Gillie, here's how I set up my Seafari, for what it's worth. I put two glove boxes in the port side bulkhead, one just below the f/g panel for the radio, and the other for storage down low on left side under the deck, just above the cockpit shelf. Original radio was a big old 12 channel crystal type set mounted inside glove box on a plywood slide. Later removed door and covered with a piece of starboard to mount newer, much more compact radio. (A side benefit of the glove boxes is that they provide neat shelves inside the cabin if you put some rails around the top of them.) The radio box also has a paper towel holder mounted to bottom of it. I used a waterproof external speaker for the radio, mounted underneath the helm. On my Bahama trips, being able to hear and talk to other boats while running a loud 2S motor at 4500 rpm was MANDATORY!
I have a Humminbird DS mounted on port cabin top that swivels and is easily visible from the helm. Don't like the combo DS/GPS units because if it craps out, you loose everything! Previous DS was an ancient Raytheon flasher/ recorder mounted on U-shaped bracket below the helm. (see first pic below - taken at West End in late 70's, pre-GPS era; also note SeaCraft 21 off stbd bow!) This was a good spot because it was well shaded and easily visible. Center area above cabin door is reserved for my plywood/plexiglass chart holder. (GPS is still no substitute for paper charts!) My GPS is just a dinky old Garmin GPS III+, but it's waterproof and gets the job done. Would like to eventually upgrade to bigger Garmin unit, and I've been thinking about using 2 45 degree bow rail fittings and a length of tubing, mounted to the bulkhead and extending up next to left side of helm, close enough to be easily readable. I believe Big Shrimpin had a Navman unit mounted like this.
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