Montauk Instrument Panel in Teak or Mahogany

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Author Topic:   Montauk Instrument Panel in Teak or Mahogany

ib00269 posted 06-28-2011 11:42 PM ET (US)
I'm in the middle of restoring all the wood on my [1986 Boston Whaler] Montauk 17. The gauge panel on the console is looking a bit tired. I know you can buy replacement aluminum panels and can even have them pre-drilled for the instruments. Has anyone done a teak veneer over the existing panel? I'm a bit of a woodworker, but I don't know if adding a 1/4-inch teak veneer would cause any problems with the back of the gauge not being long enough to protrude far enough through the thicker dash panel to allow proper attachment, or any other problems that might be introduced. Does anyone have any information on making this modification? I can't say that I've seen one modified this way, but hopefully someone has some insight in this regard. Thanks.
L H G posted 06-29-2011 12:42 AM ET (US)
Prior to 1983 model year boats, almost all of Whaler's center consoles in the Montauks and Outrages came with 1/4" marine teak plywood instrument panels. Unless they were well taken care of, or varnished, they tended to get ratty looking pretty quickly.
I have three pre-1983 boats that came with panels as described. My solution was to replace the original teak plywood panels with 3/8" solid teak panels, with a slight 45 degree beveled edge. I think they came out very nicely, heavily varnished, and they hold up really well.
1979 Montauk 17:
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v429/lgoltz/Montauk%2017/?action=view& current=Scan_Pic0018.jpg
1975 Outrage 19:
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v429/lgoltz/Outrage%2019/?action=view& current=Scan0029.jpg
1971 Outrage 21:
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v429/lgoltz/Outrage%2021/?action=view& current=Scan0012.jpg
So, you have three options:
--repair or replace the black painted aluminum;
--make 1/4" teak plywood panels;
--make solid teak panels along the lines of what I use.
I have seen a 1990 Outrage, with console like yours, done in the solid teak panels and it looks really nice.
jimh posted 06-29-2011 03:35 AM ET (US)
Moved to REPAIRS/MODS.
jimh posted 06-29-2011 03:45 AM ET (US)
There is generally no concern at all about marine gauges or marine switches having to mount in a panel thickness of an inch or so. The typical marine gauge or switch is designed for mounting on laminated consoles with wood backing or with embedded wood, and most marine gauges or marine switches can handle a rather thick panel with ease.
I don't know that anyone has applied a teak veneer to an existing aluminum panel. It would probably be simpler to fabricate a new wood panel from teak of appropriate thickness. Drilling large holes for gauges--usually 3-3/8-inch diameter for larger gauges--in a thin laminate of teak to match the existing holes in an aluminum panel might be difficult to accomplish without splintering the thin teak veneer.
The dashboard panels on the center console are generally rectangular in shape, so it should be simple to fabricate a replacement using either aluminum or wood as the panel material. I have published an illustrated article that shows in detail the fabrication of such a replacement panel. See
Conventional Gauge Rigging
http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/conventionalGaugeRigging.html
ib00269 posted 06-29-2011 09:47 AM ET (US)
Wow, I'm continually amazed at the helpfulness, knowledge, and timeliness of the Whaler community. Thank you so much LHG for the pictures; what a beautiful job! Can you tell me a good source for the right type of teak? I went to the local exotic woods place yesterday and they didn't really have teak to match. And Jim, what a great article; I couldn't ask for more.
macfam posted 06-29-2011 09:18 PM ET (US)
I made a gauge/instrument panel for our 13' Super Sport out of 1/4 inch King Starboard. The black King starboard matches nicely with the black & white instruments.
There are several other colors available that match the Boston Whaler gel coat very closely.
The King Starboard is no maintenance, looks great, easy to work with.
Here is a link to King Starboard available in square foot pieces.
http://www.buckwoodcraft.com/king_starboard_order_page_square_foot. htm#1/4%20Thickness
cohasett73 posted 06-30-2011 08:22 AM ET (US)
Re-saw teak to 1/4" thick bevel as per LHG and finish with teak oil. Varnish blisters over time oil does not and accentuates the wood grain. Mahogany is nice too if it is the only wood and you are not color matching to other woods.
Tom from Rubicon, WI
ib00269 posted 09-08-2011 03:20 PM ET (US)
Macfam, I'm still trying to decide what material to go with, teak or something else. I saw your comment and I'm now pondering using King Starboard to replace my instrument panel in my Montauk. You used it and say it's pretty easy to work with. Do you have any pictures with it installed? Or, do you know of a site I can go to to see it installed? I went to the site you referenced and talked to the gent there; what a great guy. But he didn't have any picture locations I could view. Anyway, I'm about ready to order it, and I think I'm going to go with 3/8", so I can put an edge on it.
perdidowhaler posted 09-09-2011 02:40 PM ET (US)
I too used black starboard to replace my instrument panels,
it was easy to work with & 3 years later it still looks great.
Tohsgib posted 09-09-2011 03:55 PM ET (US)
The wood would look great. The black starboard would look almost OEM. 50/50 in my opinion.
ib00269 posted 09-09-2011 07:34 PM ET (US)
LHG, on your pictured '79 Montauk, what is the black material under the teak? Thanks.
L H G posted 09-10-2011 01:47 AM ET (US)
The console front panel is finished with black carbon fiber adhesive vinyl. This is an automotive item, readily available in sheet form on the web. I am very pleased with the way it turned out, and it holds up very well. The original leather grain vinyl wrinkled up and needed to be replaced.
Tohsgib posted 09-10-2011 10:57 AM ET (US)
I have a sheet of that carbon fibre stuff as well, not cheap but hence why it holds up. They also make a teak veneer that goes on like a decal as well in sheets. I have one but never used it yet.
dfmcintyre posted 09-10-2011 09:25 PM ET (US)
Tohsgib -
Teak vinyl like the below link?:
http://www.fibreglast.com/category/Chromaveil
Don.
PS - Good company, btw. I've ordered material from them for fabricating a set of carbon fiber laminated sleeping platforms for the 21' Outrage.

modenacart posted 09-10-2011 10:37 PM ET (US)
Teak is nice, but it is a lot of work.
I bought some teak cutting boats for 5 dollars apiece, then cut them down to make my panels. Worked great and much cheaper than buying raw lumber. Here, raw teak is $35 a board foot.
ib00269 posted 09-11-2011 01:46 AM ET (US)
LHG, there are endless internet sources for carbon filled vinyl. I like the pattern of yours but I'm not certain which company it came from. I see a 3M product with an adhesive back, but I also see some that recommend a product be put on before that is applied. Can you tell me what site you found yours, and what the pattern is called? Thanks.
L H G posted 09-11-2011 02:05 AM ET (US)
This is what I purchased, and where I bought it. Good, fast service.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ 3D-Twill-Weave-Black-Carbon-Fiber-Vinyl-Film-24-x-48-/ 380338847912?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item588df640a8
ib00269 posted 09-11-2011 11:52 AM ET (US)
LHG, thanks so much. You've been very helpful.
macfam posted 09-12-2011 07:39 PM ET (US)
Here is a pic taken with my blackberry (not the best quality)
Note: the Starboard panel is relatively new, but the toggle switchboard is quite old and faded.
The King Starboard is really nice to work with with NO MAINTENANCE
[url]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v333/macfam/WhalerDash.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>[/url]
macfam posted 09-12-2011 07:40 PM ET (US)
Let's try that again
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v333/macfam/?action=view& current=WhalerDash.jpg
ib00269 posted 09-14-2011 09:10 AM ET (US)
Thanks so much. I really appreciate it.
ib00269 posted 09-21-2011 06:27 PM ET (US)
I had two painted-black aluminum plates on my Montauk's instrument panel. I stripped them both, cleaned them real well with alcohol, and applied the black carbon fiber vinyl recommended by LHG. It worked great. If it'll stop raining here, I'll go finish the blank fiber glass center section between the two panels and reinstall the newly covered panels. I'm very pleased with the outcome on the aluminum panels. I may still re-do with teak or King Starboard during the winter since I now have the precise measurements, but I really like the way the carbon fiber sheets look, so I'm in no hurry. Thanks again to all.

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Author	Topic: Montauk Instrument Panel in Teak or Mahogany
ib00269	posted 06-28-2011 11:42 PM ET (US) I'm in the middle of restoring all the wood on my [1986 Boston Whaler] Montauk 17. The gauge panel on the console is looking a bit tired. I know you can buy replacement aluminum panels and can even have them pre-drilled for the instruments. Has anyone done a teak veneer over the existing panel? I'm a bit of a woodworker, but I don't know if adding a 1/4-inch teak veneer would cause any problems with the back of the gauge not being long enough to protrude far enough through the thicker dash panel to allow proper attachment, or any other problems that might be introduced. Does anyone have any information on making this modification? I can't say that I've seen one modified this way, but hopefully someone has some insight in this regard. Thanks.
L H G	posted 06-29-2011 12:42 AM ET (US) Prior to 1983 model year boats, almost all of Whaler's center consoles in the Montauks and Outrages came with 1/4" marine teak plywood instrument panels. Unless they were well taken care of, or varnished, they tended to get ratty looking pretty quickly. I have three pre-1983 boats that came with panels as described. My solution was to replace the original teak plywood panels with 3/8" solid teak panels, with a slight 45 degree beveled edge. I think they came out very nicely, heavily varnished, and they hold up really well. 1979 Montauk 17: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v429/lgoltz/Montauk%2017/?action=view& current=Scan_Pic0018.jpg 1975 Outrage 19: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v429/lgoltz/Outrage%2019/?action=view& current=Scan0029.jpg 1971 Outrage 21: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v429/lgoltz/Outrage%2021/?action=view& current=Scan0012.jpg So, you have three options: --repair or replace the black painted aluminum; --make 1/4" teak plywood panels; --make solid teak panels along the lines of what I use. I have seen a 1990 Outrage, with console like yours, done in the solid teak panels and it looks really nice.
jimh	posted 06-29-2011 03:35 AM ET (US) Moved to REPAIRS/MODS.
jimh	posted 06-29-2011 03:45 AM ET (US) There is generally no concern at all about marine gauges or marine switches having to mount in a panel thickness of an inch or so. The typical marine gauge or switch is designed for mounting on laminated consoles with wood backing or with embedded wood, and most marine gauges or marine switches can handle a rather thick panel with ease. I don't know that anyone has applied a teak veneer to an existing aluminum panel. It would probably be simpler to fabricate a new wood panel from teak of appropriate thickness. Drilling large holes for gauges--usually 3-3/8-inch diameter for larger gauges--in a thin laminate of teak to match the existing holes in an aluminum panel might be difficult to accomplish without splintering the thin teak veneer. The dashboard panels on the center console are generally rectangular in shape, so it should be simple to fabricate a replacement using either aluminum or wood as the panel material. I have published an illustrated article that shows in detail the fabrication of such a replacement panel. See Conventional Gauge Rigging http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/conventionalGaugeRigging.html
ib00269	posted 06-29-2011 09:47 AM ET (US) Wow, I'm continually amazed at the helpfulness, knowledge, and timeliness of the Whaler community. Thank you so much LHG for the pictures; what a beautiful job! Can you tell me a good source for the right type of teak? I went to the local exotic woods place yesterday and they didn't really have teak to match. And Jim, what a great article; I couldn't ask for more.
macfam	posted 06-29-2011 09:18 PM ET (US) I made a gauge/instrument panel for our 13' Super Sport out of 1/4 inch King Starboard. The black King starboard matches nicely with the black & white instruments. There are several other colors available that match the Boston Whaler gel coat very closely. The King Starboard is no maintenance, looks great, easy to work with. Here is a link to King Starboard available in square foot pieces. http://www.buckwoodcraft.com/king_starboard_order_page_square_foot. htm#1/4%20Thickness
cohasett73	posted 06-30-2011 08:22 AM ET (US) Re-saw teak to 1/4" thick bevel as per LHG and finish with teak oil. Varnish blisters over time oil does not and accentuates the wood grain. Mahogany is nice too if it is the only wood and you are not color matching to other woods. Tom from Rubicon, WI
ib00269	posted 09-08-2011 03:20 PM ET (US) Macfam, I'm still trying to decide what material to go with, teak or something else. I saw your comment and I'm now pondering using King Starboard to replace my instrument panel in my Montauk. You used it and say it's pretty easy to work with. Do you have any pictures with it installed? Or, do you know of a site I can go to to see it installed? I went to the site you referenced and talked to the gent there; what a great guy. But he didn't have any picture locations I could view. Anyway, I'm about ready to order it, and I think I'm going to go with 3/8", so I can put an edge on it.
perdidowhaler	posted 09-09-2011 02:40 PM ET (US) I too used black starboard to replace my instrument panels, it was easy to work with & 3 years later it still looks great.
Tohsgib	posted 09-09-2011 03:55 PM ET (US) The wood would look great. The black starboard would look almost OEM. 50/50 in my opinion.
ib00269	posted 09-09-2011 07:34 PM ET (US) LHG, on your pictured '79 Montauk, what is the black material under the teak? Thanks.
L H G	posted 09-10-2011 01:47 AM ET (US) The console front panel is finished with black carbon fiber adhesive vinyl. This is an automotive item, readily available in sheet form on the web. I am very pleased with the way it turned out, and it holds up very well. The original leather grain vinyl wrinkled up and needed to be replaced.
Tohsgib	posted 09-10-2011 10:57 AM ET (US) I have a sheet of that carbon fibre stuff as well, not cheap but hence why it holds up. They also make a teak veneer that goes on like a decal as well in sheets. I have one but never used it yet.
dfmcintyre	posted 09-10-2011 09:25 PM ET (US) Tohsgib - Teak vinyl like the below link?: http://www.fibreglast.com/category/Chromaveil Don. PS - Good company, btw. I've ordered material from them for fabricating a set of carbon fiber laminated sleeping platforms for the 21' Outrage.
modenacart	posted 09-10-2011 10:37 PM ET (US) Teak is nice, but it is a lot of work. I bought some teak cutting boats for 5 dollars apiece, then cut them down to make my panels. Worked great and much cheaper than buying raw lumber. Here, raw teak is $35 a board foot.
ib00269	posted 09-11-2011 01:46 AM ET (US) LHG, there are endless internet sources for carbon filled vinyl. I like the pattern of yours but I'm not certain which company it came from. I see a 3M product with an adhesive back, but I also see some that recommend a product be put on before that is applied. Can you tell me what site you found yours, and what the pattern is called? Thanks.
L H G	posted 09-11-2011 02:05 AM ET (US) This is what I purchased, and where I bought it. Good, fast service. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ 3D-Twill-Weave-Black-Carbon-Fiber-Vinyl-Film-24-x-48-/ 380338847912?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item588df640a8
ib00269	posted 09-11-2011 11:52 AM ET (US) LHG, thanks so much. You've been very helpful.
macfam	posted 09-12-2011 07:39 PM ET (US) Here is a pic taken with my blackberry (not the best quality) Note: the Starboard panel is relatively new, but the toggle switchboard is quite old and faded. The King Starboard is really nice to work with with NO MAINTENANCE [url]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v333/macfam/WhalerDash.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>[/url]
macfam	posted 09-12-2011 07:40 PM ET (US) Let's try that again http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v333/macfam/?action=view& current=WhalerDash.jpg
ib00269	posted 09-14-2011 09:10 AM ET (US) Thanks so much. I really appreciate it.
ib00269	posted 09-21-2011 06:27 PM ET (US) I had two painted-black aluminum plates on my Montauk's instrument panel. I stripped them both, cleaned them real well with alcohol, and applied the black carbon fiber vinyl recommended by LHG. It worked great. If it'll stop raining here, I'll go finish the blank fiber glass center section between the two panels and reinstall the newly covered panels. I'm very pleased with the outcome on the aluminum panels. I may still re-do with teak or King Starboard during the winter since I now have the precise measurements, but I really like the way the carbon fiber sheets look, so I'm in no hurry. Thanks again to all.