Redesign Binnacle Pod

[Marmalade]

One project for our first winter season with the ‘87 Legend 37. A previous owner had made a binnacle pod for the chartplotter and 4 cup holders, made from oak. The woodwork was weathered and cracked when we purchased the boat, but we liked the general design.

To make it more maintenance free, decided to use King Starboard. Was my first time working with the material, and I’m an instant fan!

Cup holder inserts, USB ports and voltage gauge all from Amazon, to give an update to design and function.

Will wait to mount chartplotter until a test fit on the boat. Anyway, thought I’d share and pass along a recommendation for Starboard.

 

[Marmalade]

For reference, here’s the pre-remake installed on the boat.

 

[Terry Cox]

Anyway, thought I’d share and pass along a recommendation for Starboard.

Ditto working with Starboard. Made several items over the years. Only drawback with the stuff, it has limited structural strength. Small items okay, but larger ones will tend to sag over time. Also, through bolts are the better way to secure items rather than screws, which tend to pull out if under any kind of stress.

 

[19thol]

Very nice, do the cup holders have holes in the bottom?

 

[Marmalade]

I drilled a weep holes into them. There are others available with drains, but I didn’t like the clumsy look they had on the bottom.

 

[stephen_i_w]

I have to say, I kinda like the weathered oak look. The design is nice.

 

[Parsons]

Beautiful recreation of a good design. Just out of curiosity, you tested that those screws and cupholders are all non-ferrous? Its right there next to the binnacle compass, and I could just see you wondering why you're always 10 degrees off because it doesn't take much. I remember reading one of Bill Buckley's sailing books where he mentions going aground due to inadvertently storing the binoculars in the wrong area at the binnacle.

 

[Marmalade]

I have to say, I kinda like the weathered oak look. The design is nice.

I agree wood looks nicer than Starboard, but I’m not a fan of the weathered. And behind that, the wood is so damaged that it is cracking, time to replace.

But it hasn’t hit the garage bin yet... if anyone wants to pay shipping, glad to recycle it to a new home!

 

[Marmalade]

Beautiful recreation of a good design. Just out of curiosity, you tested that those screws and cupholders are all non-ferrous? Its right there next to the binnacle compass, and I could just see you wondering why you're always 10 degrees off because it doesn't take much. I remember reading one of Bill Buckley's sailing books where he mentions going aground due to inadvertently storing the binoculars in the wrong area at the binnacle.

Cup holders are aluminum, screws are stainless, but I’ll check the calibration after spring launch.

 

[Scott NIelsen]

You can also swing your compass to check error and pretty much adjust out the error. Not many people check their compass to find out if it agrees with the charts and annual deviation etc. Not really that hard to do. I have made modifications over the years to all the boats I have ever owned and then checked compass accuracy. It can be a rewarding experience and you will have confidence your compass is accurate. Also, great job on the mod. I am in the process of upgrading my chart plotter and pedestal guard and will be revisiting these very issues.