I need to change my instrument panel. I think of putting it in anothe place because it's not weather protected and we tend to touch it with our feet when we get in and out of the boat. I will redo all the wires in the boat in the same time. Any suggestions?
Instrument pannel
- Thread starter Harmonie
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Seidelman Instrument panel
We just bought a Seidelman 37 and the PO has installed a new panel prior to our purchase. He said that someone had kicked and broken off the key as part of the problem. Main thing is I don't know where in hell you would put it that would be out of the way, and easily accessible. Just no where else to go with it. Friend of mine has an Allied 39, and his panel is in the front of the cockpit, in the center, close to the deck. It is recessed, but still you could kick it. So the real answer to your question is, I don't know where to put it.
We just bought a Seidelman 37 and the PO has installed a new panel prior to our purchase. He said that someone had kicked and broken off the key as part of the problem. Main thing is I don't know where in hell you would put it that would be out of the way, and easily accessible. Just no where else to go with it. Friend of mine has an Allied 39, and his panel is in the front of the cockpit, in the center, close to the deck. It is recessed, but still you could kick it. So the real answer to your question is, I don't know where to put it.
been there done that
My classic Morgan '38 engine instrument panel was located at toe level in the cockpit. Not only was the plastic cover to the panel crazed and cracked from kicking, but it couldn't be lifted all the way up because it hit the pedestal guard when only two thirds open. The only way to read the gauges was to get on one's hands and knees - inevitably some crew members suggested we were really praying to the engine Gods. So, my co-owner and I asked ourselves "where would be the ideal place" rather than what's possible. Turns out ideal was on either side of the helmsman's normal steering position - visible while standing or sitting - particularly with the RPM gauge in clear sight in order to monitor engine speed. For us that meant the panel could be mounted flush as part of the cockpit seat back, right in line with the pedestal (since crew members don't normally lean back there because they would be cramped by the pedestal). We were able to buy an off-the-shelf flush mounted plastic engine panel box to which we attached the existing engine panel - all of which fitted into the space behind the molded fiberglass seat back - with the internal parts tucked well above the cockpit seat opening into the sail locker, and totally out of the way of rain and spray even with the sail locker seat hatch open. In the luck department, our engine wire bundle was sufficiently long to stretch to this new location without slicing and dicing the wires - which we could have and would have done if needed. This winter, we will install four snaps so that we can cover the clear plastic flap to the panel box with Sunbrella cloth - cutting down on UV degeneration when the boat is not in use. I think the box was about $60 retail - an amount which is modest enough to replace. We opened the seat back with a Sears sabre saw, bolted it in place with bedding compound on the edges, and turned the old toe-high hole in the cockpit well into a winch pocket - (built a box where the engine panel box had been, with a drain into the bilge to empty any heavy spray or rain out of the winch pocket box). This older Morgan didn't have a winch handle pocket of any kind - so, for us, moving the engine panel created two pluses: a totally visible location and a winch pocket box - a classic "use lemons to make lemonade" happy ending.
My classic Morgan '38 engine instrument panel was located at toe level in the cockpit. Not only was the plastic cover to the panel crazed and cracked from kicking, but it couldn't be lifted all the way up because it hit the pedestal guard when only two thirds open. The only way to read the gauges was to get on one's hands and knees - inevitably some crew members suggested we were really praying to the engine Gods. So, my co-owner and I asked ourselves "where would be the ideal place" rather than what's possible. Turns out ideal was on either side of the helmsman's normal steering position - visible while standing or sitting - particularly with the RPM gauge in clear sight in order to monitor engine speed. For us that meant the panel could be mounted flush as part of the cockpit seat back, right in line with the pedestal (since crew members don't normally lean back there because they would be cramped by the pedestal). We were able to buy an off-the-shelf flush mounted plastic engine panel box to which we attached the existing engine panel - all of which fitted into the space behind the molded fiberglass seat back - with the internal parts tucked well above the cockpit seat opening into the sail locker, and totally out of the way of rain and spray even with the sail locker seat hatch open. In the luck department, our engine wire bundle was sufficiently long to stretch to this new location without slicing and dicing the wires - which we could have and would have done if needed. This winter, we will install four snaps so that we can cover the clear plastic flap to the panel box with Sunbrella cloth - cutting down on UV degeneration when the boat is not in use. I think the box was about $60 retail - an amount which is modest enough to replace. We opened the seat back with a Sears sabre saw, bolted it in place with bedding compound on the edges, and turned the old toe-high hole in the cockpit well into a winch pocket - (built a box where the engine panel box had been, with a drain into the bilge to empty any heavy spray or rain out of the winch pocket box). This older Morgan didn't have a winch handle pocket of any kind - so, for us, moving the engine panel created two pluses: a totally visible location and a winch pocket box - a classic "use lemons to make lemonade" happy ending.
Relocation
On my 37 I cut the instrument pannel in half left the AC at the step and relocated the panel over the chart table under the window fit's there perfectly with a little change. Also turned the chart table so it opens from the side instad of from the aft to the front. Better accessability lots of room for an added pannel I made for some other accessories. If you want I can send you a pic of the change. Cheers Gord ladysimcoe@nexicom.net
On my 37 I cut the instrument pannel in half left the AC at the step and relocated the panel over the chart table under the window fit's there perfectly with a little change. Also turned the chart table so it opens from the side instad of from the aft to the front. Better accessability lots of room for an added pannel I made for some other accessories. If you want I can send you a pic of the change. Cheers Gord ladysimcoe@nexicom.net
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