VHF Radio in 2016 242 Captain's Cubby ?

[hobineros]

Has anyone tried to put a VHF radio in this spot - the little cubby by the cup-holders due south of the Throttle levers on a 2016 242? I only use it for holding my cigs - which I am quitting anyhow - so I thought it would be a good spot to mount a radio. Thanks!

 

[MrMoose]

Yes, I considered that spot. My Standard Horizon fit in there reasonably well, but I would have needed to make a mounting faceplate.

 

[hobineros]

Yeah I was thinking some black acrylic to fill the gap might be sharp, but I was hoping a radio would exactly fit, Yamaha is lame for cutting that hole so large lol. A Raymarine 60 is pretty close I think.

 

[MrMoose]

I think that it's a good spot, semi-sheltered, visible, and out of the way. I actually use that little cubby to hold my cell phone and reading glasses.
I decided to mount my vhf between that spot and the captain's chair. I didn't want a permanent mounting spot because I only need a fixed vhf and a chart plotter when I'm on big water, which so far has only been for the Bimini crossings. Both my chart plotter and fixed vhf are not permanent mounts for that reason. When I don't need them for a big outing, they are easily removed and put into off-site storage. My 4 foot vhf antenna screws onto one of my flag holder brackets located on my tower.

 

[hobineros]

Yeah, I want to get one for Bimini as well, but I don't want to just have a radio looking stupid on the nice clean boat. I was considering one of those modular setups, but they are about 2x the cost. Busting out ANOTHER thousand.

 

[MrMoose]

Yeah, I want to get one for Bimini as well, but I don't want to just have a radio looking stupid on the nice clean boat. I was considering one of those modular setups, but they are about 2x the cost. Busting out ANOTHER thousand.

My semi-permanent setup has no additional costs other than purchasing 3 Ram mount fixtures for the chart plotter. I already had the flag holder installed on the tower. I bought a tap/die set from a cheap tool place (Harbor Freight) and threaded the outer surface of the flag holder so that I can screw the antenna onto it. With the vhf and chart plotter both externally mounted, they're easy to remove without tools.

 

[Jack Long]

I think that it's a good spot, semi-sheltered, visible, and out of the way. I actually use that little cubby to hold my cell phone and reading glasses.
I decided to mount my vhf between that spot and the captain's chair. I didn't want a permanent mounting spot because I only need a fixed vhf and a chart plotter when I'm on big water, which so far has only been for the Bimini crossings. Both my chart plotter and fixed vhf are not permanent mounts for that reason. When I don't need them for a big outing, they are easily removed and put into off-site storage. My 4 foot vhf antenna screws onto one of my flag holder brackets located on my tower.

Do yo have a picture of you antenna mount MrMoose?

 

[MrMoose]

Do yo have a picture of you antenna mount MrMoose?

Hi @Jack Long, my original antenna install was for my handheld:
https://jetboaters.net/threads/super-mod-wake-tower-flag-holder-and-vhf-antenna-holder-all-in-one.9172/

But, for the 2017 Bimini trip, I installed my fixed vhf and rerouted the antenna cable down the wake tower and along the seat cushions on the starboard side. I continued to use the adapted flag holder as pictured in the post in the above link to hold the antenna onto the wake tower.

 

[fireflymedic]

Has anyone tried to put a VHF radio in this spot - the little cubby by the cup-holders due south of the Throttle levers on a 2016 242? I only use it for holding my cigs - which I am quitting anyhow - so I thought it would be a good spot to mount a radio. Thanks!

I put mine in that whole just removed the container completely and cut a flat piece of sheet metal with cut out for radio in its place and used same screw and screw wholes.

 

[Jack Long]

Hi @Jack Long, my original antenna install was for my handheld:
https://jetboaters.net/threads/super-mod-wake-tower-flag-holder-and-vhf-antenna-holder-all-in-one.9172/

But, for the 2017 Bimini trip, I installed my fixed vhf and rerouted the antenna cable down the wake tower and along the seat cushions on the starboard side. I continued to use the adapted flag holder as pictured in the post in the above link to hold the antenna onto the wake tower.

Yes, that is how I am doing mine.

ty

 

[BBottoms]

I put mine in that whole just removed the container completely and cut a flat piece of sheet metal with cut out for radio in its place and used same screw and screw wholes.

This is my plan as well with the GX1700 sitting on my shelf. That way I can install the radio for bigger trips and easily remove it for my local lake without adding any extra brackets or holes to the boat. Do you have any pictures of yours by chance?

 

[MrMoose]

I considered mounting mine in the storage tray south of the throttles, but I decided against it purely from a practicality perspective. I use the tray for my cell phone and eyeglasses. and I find that using the vertically-mounted bracket makes it easy to remove and reinstall the radio and antenna when not required. Having the radio bracket-mounted on the outside of the shell gives easy access to the power and antenna connections. I keep my antenna cable external to the shell and I tuck it in behind the seat back. This way, no tools are required when I remove or reinstall my radio and antenna. For Bimini 2017, I used my fixed vhf for the crossings, but I took it off and stored it on the boat while in Bimini.

 

[fireflymedic]

This is my plan as well with the GX1700 sitting on my shelf. That way I can install the radio for bigger trips and easily remove it for my local lake without adding any extra brackets or holes to the boat. Do you have any pictures of yours by chance?

I don't know how to get a pic on this site but pm me an email and I will send you one.