swim platform removal, dash addition, carpet

Mercury2005

removed old swim platform in preparation for install of new one.
installed a Lawrance HDS-7, removed the old HDS-5 and replaced it with a panel housing an outside air temp, clock and a manual trim indicator for the outdrive. Not connected yet, but soon.
had a couple carpet pieces made for the steps

reneechris14

Is it possible to swap the speedo with tachometer. Nice upgrade.

Mercury2005

@reneechris14,
Sure it could be done, but no need, the tach is still visible from the driver seat, just looks that way fro the camera angle.

rasbury

Lookin good!

diggin2day1

Are you installing a new factory swim platform or a new aftermarket swim platform?

Mercury2005

@diggin2day1, new. I ordered one from Rinker and drove out there to pick it up. I detailed it in a previous post.

Cableguy Greg

Did you make the dash panel? If so, what did you use to cover it with to match everything else?

Mercury2005

@Cableguy Greg, A place in Florida,

TECNOGRAFIC, INC.
1010 NW 51st Place
Ft Lauderdale, FL 33309 
www.tecnografic.com

They made all the panels except the center dash that houses the speedo, tach, etc., that I bought a new one from Great Lakes Skipper, shipped it to them to finish to match the other panels. They also did a radio panel and the last panel for the trim indicator and temp and clock panel.
They do a great job but not cheap in price.

Cableguy Greg

They look great! I am considering refinishing mine, but I am torn between keeping it wood grain or going with something like carbon fiber.

bry1429

I am removing my plastic "wood" helm sections this winter, sending them to Tecnografic to have modern looking carbon fiber sections made. I will post pictures along with price when I'm finished.  Its not that much more expensive to have all new made as opposed to just having them wrap the old with a vinyl material . 

randy56

Black, never seen one like that.

zaverin1

Why not aftermarket?

bry1429

I'm going with this carbon fiber design, I think it would look much nicer with the black helm than the brown  wood look. 

Aprice

Have you @Cableguy Greg considered carbon fiber vinyl wrap to update your dash? It's easy to work with and pretty cheap and looks good. I haven't done my dash as I enjoy the wood look but have done other projects with it including my accessories on my Yukon.  

Stodge

@Aprice do they have a woodgrain version of the material you mentioned?  The switch panel at the helm is in sad shape.  I waited to long to buy a replacement and they aren't available any more.  So I was thinking of sanding and wrapping this one.  But my dash is woodgrain and hate to mix.

diggin2day1

Stodge said:

@Aprice do they have a woodgrain version of the material you mentioned?  The switch panel at the helm is in sad shape.  I waited to long to buy a replacement and they aren't available any more.  So I was thinking of sanding and wrapping this one.  But my dash is woodgrain and hate to mix.

I ordered matching vinyl for my existing wood dash from Metrorestyling.com... vinyl is burlwood. 

Stodge

Thanks!

Mercury2005

My first go-around with TECNOGRAFIC, INC., I had them make a new panel that houses the speedo, tach, etc.  This panel was "flat" so it did not have the recesses for the gauges and was hard to mount since it was not 'contoured' like the original dash, so I sent them a brand new dash panel I bought from Great Lakes Skipper and had them coat it to match the other panels.  So just a word of caution about contoured panels.
As far as I know, TECNOGRAFIC, INC. does not 'wrap' in vinyl, they actually coat the material.  They are not the only ones who 'coat' material, there is a shop near me that does powder coating and they also do coating.  They have a vat that is filled with a liquid, I assume water, they add the coating to that liquid and slowly dip the material in it and it comes out with the pattern you select.  Do a google search about coating, maybe a youtube video to see how it is done. After they dip it, they clear coat it.
The downside of using factory panels is they are plastic and crack easily, the Tecno stuff is much better.

Mercury2005

Had the bottom paint blasted off and discovered some 'blistering' of the gelcoat. At least that is what the yachtyard is calling it.  Looks like little pits to me. Fortunately it is just in the gelcot and not through to the fiberglass.
Now we have to have that repaired prior to bottom paint.
Since this was my first time having a bottom blasted I failed to cover the trim tabs and outdrive so some of the paint was removed from the drive and the tabs are no longer shiny. Oh well lessons learned.
Also a pic of the new panel for the mechanical drive indicator, clock and outside temp. Not connected yet, a spring to do job.

boatman37

Looks good. That process is called hydro dipping. Pretty cool process. I guess there is a guy near me that does it but I haven't seen any of his work yet.