New vhf mount...

[sunnydude2]

Franticly working to get boat ready by saturday for a cruise. Installed stereo, speakers, wired in new house batts, finally got the charger programmed and wired up the new VHF. Still no antenna though.

I have been blessed with original everything on our boat and this includes the plastic vhf mounts that are cracking. Of course the new SS ones are the same width so top holes match up, but they are not as tall so the lower holes don't. If i am bolting the mount and using the top two existing holes, do i need a backing plate behind the two lower ones?

Should i replace the existing cb antenna with a duplicate vhf or go with an am/fm antenna for the stereo?

[3788sam]

Heres what I did and keep this link - they have great prices and quick delv.
It helped alot with Fm reception!

http://www.buyreliant.com/marine/accessories/4357.htm

[sunnydude2]

So it enables you to use the vhf antenna as an am/fm antenna?

I moved the radio from the galley to overhead in the helm. The antenna connection when in the galley appeared to be the mid ship cleat! Right now i have no antenna. Does your radio have power all the time?

[3788sam]

Yep separates the signal from your VHF ant. - the little wire ant. hardly worked at all and I didn't want to add another one. I came with a 10' lead for the stereo hook up but I'm sure you can get a longer one at Radio Shack if you need!

Yes the head unit has power all the time (uses milli amps) unless I turn off the DC breakers at the panel. If I cut power It keeps the stations but I have to reset the clock!

[sunnydude2]

Ok. I don't have power all the time unless i were to run a wire all the way back to the batts. Figure i can reset the stations or whatever we need when we go out.

How was Chelan last weekend? I passed Randy and his boat around Index. They were going to get to Anacortes late as i passed him around 8pm.

[3788sam]

Chelan great weather and not busy at all-up lake.
What time did you guys pass. I kept a look out for him, got to Wet. at 5:50pm but didn't see him!
Is Index your caffeine stop. I didn't see their yellow Mustangs going up but did on the way back!
There's got to be some place on your fly bridge to tap power from. Any switches that control the blowers and Nav lights have to have a constant 12V and under ours these a 12v bridge that has extra pig tails under the counsel!

How was Roosevelt?

[3788sam]

Oops saw your 8pm pass!

[sunnydude2]

I will have to check the upper helm and see if anything has constant power, don't think anything does though. Right now if the battery switch is on i have power, if not no power.

[3788sam]

Do you turn you battery switches off when you leave?
If so make sure you bilge pumps a wired directly to the batteries.
I leave my battery switches on all the time, not much equipment uses power when its turned off, and the battery charger keeps them up just fine!

[sunnydude2]

I have been turning them off. The main bilge pump under the engine is wired directly to the batteries. Not sure of the front one, but i think it is just manual.

[SomeSailor]

Good idea to have safety equipment (pumps, alarms and sensors) wired direct (fused of course) and then shut your switches off as you leave the boat. Would be a good idea to have a bus that stayed hot all the time on the dash somewhere. Then things like stereos, alarms and such can stay alive while gone.

Switchs off is a good safety practice as an electrical short would ruin your whole day.

[beyond kelp]

Somesailor, I agree about the possibility of a short , so I try to leave the bat switch in the off position when I'm not on the boat. There is so much vibration and flexing of the components of our boats I believe the possibility of a problem exists. The codes for marine wiring have got strict standards for distance from source to fuse, type and grade of wire, etc, but I have not verified every wire or connection so who knows whats waiting for Murphy. It gets to be a hassle though, moving the ice chest etc to raise the engine cover to switch it off. I have an Idea to put The switch in the step with the hinged lid in my boat using the thru bulkhead lugs that west marine has in their catalog. They are 30 + bucks apiece and I need three to do it. Anybody put the switch accessable to the cabin out there?

[1northernstar]

Replying to the original question of this tread...

I found stainless steel antenna mounts that nearly match the hole pattern of the old plastic antenna mounts on bayliner boats. They're by Sea Dog Line and I picked them up at Fisheries Supply in Seattle (near gasworks park).

Hole patterns were close enough that reaming the original hole from 1/4" to 5/16 was enough to get all bolts easily installed.

[SomeSailor]

Sea Dog is from rigt here in Everett somewhere. They have a big selection at Harbor Marine if you ever need anything up this way.

[sunnydude2]

I ended up getting my mount at harbor marine. There was no way the mounts they had were going to line up. The mount on my boat was much larger (taller). Ended up using 3/4" marine plywood as backer and the mount is on solid. :)

[SomeSailor]

Should've said something. Here's what ya do: Buy the mount at Harbor, Let me fill and buff the stainelss and put the holes right back where you wanted them in the first place... :)

[sunnydude2]

I thought of that but the entire base of the newer ones are not as tall as the old plastic one. Will show you when i replace the other side mount.