Where is your VHF?

rgranger

rgranger

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Jan 19, 2010
12,369
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Hello All

Still getting to know my new-2-me 1995 Hunter 26. The P.O. never installed a VHF in this boat and I'd like to. So I'm wondering where some of you H26 and H260 owners chose to put your VHF and if you had to do it again, would you chose the same place.

At the moment, I'm thinking of cutting into the panel that encloses the head (just to port as you descend the companionway) and mount if flush with the body of the radio inserted into the head compartment. But I'd love to hear what others have done and if you like your current location.
 
njlarry

njlarry

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Sep 23, 2009
1,475
O'Day 34-At Last Rock Hall, Md
I always hate to do any cutting but your boat your choice. For blue water sailing I would want it in the cabin with mast mounted antenna but I don't do that so I want it in the cockpit where I can use it. Currently I use a handheld, the in cabin fixed unit is never used. Once I fix a deck leak I will put my new DSC unit there with a remote in the cockpit. That may be overkill as I have never had trouble reaching or receiving the coast guard with a handheld in the bay. You might like a handheld with DSC and separate volume and squelch knobs vs keypad buttons.
 
rgranger

rgranger

.
Jan 19, 2010
12,369
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
njlarry said:
I always hate to do any cutting but your boat your choice. For blue water sailing I would want it in the cabin with mast mounted antenna but I don't do that so I want it in the cockpit where I can use it. Currently I use a handheld, the in cabin fixed unit is never used. Once I fix a deck leak I will put my new DSC unit there with a remote in the cockpit. That may be overkill as I have never had trouble reaching or receiving the coast guard with a handheld in the bay. You might like a handheld with DSC and separate volume and squelch knobs vs keypad buttons.
Click to expand

Good point .... I have both a hand-held and a fixed on my Balboa and (like you) I usually use the hand-held. But I have used the fixed when at anchor ... mostly to check the weather. And I have been anchored in some remote areas where the hand-held did not have the range. So your post got me thinking. Maybe what I really need is just a mast mounted antenna and a coax leading into the cabin. I can attach that to my hand-held as needed. Less work, less money and still gets the job done. Thanks for the clue NJ.
 
Joe

Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
8,004
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
Use the bracket to mount hang the radio on the ceiling near the companionway. That way if you want to use it without going below you can stand on the first step and talk while you can still keep your eye on things. If you have a nav station or area.... you can still use it if it's mounted on the ceiling nearby.
 
rgranger

rgranger

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Jan 19, 2010
12,369
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Joe said:
Use the bracket to mount hang the radio on the ceiling near the companionway. That way if you want to use it without going below you can stand on the first step and talk while you can still keep your eye on things. If you have a nav station or area.... you can still use it if it's mounted on the ceiling nearby.
Click to expand
I like the idea but on the Hunter 26, the cabin top is two pieces, the aft piece is lexan and slides into the forward piece, then the two pieces can both "pop up". So I would have to drill into my lexan sunroof. I think that would look goofy and cause other problems. But thanks for the suggestion.... I think it would work well on a different boat.

Here is a sketch of where I'm thinking of placing it

upload_2015-11-23_13-38-53.png
 
Jackdaw

Jackdaw

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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
For best operational efficiency, redundancy, and convenience we use:

1) A Nav-station mounted full-power VHF with AIS and DSC. Masthead antenna.
2) A wired cockpit handset to (1) with mic and speaker
3) A handheld portable 5-watt VHF with DSC we can have anywhere in the boat, or in the dinghy.

The handheld is also a backup if we loose all 12v power, or lose the rig and the antenna goes bye-bye.
 
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rgranger

rgranger

.
Jan 19, 2010
12,369
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Jackdaw said:
For best operational efficiency, redundancy, and convenience we use:

1) A Nav-station mounted full-power VHF with AIS and DSC. Masthead antenna.
2) A wired cockpit handset to (1) with mic and speaker
3) A handheld portable 5-watt VHF with DSC we can have anywhere in the boat, or in the dinghy.

The handheld is also a backup if we loose all 12v power, or lose the rig and the antenna goes bye-bye.
Click to expand
Thanks JackDaw..... I think it is a good idea to have two.
 
justsomeguy

justsomeguy

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Feb 20, 2011
7,993
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
The PO of my boat did a nice job mounting the VHF.
DSC03431 - Copy.JPG DSC03434 - Copy.JPG DSC03433 - Copy.JPG

3/32 sheet aluminum seems sturdy enough, so far.
 
Last edited:
Kermit

Kermit

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Jul 31, 2010
5,657
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
Rob,
I think lots of folks mount theirs in the same-ish area where the fuse panel is. Seems to me the purpose is so you will hit your head on it when accessing the aft berth. I like your idea to mount it on the bathroom wall. But if you turn it around that'll give you an additional option other than playing solitaire. I mean, if we can make phone calls on the pottie, why not chat on the VHF?
 
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shemandr

shemandr

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Jan 1, 2006
7,069
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
I've posted before about what a waste of space a "Navigation Station" is on most boats so it shouldn't surprise anyone that I think a VHF at that station is nearly useless. The best I can say about that position is that it stays dry. But if the S**t hits the fan on deck - knockdown, MOB, rig failure, fire, collision avoidance, or non emergency bridge openings, weather alerts, CG alerts, it might as well be on the moon - unless it is wired to a cockpit unit as jackdaw describes. The place for the functional VHF is at the helm.
 
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Meriachee

Meriachee

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Aug 1, 2011
3,972
Catalina 270 255 Wabamun. Welcome to the marina
The Standard Horizon RAM mic is virtually a copy of the fixed station and works exceptionally. I mounted the cable plug in the bottom of the Navpod, the "main" radio is by the fuse panel, the RAM is on the binnacle when we are on the boat, and we also have an older WM handheld for excursions in the dink. (Hello taxi service)
We've only found two insignificant things that the RAM won't do. Certainly not the only option out there, but the possibility of a remote mic is well worth the effort.
 
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Kermit

Kermit

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Jul 31, 2010
5,657
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
To answer your question as to where I mount mine, I hang my handheld from the throttle control on the steering pedestal. The added bonus is that it makes a nice little clanging sound at times.
 
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Allan12210

Allan12210

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Jan 22, 2008
1,654
Hunter 34 Alameda CA
Rob,
Do you have exposed genoa track hardware inside your boat? I bought some 5/16 nut extensions (or couplers) and used them to mount my radios inside. I've since upgraded my VHF but this one was the Uniden Polaris with the extra wireless mic. It has DSC but no AIS. It served us well for a long time and it was convenient to have the extra mic in the cockpit.

Allan
Nut Extensions.jpg
Radio Mounts.jpg
 
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rgranger

rgranger

.
Jan 19, 2010
12,369
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Meriachee said:
The Standard Horizon RAM mic is virtually a copy of the fixed station and works exceptionally. I mounted the cable plug in the bottom of the Navpod, the "main" radio is by the fuse panel, the RAM is on the binnacle when we are on the boat, and we also have an older WM handheld for excursions in the dink. (Hello taxi service)
We've only found two insignificant things that the RAM won't do. Certainly not the only option out there, but the possibility of a remote mic is well worth the effort.
Click to expand
Head knocking does not look like a good place for it.... but maybe put it where you have your FM/AM with a remote RAM mic in the cockpit... That might be a good option.

The only disadvantage I see to mounting it in the bathroom wall is that its back side would be visible in the head.
 
rgranger

rgranger

.
Jan 19, 2010
12,369
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Allan12210 said:
Rob,
Do you have exposed genoa track hardware inside your boat? I bought some 5/16 nut extensions (or couplers) and used them to mount my radios inside. I've since upgraded my VHF but this one was the Uniden Polaris with the extra wireless mic. It has DSC but no AIS. It served us well for a long time and it was convenient to have the extra mic in the cockpit.

Allan
Click to expand
Thanks Allan

I do not have exposed track nuts. In fact my H26 does not have tracks.... instead it has a fixed block for the genoa. It was something I was vexed about during my last sail. The sheet angle was not ideal on a reach and I couldn't do anything about it. I also felt like the block was a bit more inboard that I would have placed it. I'm guessing the designers did that to give the H26 better pointing ability.... which I must admit is much better than I had expected and far better than my Balboa....Compromises and Simplicity(?)

I'm still learning the ins and outs of this boat. I've only sailed her once without the P.O. She has a lot of nice subtle features in the rigging and spars that I like. And some that I'm not sure what to do with. For instance, in addition to the roller furled genoa, I also have two additional in-mast halyards that appear to be jib halyards. Why two? I guess one is for a spinnaker??? but it is rigged fractional... so it would have to be a smaller spinnaker.... or maybe for a storm jib? but I don't have a stay to hank it to. I might look into a solent stay system in the future. That might allow me to sail in heavier air. And the boom has jiffy reefing blocks that lead the lines through the boom. Overall it is a very "clean" set up. I think I will learn to like it a lot once I get accustomed to the set up. In its current set up, I get the feeling that in anything of 25 kts, this boat will become hard to handle... but she does hove-to very easily so I will have to adjust my comfort zone a bit. The Balboa LOVES 25+ kts. :)
 
rgranger

rgranger

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Jan 19, 2010
12,369
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Shemander and Meriachee:

Thanks for your input. I agree with Shemander on the utility of a nav station. I don't really have the room for a designated station and I would probably just use the salon table. And I like the idea of a RAM mic.
 
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