Dash hole cover up bezel?

[matt167]

Since I'm repowering my '66 Starcraft Holiday 14 OB with a brand new 25hp Suzuki, I removed the choke/ hot light panel and the key switch panel which left 3 1" holes in the dash. I bought the 4" Suzuki tach knowing that it would cover most of what was there but it isn't going to cover it all.. Being that previous owners also put one of those surface mount horn buttons in it. I want to put a panel in that covers all of this, and then put in a regular seachoice horn button.

Is there any place to get blank panels that are raised? Or any ideas on what to do?

 

[todhunter]

Check out New Wire Marine. I'm using them to make a new panel for my boat and I know they offer some off the shelf options.

 

[matt167]

Looks like they don't sell blanks unless I called them.

I think I figured it out, and a plastic cutting board will work great. Either Family Dollar or Dollar General sells very thin cutting boards and they should be made of HPDE, which is same as King Starboard. I have arleady used one for my bilge pump mount.. It will be tedious with a dremel to re create the bevel but it should work

 

[kcassells]

Just watch out for being too thick. Gauges and other things basically have a max depth they can be adjusted to.
Post some pics. of your progress.

 

[matt167]

The cutting boards are only 3/16" thick, and the dash is constructed of 3/8" plywood I think.

I may source some brushed stainless sheet instead. I should be able to find that at one of the box stores as backsplash material

 

[dingbat]

Wouldn’t use HPDE for a dash panel. The thermal expansion rate of the material is crazy

 

[matt167]

I was wondering about that. I'm going to try to source some stainless. The switch panels that I removed were stainless

 

[dingbat]

I was wondering about that. I'm going to try to source some stainless. The switch panels that I removed were stainless

I would go with carbon fiber. A lot easier to work with

 

[matt167]

I would go with carbon fiber. A lot easier to work with

Might be a little too modern for a 1966 boat though

 

[matt167]

I had to go to home Depot this evening, and walked around looking for something I might use. Ended up with a stainless door kickplate

 

[matt167]

Cover plate has to be a little bigger than it was going to be now. I noticed the day I installed the new motor that the NOS Airguide compass I bought in march had leaked oil. I thought I hit it or something as it was leaking pretty good, but I ordered another NOS compass of the same model so I can use the same base. I thought I cleaned it all up, but it had gotten behind the vinyl and released the backing from the vinyl and damaged a large section ( sagging/ blistered ). So The panel needs to be a bit larger

 

[briangcc]

IF it were me, I'd be looking at Plexi/Lexan as a base. Might find something cheap in a cutoff bin at a plastic shop that would work size wise. I've seen it in many colors - OR just cover it in wood grained vinyl. Might find something cheap in a cutoff bin at a plastic shop that would work size wise.

Pic would be handy to see exactly what you're dealing with.

 

[matt167]

It's a mess because it's under construction

 

[briangcc]

Well....since you're redoing it already, what about this option....

Pull everything from the dash, including the vinyl. Plug the holes with wood - if needed, make the holes round and plug with dowel. Seal appropriately. Re-vinyl the dash or refinish in something else - given the age of the boat, some wood grain vinyl may be appropriate. Cut new holes for the gauges / switches / whatnot.

From what I can see in the pic, you're now talking about a plate going about half way over the steering column to cover the vinyl puckering.

 

[matt167]

I'd have to drill out all of the top rail trim rivits to do that. Much bigger job than I want right now.

 

[matt167]

This is what I came up with. Not perfect but it's pretty nice for what it is. The button is the horn button. I left room to space for a matching volt meter although, that is over redundant. Both the stereo and the GPS fishfinder ( Striker 4 ) will display voltage.. My cell phone has decided that every picture taken needs to be flipped now. I don't know how to fix it.