Need some ideas on where to mount Lowrance

[slideruleracer]

Are you sending it out for the 3D printing? Do you have much experience with 3d printing? Ff so, feel free to disregard this advice, but if you're new to 3D printing, considering the bouncy environment of a boat, I would recommend a very high infill % (personally, I'd opt for >60% - at least) and ABS. Good luck!

[akorcovelos]

Yeah, been designing for 3D printing since it hit the market 20 years ago. I'm looking for someone either with a resin based printer like Dimension, or additive printer like a Markforge printer that can make it from cast iron or steel. I have some connections through my job that can get me access to these machines, especially for such a small part.

[akorcovelos]

well, spent the better part of yesterday ripping the helm apart and looking for a good place to mount the Lowrance. Results? 2 new holes in the dash I can't use.

Thought I found a great spot starboard side where the dash dimmer dial is, installed it, and found the throttle hits it preventing me from getting WOT...so now I have a couple shiny dress up bolts there and still no chart plotter. There is just no place to put this thing without major dash reconfiguration. I could move all the switches from the starboard panel and ditch the stock temp and depth gauges and flush mount the Lowrance there, but man that's a lot of work for a 10+ year old chart plotter.

Thinking of selling this unit and finding something else, maybe one of the modules that work with a tablet I can mount to a suction cup off the windscreen?

I'm open to ideas, because I don't think the Lowrance is going to work...

Fun fact, Cobalt put all the wiring for the windshield wiper in even when not optioned, so if I ever find a 252 with a factory wiper it's plug and play, or I can use it as an accessory switch easily.

[Ytmsn]

well, spent the better part of yesterday ripping the helm apart and looking for a good place to mount the Lowrance. Results? 2 new holes in the dash I can't use.

Thought I found a great spot starboard side where the dash dimmer dial is, installed it, and found the throttle hits it preventing me from getting WOT...so now I have a couple shiny dress up bolts there and still no chart plotter. There is just no place to put this thing without major dash reconfiguration. I could move all the switches from the starboard panel and ditch the stock temp and depth gauges and flush mount the Lowrance there, but man that's a lot of work for a 10+ year old chart plotter.

Thinking of selling this unit and finding something else, maybe one of the modules that work with a tablet I can mount to a suction cup off the windscreen?

I'm open to ideas, because I don't think the Lowrance is going to work...

Fun fact, Cobalt put all the wiring for the windshield wiper in even when not optioned, so if I ever find a 252 with a factory wiper it's plug and play, or I can use it as an accessory switch easily.

That sucks about your holes akor. Maybe just a RAM windscreen mount until something clicks?

And as for the wiring, as this site has progressed we've discovered that it seems Cobalt wires for every available option on every boat, so adding a component down the road is plug and play.

Even on my '01 262 I discovered it was prewired for the light on top of the factory arch (that you dont like ) that I located and installed 18 years after it left the factory. Even the backing plates were there imbedded the gunal fiberglass for mounting an arch, even though mine didn't originally come with one.

[akorcovelos]

I looked for a RAM window mount but couldn't find it for a char plotter on the site. I know I saw one in another thread here a while back, but the Lowrance is heavy, not sure it would hold. Been playing with Navionics on a tablet with a 15 day trial, it's nice but no sonar. Also was looking at this: https://www.ecmarinesupply.com/products ... 64e600dd.7


Seems like it would do everything I need and I could get a nice 10" Android tablet to window mount. Anyone have experience with this?


I wish my boat was offered with a factory tower. I'll probably end up installing one in the next year or so, can't ride now because I need surgery on my shoulder from getting t-boned last year, but once I'm healed up I'll want to get back on my board.

Don't take it personal YT, I never liked any of the radar arches on runabouts even back in the 80's when they were cool.

[akorcovelos]

Totally selling the Lowrance and getting this, all in for under $200 and rivals any modern chartplotter, at least looks like it. Plus you get free WiFi on the boat!