On my 2019 150 MONTAUK the black finish on the gauge and switch panel has faded. I can redo the black finish.
Q1: how to I repair the white lettering and the white border lines?
An all-black panel will not look great
Adding Legends to Instrument Panel
Re: Adding Legends to Instrument Panel
I don't think you need to worry about adding lettering for the gauges. Typically each gauge identifies its function on the dial face of the gauge. Legends associated with electrical switches are more likely your real concern.
The first step in renewing the finish on the panel will be to remove it from the boat. This will require complete disassembly of the panel, removal of all the gauges and switches on the panel, and perhaps you will need to disconnect some or all wiring to the gauges and switches. This will be a quite a project. You must use great care in dismounting the gauges and switches from the panel. You must be careful not to damage the panel or any of the switches or gauges mounted on it. If you need to disconnect any wiring, before proceeding you must make a careful diagram of the wiring and also take some color photographs of the wiring to aid in reconnection of the wiring.
With the panel now off the boat and in your workshop, you can approach the problem of the switch function legends in several ways.
To preserve the legends associated with the electrical switches that are already painted on the panel, you can mask out the legends and prevent them from being re-painted. This is probably the simplest approach.
If you plan to repaint the entire panel without masking out the legends, you can recreate the legends using rub-on transfer lettering. You may be able to find a rub-on transfer lettering set that is particularly suited for a boat electrical panel. This will save you the trouble of having to create the new legends letter-by-letter. To make the rub-on transfer lettering more permanent, you will have to apply a protective top coat of a clear finish.
You can also use a modern label printer to print the legends for you. If you print the legends onto a clear film with white letters, they may be useful.
I doubt you can perform any of these methods while the panel is still installed on the boat and the gauges and switches are in place, except the use of printed labels from a label printer.
For the border lines you can use pin stripe tape.
Other than the method of masking off the original legends before painting the panel, I don't think there is a really good way to created any sort of painted-on lettering on the panel. However, if you have a computer-controlled laser-cutting machine and you can design a CAD drawing of the exact layout of the letter for the panel, you could create your own stencil for the lettering, but you would have to use a typeface that is suitable for a stencil method.
Another option is to just order a new panel from Boston Whaler, if they actually have available a replacement panel as a separate part.
Considering the work needed to get the panel off the boat, disconnect all the wiring to the switches and gauges, and remove all the switches and gauges from the panel, I think you should consider if the outcome of a better appearance for the dashboard panel will be worth all the work involved.
If you do refresh the panel and its lettering, you may want to consider providing some method of weather protection to the panel to prevent the fading and discoloration from repeating.
- Fig. 1. A dashboard panel for a 150 MONTAUK.
- 150MontaulDashPanel.jpg (25.76 KiB) Viewed 804 times
The first step in renewing the finish on the panel will be to remove it from the boat. This will require complete disassembly of the panel, removal of all the gauges and switches on the panel, and perhaps you will need to disconnect some or all wiring to the gauges and switches. This will be a quite a project. You must use great care in dismounting the gauges and switches from the panel. You must be careful not to damage the panel or any of the switches or gauges mounted on it. If you need to disconnect any wiring, before proceeding you must make a careful diagram of the wiring and also take some color photographs of the wiring to aid in reconnection of the wiring.
With the panel now off the boat and in your workshop, you can approach the problem of the switch function legends in several ways.
To preserve the legends associated with the electrical switches that are already painted on the panel, you can mask out the legends and prevent them from being re-painted. This is probably the simplest approach.
If you plan to repaint the entire panel without masking out the legends, you can recreate the legends using rub-on transfer lettering. You may be able to find a rub-on transfer lettering set that is particularly suited for a boat electrical panel. This will save you the trouble of having to create the new legends letter-by-letter. To make the rub-on transfer lettering more permanent, you will have to apply a protective top coat of a clear finish.
You can also use a modern label printer to print the legends for you. If you print the legends onto a clear film with white letters, they may be useful.
I doubt you can perform any of these methods while the panel is still installed on the boat and the gauges and switches are in place, except the use of printed labels from a label printer.
For the border lines you can use pin stripe tape.
Other than the method of masking off the original legends before painting the panel, I don't think there is a really good way to created any sort of painted-on lettering on the panel. However, if you have a computer-controlled laser-cutting machine and you can design a CAD drawing of the exact layout of the letter for the panel, you could create your own stencil for the lettering, but you would have to use a typeface that is suitable for a stencil method.
Another option is to just order a new panel from Boston Whaler, if they actually have available a replacement panel as a separate part.
Considering the work needed to get the panel off the boat, disconnect all the wiring to the switches and gauges, and remove all the switches and gauges from the panel, I think you should consider if the outcome of a better appearance for the dashboard panel will be worth all the work involved.
If you do refresh the panel and its lettering, you may want to consider providing some method of weather protection to the panel to prevent the fading and discoloration from repeating.
Re: Adding Legends to Instrument Panel
Your thoughtfull and extensive reply spelled out all the scenarios I thought of and more, and it doesn't seem there is an easy solution Even a new panel—if available—has its difficulties.
Re: Adding Legends to Instrument Panel
http://www.themarineconnection.net/Gauges.html has thousands of [OEM surplus] gauge panels from Boston Whaler.
Give them a call.
Give them a call.
1992 Outrage 17
2019 E-TEC 90
2018 LoadRite 18280096VT
Member since 2003
2019 E-TEC 90
2018 LoadRite 18280096VT
Member since 2003
Re: Adding Legends to Instrument Panel
Even with an OEM panel, you will still have a chore moving all the wiring, switches, and gauges to the new panel from the old panel. Plan that move carefully.