Regular readers know that I like to fiddle with new technology on my boat, including the unique challenges that always seem to emerge when it comes time to mount something permanently.
The word "permanent" isn't accurate, of course, especially in the realm of marine electronics. So my strong preference, whenever possible, is to avoid drilling holes I might not want later. This is especially true when it comes to holes drilled into surfaces exposed to the elements.
Another priority for me: I want to fit all my beloved electronics into the relatively small space available aboard my 22-foot boat. It can be difficult to find a spot for a new item. I want to be able to access the item easily, except in the case where the item is a behind-the-scenes "black box."
Once the right spot is identified, of course, the real challenge presents itself: how to physically mount the component there? Which brings us to my other big priority: saving money. I appreciate quality, and I value ergonomics slightly higher than aesthetics, but they're all important to me. While there are plenty of custom fabricators and off-the-shelf mounting solutions enabling us to mount virtually any electronics component in virtually any position, I almost always avoid them.
Because I'm cheap, yes, but also because I enjoy the challenge of coming up with a solution on my own. In today's article, I'm going to discuss two recent mounting projects that required a bit of creative thinking and resourcefulness. One item will be in daily use while underway, while the other will hardly ever receive any attention at all. In both cases, though, the components need to be visible and accessible to the helmsman.
TIM FLANAGANThe goal is to design and fabricate a mounting scheme that "disappears."
RECHARGER BASE FOR HANDELD VHF
In daily use will be my secondary VHF radio, a portable Cobra MR HH475 FLT BT, which I intend to use at the helm, in its charging mount, as well as when I leave the pilot house. Positioning the mount is tricky: it needs power, it needs to be positioned so I can read the handheld's small display and reach all the controls while it's seated in the mount, and it needs to allow me to remove the radio when it's time to take it outside.
In the end, there was only one spot that made any sense.
It looks pretty straightforward, doesn't it? Good! The goal is to design and fabricate a mounting scheme that "disappears", rather than drawing attention to itself. If the end result is something that feels obvious and natural, I've succeeded.
I toyed with several other, easier mounting locations before deciding that this was the right one. The problem with this location is that the outer edge of the dashboard surface here slopes downward toward the bow at about 15 degrees, and if I mounted the charging base directly to it, the radio would make contact with the mounting knob on the side of the chart plotter.
TIM FLANAGANThe problem with this location is that the outer edge of the dashboard surface here slopes downward toward the bow at about 15 degrees.I needed a wedge. And being impatient as well as cheap, I wanted it RIGHT NOW. That's probably a character flaw, but once I've identified the solution, I want to FINISH the project, not dink around for a few more days shopping for just the right material. I tend to use what I have on hand, whenever possible. The only material I had that was large enough for the wedge—but in a form appropriate for the tools available—was a chunk of leftover two-by-four.
It doesn't get much more basic than that, my friends. Since I would be installing the mount at an angle of about 10 degrees, the bolt would pass through the fiberglass dash at about 10 degrees, and I wanted to make sure that the washer and nut would bear against a flat surface on the other side. So I created two wedges; one between the charging base and the fiberglass, and another beneath the fiberglass.
TIM FLANAGANI cut these little wedges on my Hitachi 10-inch compound miter saw, a tool I purchased just a couple years ago, and would never be without.I cut these little wedges on my Hitachi 10-inch compound miter saw, a tool I purchased just a couple years ago, and would never be without at this point. It's absolutely tremendous for household projects, and once in a while it comes in handy for boat-related projects, too. You'll notice that the two-by-four isn't nearly large enough for the handheld mount. In the end, this shortcoming actually produced a benefit: I used the mount's own feet at the front, and the wedge only picks up the back two-thirds of the mount. From the front, you can't even see the wedge.
MAN-OVERBOARD KILL SWITCH
It's been about a year since I installed my Maritech Virtual Lifeline. This unit is an MOB alarm and engine kill switch. The idea is that if I fall off the boat while singlehanding or running with small kids, the boat won't keep going without me. The thing I love about Maritech's product is that once it's installed, it requires no action on my part. I don't need to turn it on, I don't need to turn it off, and as long as I check the batteries periodically on the sensor attached to my PFD, I'm protected.
It's embarrassing to admit that for the past year, the Virtual Lifeline control unit has been mounted with duct tape. Initially, I was testing the unit, and still figuring out where it ought to live permanently. Remember, this unit requires no user interaction 99.99 percent of the time, until somebody falls in the water. Then, if somebody remains aboard, they'll need to find the beeping unit with the flashing light and press the "Rescue Mode On" button so the engine can be started. So I needed to mount it where it wasn't in the way, but where it could be found and utilized in an emergency.
TIM FLANAGANIt's embarrassing to admit that for the past year, the Virtual Lifeline control unit has been mounted with duct tape.I found the right spot, mounted to the side of the cabin just below the window and to the right of the helm instruments. But this is an external wall, and I didn't want to drill any holes in it, if possible. Also, I hate trying to screw into fiberglass; in my experience, the material cracks and flakes break off. My strong preference would be to "glue" the unit to the cabin, but I want to be able to remove it if needed.
Enter Weld Mount; I've used their products before, notably their "adhesively bonded wire tie mount" product. I used polysulfide to secure these to the ceiling of my boat to secure antenna cable for my AIS installation. The polysulfide has held up fine in that role, where the mounts are subject to very light forces.
TIM FLANAGANFor this project, I would need to use a pair of stainless panel studs. For this project, though, I would need to use a pair of "stainless panel studs," which are essentially threaded #8 bolts with a wide, flat base plate designed to be adhesively bonded to the surface beneath. Because of the forces involved, polysulfide is simply the wrong adhesive to use. Weld Mount sells a line of high strength/high viscosity two-part acrylic adhesives, but remember: I'm cheap. I had some epoxy handy, so I used that.
The toughest challenge here was getting it all lined up right. These bolts have to end up exactly where you want them, or you'll be unhappy. That's all a bit tricky, but by test-fitting the unit while seating the adhesive-coated panel studs into place, I was able to get it all lined up. If I had to do it again, I would carefully cut holes into a piece of masking or duct tape, place the duct tape onto the surface and verify its position carefully. Then I would bond the panel studs to the surface, placing them according to the holes in the masking material. Test-fit the component, and then clean up the excess adhesive and peel away the masking tape carefully.
One other tricky bit here: the panel studs won't quite allow a close-fitting component to lie flush against the stud. I used a larger drill bit to remove a tiny bit of material from the inside edges of the mounting hole. Don't use the drill. Just turn the bit by hand with gentle pressure. The material is medium-density plastic, so it doesn't take much effort to shave away a bit of the material and allow the unit to fit against the panel.
Now that it's installed, I can stop answering pesky questions about the duct tape holding my MOB alarm in place, and for that I am grateful.
