A few additions/improvements of note.....

[Wolakrab]

Anyone who owns an older boat can relate to my story. Where do you start when you begin an upfit that you know will take years? One that is governed by the availability of funds....or mostly the lack of, as is my particular case. I decided to start with the things I see and use every day. This is the story of how the time I have spent over the last 1-1/2 years...mostly consisting of weekends whenever I could make the 4 hour trip to the docks. As it turned out, it was about one weekend a month, give or take a few days.

The additions:

Garmin 4208 Chartplotter

Garmin GMR18 Radar

XM Radio

Infinity Outrigger Jr. Speakers

The upgrades:

Morse Twin S Controls

New Richie Compass

Sony CDX-30M Stereo

Standard Horizon VHF

The overhead electronics box was originally a mess....it had the old stereo and VHF mounted inside, and accessibility along with visibility was a problem. I had always had the electronics flush-mounted on the overhead boxes on my old boats, so I decided to go that route.

Here's a pic of the old box:

I pulled the old box down, junked all the old electronics, and did a complete paint/seal job on it. I removed the old door, and used a piece of white starboard to flush-mount the new stereo, XM receiver, and VHF. Note the high-end Roady XM radio.....I knew when I pulled it out of my old truck it would come in useful.

The old electronics at the helm were recessed in a compartment above the wheel. It was far from ideal, as it limited visibility(again). Here is a pic of the old arrangement...the electronics were mounted behind the smoked plexiglass panel.

I had the idea to make an aluminum panel to flush-mount the electronics on, but wasn't sure how I'd go about it. Then I had an epiphany....I took the smoked cover panel cover to a local sheet metal shop I do business with and had them take a scrap of 1/4" aluminum plate, cut and bend it using the panel as a template. It worked like a charm....all it took was some minor grinding and cutting to fit it perfectly. I had it finished with a black powdercoating, and mounted the new Garmin 4208 and stereo remote, along with the old Garmin 2006 that I will use as a dedicated sounder with the Garmin GSD21. Here's the finished product:

When I started the overhead box, I wondered how hard it would be to pull new wires through the tower legs....based on my previous experiences, I was not looking forward to it. Again, the light bulb went off. On my Carolina Classic and Scout, the manufacturers used a 2" OD aluminum pipe mounted from the overhead box to the top of the helm console to use as a wireway. Why couldn't I do that here? So, I took some measurements, made some sketches, and got in touch with a buddy of a buddy who did some welding on the side. I managed to scrounge up the pipe and some plates to use as flanges, and he welded it up for me. It looked pretty raw unfinished, so back to the same shop I used on the helm electronics plate to have it powdercoated white.

Here's what it looks like:

I wasn't sure how to keep the areas it was mounted from cracking if the tower flexed, so I improvised. I used blocks of starboard where I drilled oversized holes for the bolts to act as a sort of strain relief apparatus at the attachment points on the helm and overhead box.

Mounting the radar dome was another challenge, as I didn't want to use a typical tower mount.....I just couldn't see spending a couple of hundred dollars on one. Again, sketches and measurements......another consult with the weekend welder....viola. It's a very simple arrangement of a triangular-shaped piece of 1/4" aluminum plate with small pieces of angle welded on as mounting feet. I powdercoated this white as well. You can't really see it that well in this pic, but you get the idea:

All the materials and powdercoating for the wireway, radar mounting plate, and helm electronics plate were less than $100. Proof that you don't have to be made of money to do a job well and make sure the end result looks professional.

This is really just the beginning....I have many other upgrades and refit work left to be done. At this rate, I'll probably have the boat in the shape I've always wanted the day before I croak.

At least I'll die with the knowledge that someone else will enjoy my workmanship......

[WEAKFISH]

Awesome job. I love your boat bro.!!

[1bandit]

Great to see some real craftsmanship

[kingair]

Very nice job.

[wiley]

WOW - looks great but it's not complete without one of these:

[Wolakrab]

WOW - looks great but it's not complete without one of these:

That'll look good right beside the compass......

[Fishinspot]

Very nice!

[Go Aweigh2452]

love getting ideas from others... nice job...