Radio install, drill into headliner.

[Mergatroid]

Wanted to know if anyone has done this.

I bought a real nice head unit but want to hang it from the headliner above the galley.. Got a box from poly-planer and am set to go, but.

glass headliner sags a tad and will not support the weight anyway, therefore I will need to drill into the deck above.

Anyone had any experience drilling into the deck from below?

How about fishing wires through the headliner?

Thanks.

 

[Mark Major]

You have to be careful drilling into the fabric because the drill tip can catch a fiber and pull a run. I'm not familiar with a "glass headliner"; my fabric is against the glass so it is just carpet and fiberglass. I estimated and measured my fasteners (subtracting mounting plate), marked the bit with a wrap of tape and carefully drilled so to not go through entirely.

 

[soling42]

Pull the dome light by the mast support or the access panel(if there is one. there was in my 2004 260)and you'll find some working room and possibly a chase to the galley electric panel area. I set my unit down by the galley wall and fished the vhf line up to a w/p ss connector at the mast base, then upward to a mast top antenna. Mine also had a ram mic that is on my wheel pedestal. A whole radio install might be better off down lower, away from your headroom where you can get a dedicated circuit too.
M&K

 

[Mergatroid]

Thanks so far.

"glass" headliner is just a fiberglass headliner. There is the deck, and a inner shell in my Hunter. That is what I am calling a "glass" headliner. there appears to be about 3/8 inch between the headliner and the deck, so if I attached to the headliner alone, it would sag.

Any more ideas? Thanks. BTW.

Does anyone know how thick the deck is?

 

[Bart]

mounts

When I bought a depth finder, I started looking for a place to mount it not wanting to drill holes in my new boat. I finally mount it to a piece of oak and put it where the winch access port is. I use the RAM ball mounts to move it around and so far after 10 years still works great.

 

[SamLust]

Inject thickened epoxy between the liner and the underside of the deck, which will glue the liner too the deck. Then screw directly into the epoxy "bridge". Solid mount and no more sag.

 

[Mergatroid]

Wow Sam, I like it.