Low buck projects- Let's see 'em!

[Trimmer]

I had my US 25 home two winters ago for a bottom job and a poormans refit. I can't find one picture. :I did make new windows. New cabin sole, painted the interior etc... None of that was cheap. Ahh but I did find new cabin lighting at the R.V. store real cheap, about $15 each. I was however proud of my mizerliness when it came to the setup. I bought a bunch of 14' 2x8's and built a platform on top of the trailer. Thats where I bolted the Cosco car-port. I was working in my boat with just a sweatshirt in february.I also had two strings of lights up and ofcourse musac.The 2x8's were reused in the summer for a new deck, the carport after I freed it blew across the yard jumped the fence and killed itself.Oh well. BTW the platform was awsome, I was able to sand the entire bottom, keel and all fairly compfortably. I hooked my sander up to a shopvac and didn't even need glasses, just a mask.

[timebandit]

Ah ha!

Just the thing I need.

I see a new project for next year.

Thanks

Originally Posted by Wayne25

The PO didn't have a permanent location for a fixed VHF on my Helms 25. I wanted the radio close to the mast location to keep the coax short for low line loss. I also needed some additional circuits for spreader lights and steaming/foredeck lighting I was adding. Here is what I came up with that was out of the way, can be seen from the cockpit and allows a remote mike in the cockpit

[tonybinTX]

Wayne -

Nice work. That'll work perfect on my boat. I've been looking for a good place to do put a panel.

T

Originally Posted by Wayne25

The PO didn't have a permanent location for a fixed VHF on my Helms 25. I wanted the radio close to the mast location to keep the coax short for low line loss. I also needed some additional circuits for spreader lights and steaming/foredeck lighting I was adding. Here is what I came up with that was out of the way, can be seen from the cockpit and allows a remote mike in the cockpit

[motovationcycles]

This is my Nav Station. It used to be a shelf with everything hanging or sitting on the shelf. It cost me less then $100 to make it a lot nicer. It is easily removeable to gain access to the buss bars I installed behind it. I made it by first making patterns (the underside of the deck here has multiple camber). I scrounged around for enough 1/2" marine plywood. I then applied black formica (from Lowe's). By reusing the existing Mahagony fiddle rail i was able to make matching trim for the corner. The panel does not extend the entire lenght of the shelf I left a 12" space on the aft end. In this area I installed 2- 12volt outlets ,for a charging station. As well as mounting for my Wham mic charging/storage cradle. My Garmin 545 is able to be used at the nav station or in the seperate cradle in the cockpit. Both locations for the GPS are fully interfaced - NMEA for the VHF,autopilot. Audio out for the XM radio to the stereo. The GPS uses the internal antenna on deck and the remote antenna down below. Sorry for the lousy cellphone pics!

[bljones]

Figured I would add a couple more, or "What I did over the Christmas holiday."
I used up the rest of the table I sacrificed for the project that started this thread, and built a hinged double sided chartboard:

It's sized to fit standard charts folded in quarters. Course can be laid out on the clear cover with grease pencil. Next step is to build a pair of hinged stowable knees in the cabin of my boat to create a small-space nav station.
Currently in progress- a triple jointed gooseneck mount for my chartplotter:
It's still a little rough around the edges, but overall I am happy with the concept

[sander06]

GREAT projects!! Does hanging caps and underwear over port holes count as a cheap solution to boat curtains? I'm also using a $15 timer switch to turn our propane gas solenoid on and off. Never need to worry about turning off the gas after cooking.

Cheers.

[bljones]

Originally Posted by sander06

GREAT projects!! Does hanging underwear over port holes count as a cheap solution to boat curtains?

If it's used and yours, no. If it is someone else's, as long as you didn't spend more than a hundred bucks on drinks in a boat bar to get them to hang in front of the ports, then it qualifies.

[rikhall]

Hi all.

Here is one of my many current DIY projects. We will be putting our radar on a pole off the stern. I needed:

• an adjustable (horizontally) platform for the radar 1/4 aluminum
• a pole (about 8 feet long - thick walled aluminum 2 inch)
• and a base to connect to the boat

The pole will be additionally supported by connecting it to the stern rail in three places (so , don't worry about that part.

Here is a picture of the radar platform that will go on top of the pole.



Total cost was $36.00 for the pole and the piece of 1/4 inch flat stock aluminum and about $20.00 for the bottle wine I gave the guy who cut, drilled and welded it. Hey - what are friends for, right?

Cheers

[Sapperwhite]

That is really nice. A canvas shop would charge you your first born for a full cockpit enclosure that does the same thing. Excellent solution.

Originally Posted by CapnRon47

Not sure this really counts as a project (other than the Admiral says it does). The creek and river we are on in NC has a major mosquito issue several times a year, so something is needed to keep them off if you want to enjoy the cockpit in the evening. I found a simple solution using a Walmart $30 screen siding that are sold for 10' x 10' canopy gazebo's.

I simply gathered up the the parts that attach to the gazebo frame with some line and I lay that over the bimini. The bottom has elastic straps that attach nicely to the bimini hold downs and it even has 2 zippered entries for easy access. Here is the Admiral enjoying the results of this 'project.'

[Whampoa]

Made a new set of drop boards for the companionway out of mahogany and Ipe.





Working on a new butterfly hatch for the forward hatch .

Regards, John