anyone move/install a navpod on a lewmar pedestal guard

[jbinbi]

I purchased a 1 year old boat, and the navpod holding the chartplotter is up to high for me to see over when sitting. This is on a lewmar enguard pedestal (guard).

Pretty sure this is stainless, not quite sure if this is a DIY project or something best left for the yard.

I would need to redrill and tap the guard, and then fill the old holes.

anyone ever done this, and if so, want to part some experience. thanks.

 

[seadaddler]

No Good

Well I did look into what you want and because of all the cables going thru the stainless tubing on one side and trying to add another wire which I did and it was the last wire to fit in it.
I don't what and you have in nav pod but I had radar and vhf mic and auto and much more but some the cables could not be rerouted in the stainless tubing.
Nick

 

[chuckwayne]

I had a similar problem and ended up bending and adding another stainless tube next to the guard tube for the additional cables we needed to add. It was a major job - it takes a hydraulic bender to bend stainless, so assess your capabilities and tools....

 

[Sailbaum]

I had the same issue on my h36. I was able to move the pod down about 1.5 inches without any major work, which was enough for me. I just cut a new hole for the wires where they go through the pod and drilled and tapped new mounting holes. I didn't seal the original holes because they are still covered by the pod. Fortunately the cables came through the stainless at the low end of the pod, so I could easily slide the pod down after making a new hole in the pod (I cut a channel between the two holes so I didn't even have to disconnect any cables). I could probably move it a little more but then the original top mounting hole would be exposed and need to be sealed in some way.

 

[Scott B]

I had mine off while running additional wires to the instruments and was amazed at how much it opened up the cockpit with it removed.

Lowering the navpod is a good idea. You could use a screw and washer to fill the exposed holes. Only other thing I thought of was to replace the upper extension with a shorter one.

 

[jbinbi]

Sailbaum, thanks. when you say you cut a channel, do you mean you cut out the entire section of stainless between the 2 holes (new and old) on that side with the holes? How did you cut the channel?

Also, any special drill bits needed to drill the new mounting holes? Did you take the guard off to do this on a drill press? If not, how did you start the hole without it wandering?

 

[PGIJon]

First I removed mine and took it to my welder. He cut perfect elongated holes (traced them with permanent marker from the navpod back plate) for the wires on both tubes. He charged me $10. Then used progressively larger carbide tipped drill bits to enlarge the mounting holes, the finally tapped it. I didn't use a drill press. The tipped drill bits made it easy. I used both tubes to run new wiring into the NavPod.

 

[Sailbaum]

Jbinbi, I cut the channel in the navpod, not the steel rail. The original hole was near the bottom and I drilled a hole about 2" higher up in the plastic, so the pod could be lower and still use the same hole from the stainless. I then used a Dremel (with a cutting wheel) to "connect" the two holes and then slid the wires from the lower hole up to the new upper hole. As to the new mounting holes, I just used a new (standard) bit in a cordless drill and then tapped threads. It was pretty simple, I confess that one hole ended up slightly off center due to a wandering bit, but not enough to matter. If I did it again, I might clamp a block of wood to the rail and drill through it to keep the bit from sliding. All the work was done in place on the boat and took about an hour. Had I dropped it further, I would have sealed the exposed holes with caulk and put a Turks head over them.
Let me know if this isn't clear, and I can pm you a drawing or photo.