I've got a remote temp monitor that I think I'll drop in there before launch, it tracks peak temps and it'd be interesting to see just how warm it does get in there.

I don't have measurements for the panel, max366 had originally done it and had it fabricated by Fin-Addict, I just paid him to make me one from the template they had on file. I still have contact info if you're interested. I used that piece as the template for the carbon fiber ABS. In retrospect, if I'd known when I ordered it that I would up adding the carbon fiber I'd have had it made from black starboard and not done any sort of roundover on the edge so it would be more of a flush fit but it's not that obvious and you have to be looking for it.

I had to enlarge the opening. Honestly the worst part of the project, not the actual cut - that was easy with the oscillating tool, but reaching the decision to actually do it knowing that if I screwed it up it was not something I could repair. Wasn't much, really just had to square off the corners and add space for the flush mount brackets, ended up doing a little bit more in the corners after the photo was taken.

 

[Fowl Hooked]

Skunk,

No added venting. There is some access inside the console area to the larger helm area where cables can be run and then the stuffing tube into the overhead so I suppose there is the potential for a little convective venting to happen but I wouldn't think it's much. Thought about it for a while leading up to the refurb but couldn't figure out a clean way to do it and didn't want to just pop an electronics fan into the side of the console. The prior arrangement with an HDS10 and an old school Furuno was also flush mounted like this, just inset into the original opening with the edges caulked, never had any heat issues and so far haven't had any problems. I've got a remote temp monitor that I think I'll drop in there before launch, it tracks peak temps and it'd be interesting to see just how warm it does get in there.

I don't have measurements for the panel, max366 had originally done it and had it fabricated by Fin-Addict, I just paid him to make me one from the template they had on file. I still have contact info if you're interested. I used that piece as the template for the carbon fiber ABS. In retrospect, if I'd known when I ordered it that I would up adding the carbon fiber I'd have had it made from black starboard and not done any sort of roundover on the edge so it would be more of a flush fit but it's not that obvious and you have to be looking for it.

I had to enlarge the opening. Honestly the worst part of the project, not the actual cut - that was easy with the oscillating tool, but reaching the decision to actually do it knowing that if I screwed it up it was not something I could repair. Wasn't much, really just had to square off the corners and add space for the flush mount brackets, ended up doing a little bit more in the corners after the photo was taken.

Spoke too soon. Pulled the email and it did have max's original measurements, 29-7/16" W X 10-5/8" H, 1/2" thick; corners are rounded with a 2" radius. Email for Brown Towles at Fin-Addict is sales@finaddictmarine.com.

 

[bartoma]

I went with the 9" HDS specifically because i wanted to retain easy access to the bubble interior... Everything is a tradeoff...

 

[SkunkBoat]

I went with the 9" HDS specifically because i wanted to retain easy access to the bubble interior... Everything is a tradeoff...

yep...but the 12" was just sooooo much better when I was test driving them at WM

 

[drbatts]

Slightly off topic, but Years ago I saw a 265 which had a hatch mounted to the right of the bubble acting as a sky light and vent for the head area.

 

[SkunkBoat]

Slightly off topic, but Years ago I saw a 265 which had a hatch mounted to the right of the bubble acting as a sky light and vent for the head area.

been thinking of that...or a small window in place of the head vent
Seriously considering removing the bubble since the doors are being closed up...maybe do that as a project next year...

 

[Fishtales]

Skylight or a powered vent in the head would be nice, I've thought about the vent but haven't figured it out yet. Like the idea of a cubby up there, I use the glove box below the helm now but it gets pretty crowded when I start adding crew phones/wallets/keys etc.

When I redid my instrument panel I flush mounted a remote VHF speaker. Both of my radios are in the overhead box and I couldn't really monitor them while running with the curtains down due to the wind noise. External speaker has solved that problem. Panel is a bit crowded now but I'm hoping to upgrade from the 3 Command Link square gauges to the single multi-engine display and will be removing that 4-position switch when I redo the panel next time. Liked the idea of isolating power when I did the original electronics upgrade but it's proving out to be unnecessary. May need to see if I can work a small cubby into that redesign when I do it.View attachment 18668

Very nice install.

 

[PNW_Drifter]

Looking good, keep us posted what you decide. Great looking dashes.

 

[max366]

Just checked in and saw this discussion. I have a 1/4" plywood template for the panel if anyone wants it. Just let me know and I'll send it to you.

 

[SkunkBoat]

It was almost warm enough to go out and make a template...
my feet are cold....

I have 1/4" black plexi for the finish panel.

The old gauge panel will be remade into a cubby with hinged lid in "carbonfiber pattern" ABS to match the Newwire switch panel. I'm thinking of having Newwire make that with an engraved GW 265 Express logo. Cubby will be a lift out tray for easy access to fuses & cables.

 

[Hookup1]

Could you put a hinge on the bottom of the panel so it tilts out for access?

 

[SkunkBoat]

The 12" is pretty heavy. Hinging the whole thing would be awkward, especially with 1/4" plexi. You'd get access but you wouldn''t be using it daily. If I go with a small door I get ready access inside for dry storage and I can reach all cables/connections. Making the door will be tricky with inside corner cuts.... Need to add flanges to backside of plexi around opening. piano hinge the bottom.

The MFD only has 1/4" flange around it and 4 holes. Once you drill holes in plexi theres maybe 1/8" of plexi between mounting holes and the cutout for the back of the unit. They give you some strange flat threaded "nuts". Supposed to work like a threaded insert I guess.

The bottom needs some backing. The bottom edge does not touch anything due to the shape of the original opening.

 

[southernstyle995]

I just bought another used garmin 7610xsv to put beside the one I already have and came across this thread. Trying to decide what to use to mount the MFD's to. Wasn't planning on cutting the hole out but it does look good and it would give me more room up there, but my 2 10" screens would fit in the existing hole. This is what my dash looks like currently. The old raytheon autopilot controle head is in between the 2 MFD's.

 

[Fowl Hooked]

I just bought another used garmin 7610xsv to put beside the one I already have and came across this thread. Trying to decide what to use to mount the MFD's to. Wasn't planning on cutting the hole out but it does look good and it would give me more room up there, but my 2 10" screens would fit in the existing hole. This is what my dash looks like currently. The old raytheon autopilot controle head is in between the 2 MFD's.View attachment 19143

Before I went with the oversized panel and the dual 12” screens I had a flush mount insert like you show made with 1/2” starboard and it worked fine for the 10” HDS and 7” Furuno that were in there when I bought the boat. My AP control unit is mounted up above in the space between the two overhead doors, roughly where you’re radio handset clip is currently located.

 

[southernstyle995]

Before I went with the oversized panel and the dual 12” screens I had a flush mount insert like you show made with 1/2” starboard and it worked fine for the 10” HDS and 7” Furuno that were in there when I bought the boat. My AP control unit is mounted up above in the space between the two overhead doors, roughly where you’re radio handset clip is currently located.

Okay cool thanks for the reply thats what I was gona do was go with the 1/2" starboard and for right now I'm going to just put the AP control unit up beside my vhf, planning on getting a new garmin AP sometime then ill prolly mount it like ur talking about.