brad10281
New Member
Some of you may have seen my "Minor Mod" post with the VHF mount that I made. Well, I moved on to the bow of the boat to replace the panel that holds my volt meter & switch, trim switch and the trolling motor plug. Whoever designed this boat did not put much thought into it. This panel was just a hard plastic panel with the switches surface mounted to it. There's been plenty of times when the kids were sitting up there and rested their knee or butt or foot on the trim switch and there goes my outboard trimming up above the water line. I usually catch it in time and start yelling but it takes a 4 & 7 year old a while to understand what Dad is freaking out about...then my wife yells "get off the buttons" and they move :smt013.
The switches aren't recessed 100% in the panel but hopefully it'll work. I took some before pics (SeaRay's implementation) but can't seem to locate them now. Here's the new and improved panel (it only took 3 tries to get it just right :smt021):
I know I said that I didn't care for the white color in my "Minor Mod" post, but after 3 attempts at getting this panel just right I don't think I'll be making another one out of some other color. This was done by hand with a dremel tool and router attachment for the dremel tool. At first it was fun but after the second panel it became "work"...yuck! I'm just glad its done and it turnd out nice. Now if I could just figure out how to get the words "Volt" and "Tilt" above the switches.
It's a good thing I ran out of the Starboard material...otherwise I'd be looking for my next project. :smt115
EDIT:
I found the "before" picture:
After looking at the "before" picture I now much prefer my new panel. This pic was taken after I removed the panel once and the corner fell off, notice I only have 1 screw holding it in for it's close up. The original panel was cracking all over the place due to the bow of the boat not being perfectly flat...the material they used apparently doesn't like to bend.
The switches aren't recessed 100% in the panel but hopefully it'll work. I took some before pics (SeaRay's implementation) but can't seem to locate them now. Here's the new and improved panel (it only took 3 tries to get it just right :smt021):
I know I said that I didn't care for the white color in my "Minor Mod" post, but after 3 attempts at getting this panel just right I don't think I'll be making another one out of some other color. This was done by hand with a dremel tool and router attachment for the dremel tool. At first it was fun but after the second panel it became "work"...yuck! I'm just glad its done and it turnd out nice. Now if I could just figure out how to get the words "Volt" and "Tilt" above the switches.
It's a good thing I ran out of the Starboard material...otherwise I'd be looking for my next project. :smt115
EDIT:
I found the "before" picture:
After looking at the "before" picture I now much prefer my new panel. This pic was taken after I removed the panel once and the corner fell off, notice I only have 1 screw holding it in for it's close up. The original panel was cracking all over the place due to the bow of the boat not being perfectly flat...the material they used apparently doesn't like to bend.
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