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Best mounting for new electronics

Started by acercher, March 22, 2016, 11:40:09 AM

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acercher

Hi folks--Total newbie here.  Recently bought a new 17' Sea Chaser and took a few months off to recover from wallet shock.  Just picked up this weekend at the West Marine sale the necessary electronics:  Garmin 7" echomap 74dv; VHF 585 fixed mount; and 8' Shakespeare antenna.  My questions for the experts: 

Where's the best place to mount the antenna if I don't have a hard top?

What's the best way to mount the electronics, given that I'll probably be mooring the boat at a marina without a cover for 6 months a year?  My thought was that I'd probably want to remove at least the gps while docked, so some sort of gimbal arrangement would make that easiest (and might also help in terms of visibility).  On the other hand, if the gps is flush mounted it would look cleaner, and maybe there's not much risk of theft?

Any input you have would be much appreciated.

Thanks--Acercher

Diablo

Congrats on the new boat.
I would mount the antenna on the side of the cabin with a adjustable mount. My first boat was that way. The PO of the boat I have now mounted it on the walk around deck, its kind of in the way there. It's nice to be able to fold it down along the gunnels aft when trailering.

For mounting electronics, I have been using RAM mounts and am happy with them. They are very adjustable for glare, and viewing angle. Should you get a new unit in the future you can use the same mount.

http://www.fisheriessupply.com/sitesearch.aspx?keyword=Ram%20mount&sitesearch=true
'98 19SR  '15 E Tec 115, '10 Honda 8
'67. 23 Tollycraft, 283 Chevy
'04  14' Western, '15 Tohatsu 10
'87  37 Roughwater two 8.2 Detroit diesels SOLD
'88 17SR  '90 Johnson 90, Honda 8, SOLD

acercher

Thanks, Diablo--that's the help I was looking for.

troll4fish

#3
Acercher,

I did the same thing you are doing last winter. I went to Astoria, OR and brought back home to Denver a 92 Sea Chaser 17. It had no instruments except for a compass. I added a Garmin echomap 50s gps/sonar, a tach, speedometer and fuel gauge on the captains dash and a black box on the passenger dash. I added a VHF antenna on the port deck by the windshield and it had a cb radio mounted under the throttle and antenna on the starboard deck by the windshield. My radio, sonar/gps and cb are all quick disconnect removable if desired.  Both the antennas fold down and lay on top and just inside the gunnel under the travel cover. I also mounted a Furuno 1721 radar on a pivoting tower and placed the receiver on the passenger dash.
92 Sea Chaser 17
2004 (2015 total rebuild) Mercury 90 EFI 4 stroke
2014 Honda 8hp full remote power tilt!

Threeweight

Re: antenna mounting... if you mount it to the side of the cockpit, try to do it in a flat area and use a beefy backing plate.  An 8' antenna whipping around on rough seas will put enormous stress on the fiberglass there.  The walk-around is backed by 3/4" marine ply... the cockpit sides are just gel coat and 1/8" fiberglass.

I mounted mine to the walk-around on my old boat.

Re: mounting... the Johnny Ray quick release mounts work fine, and are nice for taking electronics on and off the boat.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Johnny-Ray-R-and-Bases/737025.uts?productVariantId=1183006&srccode=cii_17588969&cpncode=45-157751103-2&WT.tsrc=PPC&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=01091000&rid=20

The Ram mounts are the cat's meow in terms of flexibility and usefulness, but more money and little more complicated to take off (but still not bad):

http://www.rammount.com/device/gpsboat/garmin
Former Sea Chaser 17 owner
Defiance 250 Admiral, twin Yamaha 150's and T9.9

"Never turn your back on fear. It should always be in front of you, like a thing that might have to be killed."
       --- Hunter S. Thompson

HemiGTX

I had a Raymarine E7d on a ram mount and didn't care for it.  In heavy seas it would slowly 'fall' out of position.  Also, it wasn't rigid enough and would vibrate when running in normal water conditions.

I've since replaced the E7d with an E125 which is mounted to a factory bracket bolted to the dash.

AKA: "The guy who fishes with Nicole"

BruceL2_Fish

Dannan, the Cisco Systems mount didn't work for your big E125?
2012 Sea Ranger 19 (M. LaDeane)
Suzuki 115 Four Stroke
Honda 9.9 Kicker

BruceL2_Fish

2012 Sea Ranger 19 (M. LaDeane)
Suzuki 115 Four Stroke
Honda 9.9 Kicker

DevMah

I use ram mount only also for my electronics.

Dev




2015 21' Sea Ranger w 150 Yammy  (Tight lines) Sold
2012 Lund 1650SS  w 2012 60HP Mercury-Sold

Diablo

'98 19SR  '15 E Tec 115, '10 Honda 8
'67. 23 Tollycraft, 283 Chevy
'04  14' Western, '15 Tohatsu 10
'87  37 Roughwater two 8.2 Detroit diesels SOLD
'88 17SR  '90 Johnson 90, Honda 8, SOLD


Threeweight

They make different sizes of the Ram mounts.  For a heavy unit, you need one using the big 2.25" diameter ball or it will slip.  My little 1.5" one did slip in rough seas, even with just a 5" Lowrance HDS on it.

The new boat got a Johnny Ray mount for the Raymarine 9".  I may have to upgrade to something beefier... the 9" Ray unit must weigh 10 pounds.
Former Sea Chaser 17 owner
Defiance 250 Admiral, twin Yamaha 150's and T9.9

"Never turn your back on fear. It should always be in front of you, like a thing that might have to be killed."
       --- Hunter S. Thompson

croaker stroker

I am considering a new fish finder.  Unlike many Arima Owners, my boat is open to the weather

I like to remove my Depth sounder and take it in the house after a trip.

Do the Ram Mounts have quick disconnects?  And any protection for the wires once the unit is removed?

When I remove the Hummingbird, it easily separates from the base. The electrical connections "dock" with the head unit. There is also a weatherproof "cap" that fits over the "Docking" connection. Any other manufacturers have this feature ??
1987 - 17' Sea Pacer - 2004 Evinrude 90 E-tec
1985 - 15' Sea Sprinter - **SOLD**

"Ex Tridente Pax". 🇺🇸

BruceL2_Fish

That is strange, not sure why it is upside down in the link, not that way in my post.    :shrug9:
2012 Sea Ranger 19 (M. LaDeane)
Suzuki 115 Four Stroke
Honda 9.9 Kicker

HemiGTX

BruceL,

I found that the E125 obstructs forward vision when it's on a mount.  I was disappointed because the Cisco mount is superior to every other mount I've seen or used.  It's sitting on the shelf next to a Raymarine Dragonfly awaiting installation on my little Glasply

AKA: "The guy who fishes with Nicole"

Diablo

#15
Quote from: Croaker Stroker on March 24, 2016, 11:54:50 PM
I am considering a new fish finder.  Unlike many Arima Owners, my boat is open to the weather

I like to remove my Depth sounder and take it in the house after a trip.

Do the Ram Mounts have quick disconnects?  And any protection for the wires once the unit is removed?

When I remove the Hummingbird, it easily separates from the base. The electrical connections "dock" with the head unit. There is also a weatherproof "cap" that fits over the "Docking" connection. Any other manufacturers have this feature ??


The Ram mounts are essentially a custom clamp with a ball on each end. If you loosen the clamp the device will come out. There is no electrical connection but the same base you use now would mount to the ram mount. There are many many mounts choices. They make them for motorcycles, boat , planes, and autos. Below is a link to his hummingbird mounts.

http://www.rammount.com/device/gpsboat/humminbird
'98 19SR  '15 E Tec 115, '10 Honda 8
'67. 23 Tollycraft, 283 Chevy
'04  14' Western, '15 Tohatsu 10
'87  37 Roughwater two 8.2 Detroit diesels SOLD
'88 17SR  '90 Johnson 90, Honda 8, SOLD

croaker stroker



Except for Humminbird, are there any others that have the "docking" capability ??
1987 - 17' Sea Pacer - 2004 Evinrude 90 E-tec
1985 - 15' Sea Sprinter - **SOLD**

"Ex Tridente Pax". 🇺🇸