Installing Electronics On 209

[Tuna Man]

We recently purchased a 2002 Grady 209 with factory T-top and every option Grady offered. The boat has 205 hours from the original owner and was stored indoors. The only electronics on the boat are VHF radio, AM/FM stereo and an inexpensive fish-finder.

Our plan is to install a recently purchased Garmin 740 chart-plotter with radar (18" dome) alongside a Furuno 1870F chart-plotter/fish-finder. We do not plan on interfacing the electronics, I see very little need at this point. I'm hoping those with similar boats and or electronics will chime in. Here are the first few of many questions to come:
1. I've noticed most boats in this size range that have radar utilize a pedestal, do you think I need one (and if so what kind)?
2. I guess the best spot to locate these two new displays is in the main "glove box" next to the steering wheel. I'm open to suggestions.
3. On our marlin I mounted all of the displays and the VHF radios flush mount. Do you think I should do the same on this boat?
4. Both the Furuno and the Garmin units have built in GPS antennas. Do you think I'll need a remote GPS antenna for either of these units?

Thank you.

 

[Parthery]

Congrats on the purchase.

I would absolutely connect the VHF and Garmin. You want your coordinates to be sent if you ever push the distress button. And, if you ever receive a distress call, it's nice to see the location appear on the screen.

You will likely want a pedestal for the radome, as you will get blobs of interference from the metal t top frame otherwise.

I'd flush mount the GPS and FF in the glove box panel. Mount your VHF in the upper electronics box.

Modern internal antennas should have no problem getting a GPS signal when flush mounted. I had a Lowrance HDS in my 225 and it worked great. Considering the same unit for my 223.

 

[ROBERTH]

I would check with Garmins' mounting requirements for radome. My Lowrance 3G mounted flush to hardtop and works perfectly. I first had it mounted on a pedestal, but had a height issue under bridges, so had to lower it. I found lots of boats with flush mounted radomes, so can't see it being a problem. Not sure how the tower pipes being under the radome would affect it...The beam does not look straight down or at that much of an angle unless it is an interference type issue, but mine as mentioned has had not issues and actually can see the prop wash which I would have thought the radar could not see it with that much hardtop behind it.

 

[The_Chain]

We recently purchased a 2002 Grady 209 with factory T-top and every option Grady offered. The boat has 205 hours from the original owner and was stored indoors. The only electronics on the boat are VHF radio, AM/FM stereo and an inexpensive fish-finder.

Our plan is to install a recently purchased Garmin 740 chart-plotter with radar (18" dome) alongside a Furuno 1870F chart-plotter/fish-finder. We do not plan on interfacing the electronics, I see very little need at this point. I'm hoping those with similar boats and or electronics will chime in. Here are the first few of many questions to come:
1. I've noticed most boats in this size range that have radar utilize a pedestal, do you think I need one (and if so what kind)?
2. I guess the best spot to locate these two new displays is in the main "glove box" next to the steering wheel. I'm open to suggestions.
3. On our marlin I mounted all of the displays and the VHF radios flush mount. Do you think I should do the same on this boat?
4. Both the Furuno and the Garmin units have built in GPS antennas. Do you think I'll need a remote GPS antenna for either of these units?

Thank you.

First off you own two Gradys? Does your wife have a sister..jk

My 24 Explorer which you know well, I installed the pedistal, I went with a seaview I believe, works good gets it up 6 -8 inches and I dont have any interference. I also have a 3-5 degree slant on it to even things out when im on plane. Height I was thinking would be an issue but I did the quick math and double checked with grady over the phone..8 ft 1 inch from top hardtop to the water line, waterline to trailer wheels base 3 ft,radar top of my anchor light/radar to hardtop2 feet= total of 13' 3" inches..good to go on most roads except low bridges, you can google low bridges and some sites have maps on where there located..on a side note that 209 is probably shorter overall in height so I think youd be fine.


Im not sure how much room you have in the glove box..but if it were me and I had an option to do so I would. I think its alot cleaner looking with flush mounts, plus when your washing down you dont have to worry about wires exposed to water.

I have both HDS systems, so I have not found the need for an external GPS antenna, I do however have one for my Furuno Radar, which I could if I wanted to take the time to do it work it work it into the NNEMA network. I have found most units with internal GPS's now are good to go, even in the glove box

 

[Tuna Man]

Thank you for the responses.

I will look into the Garmin radar owner's manual and see what they suggest, I suspect a short pedestal with anchor light might be my best option for the radar.

I agree with the flush mount working out well, my main concern is that I would loose (waste) a lot of the main glove box. I'm not near the boat right now, but I would guess the glove box is something like 12" tall x 20" wide x 20" deep. In other words it's a pretty big box that would be awfully nice to store cell phones, wallets, keys, paperwork, etc. Maybe I'll figure out a way to utilize the space effectively by making some sort of pocket or mini glove box as part of the flush mount.

Finally yes my wife has a sister (they owned a 232 a few years ago)...