Help me hide my shame

[DoubleEnder]

Any clever suggestions on how to house (ie hide) modern electronics in a 50 year old cockpit? Has anyone seen any particularly succesful solutions? I dont have huge space, just a vertical teak bulkhead either side of the companion. There's no garage so nowhere above the hatch, sadly. I just dont fancy the log and depth digital boxes being there all the time.

Are these new TacTics any good? Are they dismountable?

 

[Mirelle]

This is what we did. Not a perfect answer. Better ideas welcome.

Our boat has a bridge deck; on the starboard side is a little teak box with a lifting lid that is used to hold the sail tyers when under way. It has been there since the year Dot. We built a similar box on the other side and hid the log and echosounder in it. The drawback is that they are not in the helmsperson's line of sight. The engine stuff is all in the cabin out of the wet anyway.

 

[mainmarine]

Re: This is what we did. Not a perfect answer. Better ideas welcome.

just been refitting my Cornish Crabber, I fitted my Raymarine kit on a hinged panel at stbd side of companionway and engine guages on similar panel at pt side, they swing out across companionway. I can send you a sketch if reqd

 

[Kristal]

I considered the Tic Tac system - and in fact am still considering it, as I've heard excellent things about them - I just don't have the budget at the moment for new toys!

A planned overhaul of Crystal's navigation system makes use of an otherwise useless feature - she has an oblong pane of glass set into one teak bulkhead which I'm sure was for viewing a horizontal compass, mounted inside over the chart table and out of the elements. We are fitting a small LCD monitor to repeat NMEA signals from the ships computer, showing gps, echosounder etc. which will replace the somewhat unsightly instruments mounted currently mounted into the bulkhead. The monitor will be mounted to a hinging panel, which, when closed sits above the chart table, but when swung through 90 degrees, fixes to the cockpit bulkhead and displays through the glass.

Maybe you could fit a glass panel in the same way, with the instruments hidden behind it. A good solution, but a rather involved and irreversable installation, admittedly. I think Tic Tacs might be your best option, as they offer all sorts of nice wireless solutions, as well as simply being able to remove them from sight when not needed.

/<

 

[howardclark]

Similar to the other respondee I had thought about Tac-tick and have just installed the depth sounder/log (log skin fitting goes in next month). So far brilliant - I have removed many metres of unsightly wiring from my pilot cabin. When I can afford the rest (wind system/compass) it will just be wood!

 

[Mirelle]

Better idea than mine, for most boats.

Thanks. Would not work for us, as we don't have a "normal" companionway - the aft coachroof coaming is unbroken and you step over it and down the sliding hatch, so there is nowhere for things to swing into view in.

 

[DoubleEnder]

I'd be fascinated to hear about the tictac things. My hatch has a single washboard, with hinged doors above. Im thinking I could make up 2 washboards, one with the instruments and one plain......