Adding flush mount GPS & VHF - project photos

iBoat Skipper Doug

Active Member
Aug 8, 2018
140
Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA
Boat Info
2003 225 Weekender w/Bravo III drive
2019 Venture trailer
Engines
5.7 MPI Mercruiser w/Bravo III drive
F892C4F3-9A30-4986-9714-6C651BAD50D8.jpeg

Above photo is not my boat. Photo used as a example of what I do not want.

EB6BA9DB-EB68-49F1-88FE-3517C61DC35C.png

My boat, pre-start of this project.

E79F2F43-B95F-408E-B5EC-81ACBFF072A4.jpeg

Photo form a few minuets ago. More to do, but I have things located.


Just giving a little project update

Background: On my first boat I had a *cough* professional *cough* mechanic doing some things. I was a lot less jaded at the time. I purchased a VHF radio. The mechanic asked if he could install it. “How much would you charge” I asked? “$100” he replied. “Go ahead” I old him. Although the above photo is not my boat, it’s similar to what he did. He bolted the VFH to the outside of the helm with wires dangeling below. Looked like a 12 year old did it. I couldn’t get the DSC button to work, which was state of the art at that time. He replied “I don’t mess with that crap.” He never connected the DSC wires, he cut those wires off flush where they exit the radio. I was not yet hardened enought to do what I would do today, toss the mechanic in the lake. In the end, he got my money and I hated what he did every time I looked at it. I never did get the DSC to work. Also, my vintage little chartploter was ram mounted and it was in the way. Move it this way and it was in the way of the cup holder. Move it that way and it was in the way of the throttle. My second boat came with dash mounted radar. If I sat, I could not safely see forward. So I had to stand all the time. I swore someday I’d get another boat, add the electronics mysel and do it like I want, flush mounted.

Today: I am trying to DYI most of what I’m doing to get this new to me boat that had been in long term storage back to life. I’m not a mechanic and I may be slow with my progress, but by doing it myself I am getting exactly what I envision and want. In my new to me boat, I wanted a flush mounted GPS and VHF.

Here are photos from my in-process project. So far, I like how this project is going. Other then having one washer magically disappear after I dropped it, the project is going well.

Still ahead of me: Adding the VFH antenna mount plus all the wiring, which will be the easiest part of this project given my day job. But first, I need to go find that missing washer.
 
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Nice. Keep the updates coming! FWIW, here is the result of a similar effort I undertook. You can buy the matching burl wood from Decorative Plastics. It comes in sheets.
IMG_1589.jpg
 
Nice. Keep the updates coming! FWIW, here is the result of a similar effort I undertook. You can buy the matching burl wood from Decorative Plastics. It comes in sheets.View attachment 60508
Which color matches sea Ray, the Oxford burl? The website was decorativeplasticsheets.com, hope that’s correct. What tools do you need to cut it?
 
Yeah. The oxford burl is what you want. The material can be cut with any fine-tooth tool, including a jigsaw, roto-zip, etc. Seriously though the tool I used to cut it was the spousal unit. She has mad woodworking skills. I just taped on the template, and the cut panel magically appeared the next day.
 
Yeah. The oxford burl is what you want. The material can be cut with any fine-tooth tool, including a jigsaw, roto-zip, etc. Seriously though the tool I used to cut it was the spousal unit. She has mad woodworking skills. I just taped on the template, and the cut panel magically appeared the next day.

Any chance she has a sister that just happens to be attracted to middle aged, overweight, starting to gray, go bald and can’t see for crap without glasses anymore guys?
 
Is this the website for tecnografix? Spelled differently, but that is what search found.
https://www.tecnografic.com/
Im going to see what a full new dash would cost, just out of curiosity.

Yes, They are not cheap but have a more polished product. If you are matching an existing set up definitely the way to go in my opinion. If you are doing a whole dash I would check FP. A bit less detailed but perfectly acceptable. Really comes down to how the edges are finished.
 
View attachment 60494
Above photo is not my boat. Photo used as a example of what I do not want.

View attachment 60495
My boat, pre-start of this project.

View attachment 60493
Photo form a few minuets ago. More to do, but I have things located.


Just giving a little project update

Background: On my first boat I had a *cough* professional *cough* mechanic doing some things. I was a lot less jaded at the time. I purchased a VHF radio. The mechanic asked if he could install it. “How much would you charge” I asked? “$100” he replied. “Go ahead” I old him. Although the above photo is not my boat, it’s similar to what he did. He bolted the VFH to the outside of the helm with wires dangeling below. Looked like a 12 year old did it. I couldn’t get the DSC button to work, which was state of the art at that time. He replied “I don’t mess with that crap.” He never connected the DSC wires, he cut those wires off flush where they exit the radio. I was not yet hardened enought to do what I would do today, toss the mechanic in the lake. In the end, he got my money and I hated what he did every time I looked at it. I never did get the DSC to work. Also, my vintage little chartploter was ram mounted and it was in the way. Move it this way and it was in the way of the cup holder. Move it that way and it was in the way of the throttle. My second boat came with dash mounted radar. If I sat, I could not safely see forward. So I had to stand all the time. I swore someday I’d get another boat, add the electronics mysel and do it like I want, flush mounted.

Today: I am trying to DYI most of what I’m doing to get this new to me boat that had been in long term storage back to life. I’m not a mechanic and I may be slow with my progress, but by doing it myself I am getting exactly what I envision and want. In my new to me boat, I wanted a flush mounted GPS and VHF.

Here are photos from my in-process project. So far, I like how this project is going. Other then having one washer magically disappear after I dropped it, the project is going well.

Still ahead of me: Adding the VFH antenna mount plus all the wiring, which will be the easiest part of this project given my day job. But first, I need to go find that missing washer.
Thank you for this post & I'm watching as well. I'm considering doing the same thing.

BTW, where did you get that steering wheel? I want to change mine out to something similar.
 
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