CONTINUOUSWAVE

I have a newly acquired 1988 Whaler Montauk 17. Is the wood on the console factory original? Or, a later added custom item? I am relatively sure the back seat is custom. Has anyone seen a console with [wood added]? Thanks--Tom

The fiberglass console is original. The wooden gauge panel and top shelf have been added--a nice touch.

Many owners of classic Boston Whaler boats add wood trim to them in various places.

The wood is likely due to some modifications (newer engine for example or fish finder). Often these changes over time leave the console looking like swiss cheese. -- Hence the aluminum gauge plates (where the helm is) and the top wood top plate have been replaced with teak or mahogany.

The rear bench seat is nice, and will add functionality to the boat in a general sense. The rigging tunnel cover is also changed as it is typically a rectangle, and not the U-shape as shown. Plus the wood enclosure for what looks like the [electrical connections for the navigation lamps].

All of these look well done.

Has anyone seen a console with [wood added]?

Yes. I just saw a console with wood added on OUTRÉ:

The Whaler is getting a new Yamaha F70 this week and I expect I will get a call from the shop about engine instruments. If you were starting with this console, what instruments would you consider necessary (tach, speedo?) and how would you place them? Perhaps post a photo of your panel if it work especially well for you. Briefly, its the Yamaha F70 because of the dealers in the area. There is only one Evinrude dealer some distance away and 5 local Yamaha dealers nearby.

Thanks,

Tom
1988 Montauk 17

Photo credit: Larry Goltz.

Behind the wheel: Tach(2), Water Pressure(2), and Cylinder Head Temp(2) gauges, plus Speedo and ignition switches.
At the controls: Trim(2) and Engine RPM Synchronizer gauges.
Below the controls: Voltage(2) and Hour(2) meters.
Across the bottom: Switch panels(2) and Bilge Pump controls.
Across the top: Richie Navigator Compass and Lowrance Global Map 2000 combination DGPS Chartplotter and Sonar.

The most useful engine gauge is a tachometer. After that, pick from:

--engine cylinder head temperature

--engine cooling water pressure

--engine trim position

--engine battery voltage

Boat speed on a Pitot tube speedometer gauge is rare these days; get boat speed over ground from a chart plotter with a multi-function display and a GNSS receiver.

A depth sounder or SONAR is very helpful. A chart plotter with GNSS receiver is extremely useful. Many multi-function displays can show engine data via NMEA-2000 data links. A large number of engine parameters can be shown. On small boats the chart plotter, GNSS receiver, SONAR, and multi-function display are usually combined in one housing to conserve space.

An alternative to having dedicated analogue gauges using conventional multi-cable wiring is to just use NMEA-2000 instrumentation and a dedicated information display like a SIMRAD IS35.


Some engine brands have nice multi-function gauges that are very good for engine information display, although they can be expensive. I would avoid the very low resolution graphics of black-white displays like the Lowrance LMF-400. They are really far, far out of date.

Yes, almost any critical engine information can be displayed on a chartplotter. I believe there a couple gauges that belong on the console for more or less continual observation. A large analog dial tachometer is my favorite gauge, and I watch my RPM carefully. Next would be a voltmeter to tell me if my charging system and batteries are behaving as expected. Another very useful instrument is a cooling water pressure gauge coupled with an audible alarm. If water pressure is out of specification it needs to be known, right now. I'm old school and like to look at my compass frequently when in open water. It's also good to keep track of your direction of travel when visibility becomes limited. A chart plotter can fail but a compass always functions.

As previously recommended a GPS receiver and chart plotter is an almost essential part of boating today. Given the low cost of color units that is what to buy. The largest screen your budget can handle is my recommendation. The larger the screen the more information that can be displayed in an easily readable format. You'll be able to display your chart, depth and water column information, virtually any engine information, radar image if you need it and the weather radar picture superimposed over the chart if you subscribe to the service. Engine information can be displayed in digital or analog format with upper, lower and preferred ranges for each source. The devices have become incredibly sophisticated. I have mounted my chart plotters both "in the dash" and in the supplied mount. I'm not a fan of dash mounting. I prefer the chart plotter to be mounted as much as possible "front and center" for fast and easy observation.

Only problem one can encounter is some of the older engines are difficult, if not impossible to interface.

I prefer in-dash mounting as opposed to on-top of dash, a personal preference. Makes it more difficult to remove, especially on a daily basis for theft prevention. And it keeps the connectors protected from the elements.

I think Whaler took a step back, when moving away from the large slanted dash. Lot's of room for flush mounting, uh, stuff:


The two plugs to the right of the ignition switch are a standard cigar lighter power jack and a double USB charger power jack for phones and pads.