Upgrades: Chartplotter, VHF, Stereo

[bc282]

Finally finished the install and upgrade on the chartplotter, VHF and stereo upgrade.
Got tired of the small and slow 7`VX1 display, so upgraded to the 12`NN3D. It wouldn`t fit inside console so i had to fab up a flush mount using 3/4" sea foam king starboard. The VX1 displays are used now for FF/sounder, back up GPS/plotting, and radar.

replaced the 2 Furuno mushroom GPS sensors on extensions with 2 flush mounted GP330B's. now only have to laydown 2 whips when trailering.

Added a second VHF (Icom 504 and 8' Galaxy whip; moved whips to the sides for much easier access and went with the new shakespeare 5187 mounts [good mounts but tend to loosen up while underway so required the use of locktite (the near center location on the hardtop was crazy).
Fab'd up with black ABS plastic a stacking VHF stand that rakes forward. Works very nicely for me as it holds the mics too.

Replaced old Kenwood deck with Clarion M475, remote, and Infinity Kappa 602M speakers (OEM kenwood cockpit speakers were completely shot).

Cut out and installed an off white hatch on the top of the console to keep some valuable storage and access to electronics' wiring.

Thank you forum members for sharing your ideas and pics which greatly helped me devise a plan and idea for the installs. I hope my install can help other too in their upgrades.

Here's some before and after shots and one shot of the boat under it's new home (sorry for the messy yard, but i blame that on my dad)

 

[richie rich]

Nice! That looks a ton better than original.....doesnt look cluttered or dated anymore....very good job!!!

 

[bigk23surf]

Got any pics of when you were doing it? That display looks bigger than the opening, just curious how you got it to fix, I want to do the same thing.

 

[bc282]

Got any pics of when you were doing it? That display looks bigger than the opening, just curious how you got it to fix, I want to do the same thing.

sorry no progress pics--too busy trying to get the project finished and get fishing.

the 12" display is most definitely too big to fit inside the console so i was forced to fab up my custom flush mount. This custom fit piece took some serious time, planning, and custom fitting and re-fitting especially since i didn't have the right tools to make the job easier (only had drill, dremel, jig saw, and a bunch of rasps and files). I initially planned to use a thinner piece of starboard and played with a 0.5" plywood piece but found out that 3/4" was the min i needed due to the shape of the back of the display. The console behind the starboard has been cut up pretty good to accommodate the display and i couldn't go back to the old bi-fold doors even if i wanted to. The top of the console is now actually about an inch and half lower than the old console with the bi-fold doors open and thus visibility forward has been increased. Not very visible from the front or side view is a 1x0.75x16" strip of starboard on top of the console and screwed to the back of the face of the new starboard mount. It hides the gap and this strip too has been routered out to accommodate the back of the display. Lots of fitting, re-fitting, shaving, filing, and praying. also not seen are the 20+ hours i think i put in to this console. I don't know how others have flush mounted Furuno VX1 displays, but i utilized the 6 existing threaded holes on the back of the display (some crazy small metric fastener that i had to get at a specialty fastener shop--4mm x 30 if i remember correctly; had to buy a bag of 100 to get the 6 i needed, anyone need some of these?)

Many have used a sheet of ABS, but for my install i wanted something i could work with similar to wood and not crack from all the tooling so starboard was the only choice. That little piece cost me +$100 from a plastics shop in Florida; otherwise i would have had to buy a whole sheet from the local guys to get the sea foam color.

sorry for long wind, i hope this kind of helps.