Following this thread as I pulled the 215 out of my 260 and am having the same issue.

 

You can use a piece of starboard and use a router to round the edges. Pilot some holes in to screw it to the panel.

 

you aren't limited to larger radios. I did this with teak when I redid the dash

Henry


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

Use 1/4 starboard, black or white depending on your dash or radio color. Affix with screws at the corners.

 

That's exactly what I did. My new VHF was black so I used black starboard. Turned out nice.

 

Still another option is having a new panel made to match your others. You can even use glue-on studs so you don't see any screw heads, if you want. Lot's of options.

 

Did you use silicone to affix the new plate?

Just a quick comment on this question. Please remember, silicone is not a glue. It actually has pretty poor adhesive qualities. It is best used as a sealant in compression; i.e., tighten the fitting down the rest of the way after the silicone has cured, or better yet, use a better sealant.

Bryan

 

I had the same issue on my boat. I am on what I guess is the third VHF used on my boat. It originally had an Icom 500 series, that was replaced with a Standard Horizon model that was smaller. The prior owner used a piece of Starboard to cover the area and mount the "new" radio. I then replaced the Standard Horizon with an Icom M314 and added a Standard Horizon LH5 hailer. I used a piece of white Starboard material and cut openings for both of my radios and mounted them in the dash opening that originally housed the 500 Icom. I used 6 screws around the edges to hold everything in place.

 

Following up on an old thread I started. I wound up using black starboard which was very easy to work with. VHF installation went great although I still had range limitations at first. The problem stemmed from the antenna connection... a small piece of fray was touching the center wire. I now appreciate how important those connections are.