new GPS/plotter filler plate....

[CliffA]

the Admiral thinks we need to upgrade the electronics on our recently aquired 2001 340DA.....the original Raymarine stuff (RC 530 chart plotter and RN 300 GPS) seems to work but it is severely outdated...i am happy using the Navionics app on my smart phone but we have to keep up appearances......:smt001......

we would like to have a combo GPS/plotter/sounder with the 'down view' and 'side view' feature to see the structures on the lake bottom....

i have done a little research to see if i could find a newer unit that would be a close fit for the existing hole in the dash, but it looks like all of the newer units are wider than they are tall but the Raymarine units are almost square....

i'm looking for ideas on how to make the conversion to a newer unit with a 7" screen as far as filler plates to cover part of the dash hole not used by the new unit.....i would only need to fill in the chart plotter hole...if/when i remove the GPS unit i will use that space for some cup holders.....

below is a pic of my dash and a pic of a new Garmin combo unit for reference....

thanks.....
cliff

View attachment 39803

 

[CougarCruiser]

Find someone to make you a custom panel out of black acrylic. Or, you could use 1/4" black starboard and sand the edges.

 

[Lazy Daze]

FP Marine (and I'm sure other places) can make you a wood-look panel to closely match the other panels on your dash (or heck, just get ALL new panels!). Make the panel just a bit smaller (maybe 1/4") than the "face" of that area. Although it could, it wouldn't have to go all the way down to your GPS unit - that part is all aesthetics. You can also remount the VHF cradle somewhere else, too. In other words, take the GPS out... move the cradle... or not. Get one big panel to cover the chartplotter, GPS, cradle are... or two individual panels (chartplotter vs GPS/cradle area) -- now or later. Lot's of options.

 

[rondds]

I had a friend who got a fiberglass guy to close up the hole and gel coat it. Then he started the electronics upgrade from scratch. Probably the most expensive way to tackle the problem but it works!

 

[cfd95]

I just installed a Garmin 741XS on my 2002 310. Got the replacement panel from FP Marine.
Was 150.00 and doesn't match switch cover(color) but its close.
It's actually better made (thicker) than the original Sea Ray one.
Email them they respond quickly and were very helpful.

 

[kaz911]

Tecnografic is the OEM for SR - and they made my new panels in the same exact colour scheme as my old ones.

Contact Corey or Louis - 954 928 1714

I tried FP - but I got the new panels from Tecno before FP even bothered to reply to anything but the original mail.

 

[CliffA]

thanks for the replies....

cliff

 

[Lazy Daze]

Kaz, there was a changeover from one panel supplier to another. I'm not sure exactly when it happened, but I thought it was somewhere in early to mid 2000's - but maybe not as early as Cliff's boat? I don't recall if the reason for the changeover was poor quality or going out of business, though. I could be way off base, though, I'm just going off memory.

 

[kaz911]

Kaz, there was a changeover from one panel supplier to another. I'm not sure exactly when it happened, but I thought it was somewhere in early to mid 2000's - but maybe not as early as Cliff's boat? I don't recall if the reason for the changeover was poor quality or going out of business, though. I could be way off base, though, I'm just going off memory.

Yes I know - Techno bought out the production facilities as far as I remember. Then Mark ran it for a while - and now his son Louis is "in charge" and Mark checks in from time to time.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Yes I know - Techno bought out the production facilities as far as I remember. Then Mark ran it for a while - and now his son Louis is "in charge" and Mark checks in from time to time.

Did they keep the templates and such for the older stuff so they can match older "wood"? The last time I remember talking with them about this, I thought not - but that was a while ago.