[C320-list] Nav Station Upgrade Project

[Christopher Nichols]

Looks good. Any chance of pics of the inside arrangements?

Incidentally I build an interior speaker cover that creates a handy phone and sunglasses holder in the aft cabin. We have a cockpit speaker installed just forward of the internal portlight in the aft cabin and it was not covered inside so looked ugly. I too wanted to create a piece of woodwork that resembles the remainder of the boat but, using the available oak, it has turned out a bit lighter.
If someone can point me to the instructions I'll upload a photo.

Incidentally my radar mast on the cheap took a step forward at the weekend with the purchase of two fishing rod holders that happen to be modifiable to act together as pole holders.
At 40$ the pair it is far more cost effective than eddison!

Chris Nichols
Amanda Rose 476

On Jun 27, 2011, at 4:02 PM, Jeff Hare <catalina at thehares.com> wrote:

> Warren, *all* boats are for sale or trade. ;-) Heck, ours went on the market the same time they loaded it on the delivery truck from the dealer. 
> 
> I wonder how much time has to pass before Jon Vez wants to trade his flashy new C355 for my old C320? 
> 
> The boss said "yes" to a new boat. That was quickly followed by the word "but", and it went downhill from there. ;-)
> 
> -jeff
> 
> 
> 
> Warren Updike <wupdike at hotmail.com> wrote:
> 
> And all this for a guy planning on selling his boat? At least, that's what
> someone recently said. Whas da story?
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jeff Hare [mailto:Catalina at thehares.com] 
> Sent: Monday, June 27, 2011 2:39 PM
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> Subject: [C320-list] Nav Station Upgrade Project
> 
> Hi All,
> 
> A while back I posted questions about useful Nav Station/Storage
> enhancements. I've finished my design and started the work last Saturday.
> 
> I started a Photo Album for this project and will be adding (better quality)
> pictures as I go. 
> 
> Primary design goal: It has to look like it came straight from the factory
> that way, which means attempting to match grain, color and finish and style.
> If it looks like an add-on or aesthetically disconnected, I failed... :-(
> 
> My photo album is on the C320 website's Owner's gallery titled: "Jeff Hare,
> #809 Woodbine II". Here's the short link to our gallery:
> http://tinyurl.com/navstation
> 
> So far, I have :
> ============
> * cut & scribed the top to fit
> * milled and fit the side fiddles
> * done the layout for the dividers inside so that it fits the things we want
> to store there.
> 
> Next I'll be:
> ==========
> * cutting the opening area of the top
> * installing the rest of the dividers
> * wiring the charging station components
> * build the shallow tool drawer that will mount under the nav station along
> the back of the sink..
> * choosing the type of varnish (Target? Others?)
> * sending it out to a professional finishing shop to get the coating sprayed
> on in a dust free booth. (If I do it here, I guarantee it'll end up with
> dust and a big dog hair in it somewhere. :)
> * I'll be contacting Modern Plastics to see about cutting and bending a
> smoked polycarbonate splash guard similar to the ones on the MKII, but
> softly following the angles on the MK1, which are more abrupt. Once I find
> out the details I might have them make a few of them if anyone else
> expresses interest and the price is reasonable. I'll see about getting some
> stainless mounts made by a local machine shop.
> 
> As for the "modernizing" part of the project, I found this nice little gizmo
> (search on Amazon) for $19.95 US : "Multi-Use Vehicle Charger with Dual USB
> Ports and Dual 12 Volt Sockets - by Magnadyne". It's a 20amp device,
> nicely fused with a rugged cord that can be hardwired into the DC Panel to
> one of the unused AUX breakers. It provides 2 high power USB charging
> ports, suitable for IPAD and a pair of 12v accessory sockets. I also have a
> "Griffin Technology 1 amp PowerJolt Dual USB Micro" doo-hickey to plug into
> one of the 12v sockets give me 2 more below-desk USB charging ports when
> needed. 
> 
> Inside the Nav station, I have a divider across the end facing the
> Electrical Panel that leaves a dedicated 5" wide trough for these devices
> and all the charging cords. I'm installing a 2" black desk grommet in the
> back corner for the cords to surface out of the desk. There's plenty of room
> for a small laptop power brick below (plugged into a small inverter) with
> just the power cord visible above. If additional venting is needed, that is
> easy to do without it being visible.
> 
> Cheers!
> -Jeff
> 
> PS: Projects on the horizon:
> 
> 1) a 6" Beckson low profile flat DP61-W deck plate that I'm installing
> under the carpet in the aft cabin near where the door hinges for cleanout
> access to the bilge under the engine pan. 
> 
> 2) changing the Head Vent and Vent hose. I think it's not doing a good job.
> (Peggy says ideally you should have one vent on each side of the tank to
> keep airflow through it) I wonder if you could add a second vent hose on
> the outboard side of the tank and just add another vent on the side of the
> boat right next to the existing one and get the same result?
> 
> 3) Do some more design work on an interesting idea for a nicely angled
> little cabinet above the electrical panel so that I can move VHF and all the
> other electronics that are behind the settee next to the electrical panel
> and free up another storage area. More on that later after I do a mock-up
> with using something other than Teak (aka gold plated lumber). :)
> 
> Maybe sail the boat next year? :)
> 
> 
>