'BOAT' needs your help and advice

[Highlander]

I think it was for cosmetic reasons to match the black stripes on the windows
J

[My Mistress]

"Warmer" huh, okay, I guess that warmer is better right (as opposed to 'colder') but I don't feel any heat or cold from the dash so I am missing something that others can see.

I guess i will continue in WOOD, I was looking at this Bayliner and he had the carbon dash so I thought that was what I was supposed to use but I really can't tell what is better:

Carbon fibre is nice if you're going for the high tech look, but it requires some special techniques, like an autoclave to set it up. It doesn't wet out like E-glass or S-glass using poly- or epoxy resin.
Unless new techniques have come out, you still have to build a mold, cut the carbon fibre, Put it on the mold and saturate it, then slide it into the autoclave and let heat and pressure do their job. You end up with a slick looking piece, but for smaller projects, is it really stronger, lighter in weight, or more durable than a laminated wood?

Now, if you want to invest in a Mac made completely out of carbon fibre, you may be on to something!

[BOAT]

All right, you guys win - I did wood just for you (I still keep thinking about it in carbon fiber, but I guess I need to "let it go")

So while I was in there I put in the wiring for two voltmeters and one thermometer and the new expanded 9 pin thru-deck socket that is used for the rotational mast wind sensor. While I was at it I put in power for the IPAD. and added power for another anchor light, and put all that stuff on switching in too:



After that it was just a matter of bolting the new dashboard right on top of the bulkhead - I did not need to cut any new holes in the bulkhead because the computer is so thin:



The matching satin aluminum trimmed battery meters and thermometers are still on the way from the manufacturer. When i get those installed I will send another picture.

[K9Kampers]

Looks nice!

[Highlander]

Now see u got the nice woody salty traditional look which matches ur table feels a lot warmer & cozier the admiral will appreciate it so it becomes a no win no lose mod just gives the boat a lot more comfortable atmosphere to relax in

J
PS Trust Me !

[Brian]

I like it!

[Bilgemaster]

Indeed, you've done a very fine job of it, and its color and tone seems pretty close to those woody window surrounds one sees in some 26Ms, making me wonder if they're available from BWY as aftermarket items in case you wanted to really "woodie up" that cabin.

It seems like there is a lot of variation in the cabin appointments of the 26M line through its production run. I had thought that all 26Ms had those woody window frames, but clearly yours doesn't, and last week I went to pick up an old CruiseAir hatch AC unit off craigslist from a nice fella named Frank, across the river in Maryland, and by coincidence he had a 26M (Blue Belle?) that he told me was a "transitional model" between the X and M. His M also had no wooden window trim. It also had a fixed galley set against that head wall, facing aft (abaft?), right under where your new instruments board is, instead of the sliding type galley unit on the port side. Pretty boat. He keeps it up well.

As for my own little cheapo combination voltage meter/ciggie-lighter-style 12V outlet/dual USB port gizmo, previously described in this thread, it's now wired up along with the low draw binnacle compass light on the same 15 Amp fused circuit through my second 12V SeaDog panel, which also has its own ciggy lighter and dual analog battery meters, like this one:



It all works together like a charm. That meter and outlets panel fills a hole in the pedestal where an old Raymarine autopilot display once dwelled, and keeps me well apprised right there in the cockpit of the state of charge of the batteries. Hard to beat for less than 10 bucks delivered. I liked it so much, I got a second for my little Com-Pac 16 "Foundling".

[BOAT]

It seems like there is a lot of variation in the cabin appointments of the 26M line through its production run.

'BOAT ' is one of a few 2013 models and was one of the last boats built in the Costa Mesa factory. It is the final design - there were no changes after until the boats moved to Florida and were renamed there and had interior and deck changes and renamed Tattoo - I do not know how many Tattoo actually pulled in Florida or how many were retrofitted 2013 boats built in Costa Mesa - I'm pretty sure there were at least 2 2013 boats that did go to the Florida plant and were re-badged for marketing purposes. (At least I think I remember reading that).

It would be nice to have a count of the 2013 models and to see if any changes occurred.

It would also be nice to know how many M boats were actually pulled from the molds in Florida.

[eodjedi]

What kind of wood did you use?

[BOAT]

Well, for small runs - anything up to 1 inch by 6 inch I always use mahogany because it's so easy to shape with a hand grinder. (It's very dense) There was very little mahogany in the dashboard - only the bottom trim - side trims, and rear backing - the rest is sheet stock (leftover from the bathroom door I think) . I think my idea going in was that if the wife is in the bathroom and the head door is closed the dash and the head doors would match each other so I know those are the same wood - pretty sure it's a red cedar. (not sure - only cared that the dash was the same stock as the head door because you would see them together when someone is taking a dump.)

The sheet stock is where things get weird - none of the stuff comes in contact with water so I skip the marine ply and just use whatever crap is laying around at Home Depot - so it's anyone's guess what sheet stock I might end up with. The content of plywood is any kind of crap all glued together and then they throw a thin final layer of cedar, or birch, or maple on it and they call it "Cedar Plywood, or Birch Plywood, or whatever" but in reality it's all crap wood and glue and only that last microscopic thin layer on the top is real Cedar, or maple - the rest is all crap - all plywood is like that EXCEPT marine ply.

On the Ply items in 'BOAT ' I'm only guessing the final layer of ply on the dash is Red Cedar, as is the Head Doors. The folding table is probably Birch, and the Dinette seat back I suspect is Maple - ALL the support structure, trim, and small wood work is Mahogany.


Red Cedar??




Hmm, feels like Birch




That's gotta be Maple?



.

[Bilgemaster]

Whatever it is, it's all gorgeous. Well done, Boat!

[BOAT]

Wow, so I guess Photo bucket is off my list of websites for good now – sorry guys, but my pictures are no more! Poop Bucket is holding them ransom unless I pay 400 bucks!
Well, that’s not gonna happen so bye bye Poop Bucket! So I reposted on TINYPIC so you will need to click on each pic to really see the whole picture clearly - sorry guys.

So, where were we? Oh yeah, I needed to mount battery meters and you guys like wood.

You know how hard it is to make Hi Tech stuff like meters and Ipads look good mounted on old fashioned WOOD??!? Well, it's hard to do.
So I needed meters and you wanted wood so here are meters and wood together in that dash I made:




The only way I could keep it from looking really stupidly "nautical" in the old wooden boat way was to do everything in a sort of 1940's "retro" airplane style. I just could not marry the standard black and white gauges everyone uses with the wood and that MAC "1970's look" - I noticed long ago the factory was obsessed with the 'brushed aluminum' look (aka: table legs, seat backrest, ect), So I had already trimmed out the shades and carpet in that color, so I figured to just stick with it on all the metering too. I still think standard black and white and chrome gauges on Carbon Fiber would have been really cool, but the silvery aluminum color works all right too.
The wiring is all built into the dash so it’s easy to install and remove.




The first meter is battery 1, the second is battery 2, and since Highlander said I need to watch out for the temperature on that bulkhead the third meter is the temperature. All the meters and Ipad charger can be turned off – there is a switch for each. I posted these in TINYPIC so you will need to click on them to see the pictures real well.



So there you have it – WOOD! Just like you guys said. (I still think the carbon fiber would have been the bomb but since I will need to sell this boat someday I figure it’s best to go with the most popular “public Opinion” so’s I keep up my resale value.

Thanks for the opinions.

[paul I]

the tinypic photos show up just fine on the board. Ya did good.

[sailboatmike]

You can get nice carbon lookalike covering, it would of looked high tech and awesome as well as added value by looking so IMHO

Once I get all my "must do" projects finished I might look into that (so maybe never )

[K9Kampers]

What color stain did you use on the wood?

Minus 10 points if not 'peach'!