New dashboard

[Miles Offshore]

Im taking on another project while winter is upon us and I cant fish anyways. After seeing all the really nice looking control/instrument consoles on THT I decided my old ugly (so ugly its fugggly)dashboard has got to go. I went and bought myself black starboard today cut to size. All new gauges, new navman [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] , all new 8 gang blue seas switch and fuse panel and 10 blue seas flush mount extra fuses for my electronics. Plan on taking my GPS and VHF out of my overhead radio box and flush mounting those along with radar and bottom machine in the dash also. And sinse I decided to redo this I have also decided to rewire the rest of the boat as well as replacing fuels lines , seawater strainer, and replacing the crappy cable steering with hydraulic. The only thing I dont like about the black starboard is the fact that I will lose the engraved seacraft logo. (Really not going to lose any sleep over it though. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] ) Plus I get to clean and paint my bottom again !!! (My favorite thing in the world to do, whats not to like about blue snot , earwax etc.! ). Just wondering if anyone else has taken on this dash project ??? I also started to go with all new white gauges but took them back and got black instead. Mounted on the flat black starbrd I think they will look pretty good. craig

[ January 02, 2003, 08:36 PM: Message edited by: Miles Offshore ]

[ocuyler]

Craig,

I have the very same plan in the complete redo of my 23'. Because all the new toys are washdown capable, I see no reason to close them in behind Lexan or in a box. So flush mounting everything in Starboard is simple and will look terrific.

My only consern in a proper seal behind the Starboard. Any thoughts there?

Regards,

Otto

[Jon G]

Miles, I just bought the same Blue Seas switch panel last week. Looks like a super unit water- proof to boot, top of the line stuff. Starboard will look/work great. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Good luck. Jon

[Scott]

Me too......

But I'm going to make the project a tad more complicated...(I dont know why ... just love making things more complicated than they need to be [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img] ) and mould one out of FG/gel-coat (like Trayder did with the live well) and paint it the same as the topside/inside of the boat when ever that happens. The old wood grained Formica has faded out and has more holes in it than Swiss cheese.....New Gauges .... white faces stainless bezels....similar to the Silverhawk setup.... And I have yet to make my mind up on switches and fuse/circuit breaker panels....Individual toggles would be neat, more retro , and very custom but alot of work installing...Then there is always the Paneltronic waterproof circuit panel (in white vs the standard black) Oh yea....and Santa brought a recessed bow light a few days ago too

Craig .... I think that 23 that was down in Florida (you know the one .... It was for sale for something like $65,000 [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] yellow hull twin Yamaha 200's) had a black starboard dash....Looked pretty smart!!!!

[John R]

Hate the faeux woodgrain (or real as it probably is here) - Black starboard looks OK. I like the big white look myself but does that really add too much glare??

[ January 03, 2003, 08:09 AM: Message edited by: John R ]

[Matt1121]

Hi Gents-

I will also be redoing the instrument panel on my 1991 Mako 231. The original plastic is cracking and the lexan hatches have a tendency to fall off.

Instead of starboard, I too am thinking of pulling a fiberglass mold off the original plastic Mako dash.

As far as rewiring and adding new guages, I would highly recommend that you look at the impressive job that Eddie Ring did on his Mako 21b....see www.classicmako.com. He installed all new rocker switches, new circuit breakers, new wiring, the whole nine yards.

[Scott]

Hey Craig....I think that console that John posted actually has the fuse and switch panel you are talking about....I also remember seeing an all black dash on Hermco's site....I think

I've never been on a boat with a solid black dash like that (The Bertram’s have had just the gauges mounted in black) but would imagine the glare would be cut pretty good by it.....I'm going for the simple look ... Like John says everything white ....

John… me personally…… I like well maintained brightwork, pain to maintain but looks classic in the proper setting….don’t know if that’s the proper setting in that pic however…(guess thats what makes the world go round)..And imitation ..forget it.. would seem today the trend is to get away from the wood ….. Unless you have a Rybovich , Jarrett Bay or something of the sort [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] …..Guess I wont have to worry about brightwork ....well unless those #'s hit [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

[Scott]

Hey John

Speaking of dashboards.....Any timing on when you might be ripping one apart??? hopefully soon?? [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[John R]

Scott -

Me?? We'll see. The wife got a job today (which was half the battle) even though the pay pretty much sucks. She is going to be woefully underpaid [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img] but there is trememndous flexibility in this job.

The other "half" of the deal requires me to fulfill a common New Years resolution that Trayder has obliged to harass me about too [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] ... Once a couple other ducks I have going line up, I will seriously start looking again but it may be a couple months before I can pull the trigger.

[Scott]

Originally posted by John R:
Scott -
Trayder has obliged to harass me about too [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] ...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">[img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

The wife ..... and Trayder ....man your in trouble now !!! Hope Steve doesnt jump on the Bandwagon !!!!! Speaking of Steve ... If you talk to him ...Tell him I said Hi ....