Anyone get a plate made to replace the plexiglass lid to flush mount a GPS? I have a GPS/sounder, VHF, and car sized sterero- wonder if that can all be put into a plate? Or how big of a screen can I get for a plotter/sounder and maybe mount the VHF and radio elsewhere? I could put the radio in the cabin, I don't use it underway. Where else can the VHF fit if not on the panel? What's the hot setup right now? Garmin touchscreen?
Flush mount electronics on a 226?
- Thread starter zimm
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I have a 10.4" Furuno mounted there. It didn't fit without modification though haha. I will get pictures. I have 2 vhfs and a stereo mounted in the cabin all with remote mica to the dash. I'm also installing an autopilot currently. Get creative and you can fit just about anything. Pictures to come later. Ohh and the new electronics, Simrad all the way.
Parthery
GreatGrady Captain
I had a 10" Lowrance mounted in mine...and could have mounted something to the right of it.
S3500001 by parthery, on Flickr
If you wanted to do an 8" screen, you could almost certainly get a VHF in next to it. If you do the 10" screen, consider a black box type VHF with a remote mic that has all the controls and a speaker built into it.
My panel was made by Fin-Addict Marine...less than $50 delivered to my door via UPS and he can do virtually any color, including the GW "Seafoam" color which matches the stock Gelcoat almost perfectly. He also did this panel for my 225...
IMG-20120409-00012 by parthery, on Flickr
S3500001 by parthery, on Flickr
If you wanted to do an 8" screen, you could almost certainly get a VHF in next to it. If you do the 10" screen, consider a black box type VHF with a remote mic that has all the controls and a speaker built into it.
My panel was made by Fin-Addict Marine...less than $50 delivered to my door via UPS and he can do virtually any color, including the GW "Seafoam" color which matches the stock Gelcoat almost perfectly. He also did this panel for my 225...
IMG-20120409-00012 by parthery, on Flickr
As you already see in previous posts yes a panel can be made out of starboard to replace the existing panel
FL Marine Plastics said:
I'm liking that color matched starboard stuff. Where can I buy it and what thickness works best? Did you use stainless bolts and nuts or wood screws into the fiberglass?
I can either make the panel for you or supply you with the starboard and you can make it. I prefer to use 1/2 for mounting electronics on. It is always better if you can use nuts and bolts if you have the access to do so. If not screws will work
Using paper cut outs of flush mount diagrams, it looks like if I get a panel made in the same shape as my plexiglass door (19.25x8) I can fit everything I need.
I can flush mount my garmin 498, standard horizon eclipse VHF, and Clarion CMS1 stereo head all in the same panel. As a bonus, the Lowrance HDS-9 touch will also fit in place of the garmin 498 at a later date when I can afford it. It's footprint is just a tad taller than the garmin, so I can cut the hole bigger and not require a new panel. I'm thinking the Lowrance will work best for me as it gives me a 9" screen in a small enough package to work with my panel.
Now to get a panel ordered up!
I can flush mount my garmin 498, standard horizon eclipse VHF, and Clarion CMS1 stereo head all in the same panel. As a bonus, the Lowrance HDS-9 touch will also fit in place of the garmin 498 at a later date when I can afford it. It's footprint is just a tad taller than the garmin, so I can cut the hole bigger and not require a new panel. I'm thinking the Lowrance will work best for me as it gives me a 9" screen in a small enough package to work with my panel.
Now to get a panel ordered up!
heres what i'm doing on a 208..realize its a different dash...but might give you an idea..
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I've been actively researching this over at the thehulltruth forum. My latest plan to get the new Garmin echomap 70s when it comes out, put that on the left, and a standard horizon GX2150 AIS enabled VHF radio on the right. For audio, I'm got a Clarion CDS-1 which has a small 3x5 control panel and a black box for the audio stuff. I plan to mount it on the side on the driver's binnacle so I can access it from the cabin or the helm. I'll report back when I get further along in the project. I plan to mount the Clarion this weekend and do the dash when the Garmin's become available.
If you have the patience and tools, you can easily get professional results doing the work yourself. I flush mounted most of the electronics in my old Sailfish using 3/8" seafoam Starboard and the panels turned out great.
After removing the doors, I templated each opening with a piece of carboard. The key here it to get an EXACT fit. If the panel doesn't fit the opening just right, it will look like crap. Once templated, I transferred the outline to my Starboard that had been covered w/ blue painters tape for protection. The main cuts (not all of them were straight) were done on a table saw using a 60-tooth blade I believe. Cornres were rounded to match the corners of the openings. Holes for electronics were cut. Tape removed and a 1/4" roundover was put on the perimeter. No 90 degree corners. Panels were mounted w/ no. 10 SS pan head screws that matched the machine screws holding in the OEM switch and gauge panels. No large finish washers.
This is the only shot I have of the lower panel. It later got a smaller custom black panel that housed a Floscan and it's required switches.
The upper panel.
After removing the doors, I templated each opening with a piece of carboard. The key here it to get an EXACT fit. If the panel doesn't fit the opening just right, it will look like crap. Once templated, I transferred the outline to my Starboard that had been covered w/ blue painters tape for protection. The main cuts (not all of them were straight) were done on a table saw using a 60-tooth blade I believe. Cornres were rounded to match the corners of the openings. Holes for electronics were cut. Tape removed and a 1/4" roundover was put on the perimeter. No 90 degree corners. Panels were mounted w/ no. 10 SS pan head screws that matched the machine screws holding in the OEM switch and gauge panels. No large finish washers.
This is the only shot I have of the lower panel. It later got a smaller custom black panel that housed a Floscan and it's required switches.
The upper panel.
Parthery
GreatGrady Captain
For what it's worth, this thread inspired me to fix the issue that I've had since I had the panel made.
First - I should have used 1/2", not 1/4"...second - the panel was 1/2" too short on top and 9/16" too short on the bottom.
John at FL Marine Plastics to the rescue...a new panel is being made and I should have it any day now. I'll post a pic up once it's installed. Should look much better.
First - I should have used 1/2", not 1/4"...second - the panel was 1/2" too short on top and 9/16" too short on the bottom.
John at FL Marine Plastics to the rescue...a new panel is being made and I should have it any day now. I'll post a pic up once it's installed. Should look much better.
After spending some time at West Marine playing with the SIMRAD NSS8 and the Garmin 740s.... I really love the NSS-8. I know it's twice the price, has a bunch of stuff I'll never need, but the quality feel won me over. Being a military pilot, I can appreciate a milspec feeling console vs a soft plastic toy of a garmin. Love the zoom knob and hard buttons along with the touch screen. I think I'm going to pull the trigger on a NSS-8, B60 transducer, and RS35 SIMRAD AIS VHF radio....
Well I couldn't swing spending so much for the NSS-8. I was about to get a garmin 740, but then I realized the NSS-7 is only $956 right now after the Simrad rebate. So I ordered that, got a Standard Horizon GX2150 AIS VHF radio, and FLmarineplastics is making me a panel. I even have room for the Clarion CMS-1 radio controller.
Got a picture from John at flmarineplastics.com of my new dash panels. One made for the sirad nss7, the other is blank for future upgrades down the road.
He's the simrad
He's the simrad
Parthery
GreatGrady Captain
Here is the finished replacement panel for mine....fits perfectly. John and FL Marine Plastics get two thumbs up....
IMG-20130406-00010.jpg by parthery, on Flickr
IMG-20130406-00010.jpg by parthery, on Flickr
I spent all day working on the boat and the dash and electronics are finally done! Big thanks to John at flmarineplastics.com he made me a panel that was relieved all around the back side so it would fit in place of my old plexiglass door. That let me use the hinges for the upper support and two screws in the lower to hold it in place. Fits a Simrad NSS-7 and Standard 2150GX AIS/VHF radio. The Simrad was missing one of the wire harnesses, so I still have to hook up the speedo and VHF to the GPS. I mounted the Clarion CMS-1 radio black box in electronics box with sirius XM radio and mounted the controller on the port side of the electronics box so it can be accessed from in the cabin or from the passenger seat by reaching in. Also upgraded the speedo to the fuel/speed gauge and fuel flow sensor. Can't wait to sea trial!
