new helm station for an 18?

[Tom Bare]

Any ideas out there? My thought was to make one out of fiberglass that is large enough to get all the electronics, wheel and gauges in comfortably.

The original one is pretty bad. Lot's of empty and patched holes.

Really do not want to get a whole console if it can be avoided. An help?

Thanks, Tom Bare

[Scott]

Hi Tom

I'm not quite sure this is the answer your looking for but I'll give it a shot.

Sounds like you want to keep the majority of the console as is? that being the case I would go get some epoxy/resin, fiberglass, and some plywood. I dont know what the dash looks like but mine has a panel (the original Formica panel) bonded on an 1/8-3/16" piece of plywood. This is then screwed onto the console (1/2 or 5/8 thick).

If yours is similar I would take that panel off and patch all the holes in the console with glass and plywood then fair it off.

Then to replace the dash panel there's lots of stuff to make a new "face"/dash out of. You could go back with Formica on thin plywood. You could fabricate a piece of wood (glass and resins then gel coat or paint) Trayder has even described a way to "mold" a new panel using your old dash as a form to make the mold. Or you could always go with Starboard.

That is if you dont want to get a new console.

Personally I think I'm going the fiberglass route either glass over plywood or I might try Trayder’s suggestion...that way it will jyst be painted and will match the rest of the boat.

Am I on the right track???
Scott

[bmaj319]

My '75 18 footer's console had numerous holes hacked out of it over the years. It now has a piece of Starboard bolted over the pock marked fiberglass, with the steering wheel and binacle controls onto it.

Not elegant, but pretty quick and easy. Good luck!