Electronics Install

[kwmeyer13]

Just put the finishing touches on some new electronics for my P34. I went with Raymarine because that is what I had and what I am used to. I put in 2 new mfd's and radar, kept the radio and autopilot/depth finder. I started planning last fall and over the winter I took the older ones out and measured and made up a dash template. I ordered them at the beginning of the spring. While the boat was on the hard I put in the down vision transducer. That was the most nerve racking part, drilling a hole in the bottom of a perfectly good boat. I must have measured about 100 times. Once I was sure the boat was running without a problem I pulled the old stuff out and set to work on using the template to refurbish the dash. I went with 1/4" starboard since a lot of the structural integrity of the dash was going to remain. I was originally just going to do the face of the dash but I did not like the way the starboard matched up with the dash top so I redid the top as well. I should have taken pictures as I went. I always plan on it but just never seem to get around to it. This is what I started with

[kwmeyer13]

This was planning

[kwmeyer13]

All removed

[kwmeyer13]

Finished product

[kwmeyer13]

Entire Helm, sorry for the multiple posts. Don't know how to get all the pics in one

[johnrupp]

Nice job, looks good. What size MFD's did you use?

[twistedtree]

Very nicely done! Let us know how you like it once you've had some time using everything.

[dhays]

Nice work. I am impressed.

[kwmeyer13]

Thanks for the kind words. I went with a 9" and a 7" screen. The 9" has built in sonar and I was able to utilize my exsisting transducer. The 7" has built in down-vision for which I needed to add a transducer. I really did not need the down-vision right now but the extra expense was minimal in the grand scheme of things and if/when we start using the boat for scuba diving it should come in handy. Besides I have a hard time passing up new gadgets when they don't cost me an arm and a leg. Hopefully I will be able to integrate the older autopilot with the new technologies. That remains to be seen. I am sure several phone calls to Raymarine will be necessary, who by the way have been great to work with even before I bought any equipment. My one complaint in all of this is about the person or persons that designed the wire races through the hardtop and dash. Its almost as if they did not take into account that people would be running wires anywhere after the boat was built. Would it really have been that hard to make easy accessible pathways/conduits.

[willpep]

Nice install.

Can you please tell me a bit more about the autopilot installation. Where did you locate the pump, sensor core and control unit?

I have purchased an EV-200 but am still contemplating location of components on my Mainship Pilot 30.

Thanks
Will

[kwmeyer13]

The only part of the autopilot that I moved was the dash control. I am not to familiar with the rest of the components yet as I have not started trying to integrate it into the mfd's and radar. I am not near the boat for the next day or so but if I get more information I will pass it along.

[Codger2]

Originally Posted by kwmeyer13

My one complaint in all of this is about the person or persons that designed the wire races through the hardtop and dash. Its almost as if they did not take into account that people would be running wires anywhere after the boat was built. Would it really have been that hard to make easy accessible pathways/conduits.

I had the very same thoughts after having my Raymarine MFDs installed. Although I had the Pros do the work, pulling wire through already full races was a bitch! BTW, Down Vision is about the neatest thing I've seen in depth sounding equipment in years!

(No, that's not a crack in my AP glass.)

[ljk]

OP, beautiful job. Luckily, the prior owner redid my electronics just before I bought her about 15 months ago.

[kwmeyer13]

Sorry forgot to post it. Willpep the course computer and compass are under the helm seat. If you take out the foot insert on the starboard side bench seat there is ample room.

[willpep]

Thanks. I am locating that bit of kit behind the instrument panel. I have the real estate in that area to install the control unit and compass. I am worried there may be too much EMI. We will see.

[kwmeyer13]

I have the Chartplotter and radar up and running. Charts and software are up dated. I hooked in the joystick to make it easier to operate the displays in rough seas. Raymarine makes a combo touch screen/joystick unit but they are a few hundred more than the touch screen only, plus they are bigger so I would have had a "fit" issue. So far everything is playing nice with each other.

So my sights are now set on connecting in the autopilot. I called Raymarine today and spoke with a radar tech and it's as smiple as installing a Seatalk 1 to Seatalk ng converter. So ordered it today and hopefully with have it all connected by Tuesday.
Hopefully it's just that simple.

[kwmeyer13]

Ok, I did not like that all my electronics were off the same breaker as the rest of the helm and I also wanted the ability to shut individual elements down completely so I decided to do a little reconfiguring and toss in a switch panel. Each mfd as well the radar and auto pilot is now switched. I also moved the wiper switches up to the top of the dash and took out the one lower light switch that sent power to the 2 dash top cabin light switches. I had to move the bilge and generator indicator lights over but that was easiest part of the whole job. Still trying to learn how the new electronics work but it seems that everything is working as it should.

[Symphony]

congrats on a nice looking install. did you get everything talking to each other? did you add AIS?