2320 Radar Install

[willf650]

I want to try more offshore fishing next year and as part of this plan I will need to leave the dock 2-3 hours before sunrise. I also want to do a couple overnights in the canyons. Radar is needed to accomplish these tasks.

My boat is a 2016 and unfortunately my electronics are discontinued/obsolete already. I couldn't go with the latest series of radar Garmin had as my electronics won't support it. I got the best I could get that would work with my electronics and fit in my garage. I went with the GMR 24 XHD.

It always bothers me to drill holes in my boat but I've been procrastinating for 3 weeks now since I got all my parts in. I bought a 6" Battlewagon mount. If my calculations are correct I should clear my garage door by 2".

I used a Blue Sea Systems clam shell wiring grommet. I don't know if this was needed as the mount has a nice foam gasket on the bottom.

I made some backing strips that were 2" wide and 8" long. I figure these will work a lot better then just washers and since I was working through a 3" hand hole these were about all I could fit into the hollow roof cavity.

I made some washers out of of the plastic package the Blue Sea Systems grommet came in to capture the mounting bolts. These allowed me to slide the backing plates through the hand hole, inset the bolts through the backing plate and lock them in the plate. This went a long way in getting the rear bolts in. I simply put the front bolt in and then slid the plate along to top of the cavity in the back until the bolt popped through. I don't know if it could have got the rear bolts in other wise.

I cut some blocks out of the packing foam that was in the radar box and wedged them in through the hand hole to support the backing plates up with the bolts extended though the roof.

I had a friend come over for 20 minutes to help. I put a bead of silicone around the bolts, dropped the mount on and put all the acorn nuts on hand tight. Once all the nuts were started I had my buddy pull out the foam blocks and hold the bolt heads with a wrench while I tighten the nuts up. The rear bolts were a pain to get a wrench on but he got it by blindly poking at the bolt head while I spun it slowly so he could feel it.

I let my buddy roll and finished it up.

I couldn't resist firing it up in the garage to see if it worked.

Hopefully my calculations weren't off and it will fit through the garage door. I need to cut down the shaft on my anchor light tomorrow. It definitely won't make it out the door with the light propped up on the radar dome.

 

[mheltunen]

Nice looking radar mount and install. My only suggestion or “criticism” would be to bed the mounting bolts on the radar in epoxy. Relying on silicone alone will eventually lead to leaks into the core of the roof. When I mounted my radar this past winter (after my roof re-core) I drilled the 4 holes in the roof to 5/8” then sealed the bottom with tape and filled the holes with epoxy. Once cured I drilled the holes for the bolts thru the epoxy. This way if the mount gets loose or leaks for any reason the roof core will not be compromised. The blue seas clam was a great idea. You will love having radar and wonder how you got by without it.


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[willf650]

Nice looking radar mount and install. My only suggestion or “criticism” would be to bed the mounting bolts on the radar in epoxy. Relying on silicone alone will eventually lead to leaks into the core of the roof. When I mounted my radar this past winter (after my roof re-core) I drilled the 4 holes in the roof to 5/8” then sealed the bottom with tape and filled the holes with epoxy. Once cured I drilled the holes for the bolts thru the epoxy. This way if the mount gets loose or leaks for any reason the roof core will not be compromised. The blue seas clam was a great idea. You will love having radar and wonder how you got by without it.


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That raised hump where the bolts penetrate is not cored. It's solid fiberglass. I waited until I drilled the hole before I made the call to get epoxy or not.

 

[mheltunen]

Ah I understand. My vessel is older and is not setup that way. I had a solid roof to worry about.


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[ryderpit]

I want to try more offshore fishing next year and as part of this plan I will need to leave the dock 2-3 hours before sunrise. I also want to do a couple overnights in the canyons. Radar is needed to accomplish these tasks.

My boat is a 2016 and unfortunately my electronics are discontinued/obsolete already. I couldn't go with the latest series of radar Garmin had as my electronics won't support it. I got the best I could get that would work with my electronics and fit in my garage. I went with the GMR 24 XHD.

It always bothers me to drill holes in my boat but I've been procrastinating for 3 weeks now since I got all my parts in. I bought a 6" Battlewagon mount. If my calculations are correct I should clear my garage door by 2".

I used a Blue Sea Systems clam shell wiring grommet. I don't know if this was needed as the mount has a nice foam gasket on the bottom.

I made some backing strips that were 2" wide and 8" long. I figure these will work a lot better then just washers and since I was working through a 3" hand hole these were about all I could fit into the hollow roof cavity.

I made some washers out of of the plastic package the Blue Sea Systems grommet came in to capture the mounting bolts. These allowed me to slide the backing plates through the hand hole, inset the bolts through the backing plate and lock them in the plate. This went a long way in getting the rear bolts in. I simply put the front bolt in and then slid the plate along to top of the cavity in the back until the bolt popped through. I don't know if it could have got the rear bolts in other wise.

I cut some blocks out of the packing foam that was in the radar box and wedged them in through the hand hole to support the backing plates up with the bolts extended though the roof.

I had a friend come over for 20 minutes to help. I put a bead of silicone around the bolts, dropped the mount on and put all the acorn nuts on hand tight. Once all the nuts were started I had my buddy pull out the foam blocks and hold the bolt heads with a wrench while I tighten the nuts up. The rear bolts were a pain to get a wrench on but he got it by blindly poking at the bolt head while I spun it slowly so he could feel it.

I let my buddy roll and finished it up.

I couldn't resist firing it up in the garage to see if it worked.

Hopefully my calculations weren't off and it will fit through the garage door. I need to cut down the shaft on my anchor light tomorrow. It definitely won't make it out the door with the light propped up on the radar dome.

The hole that is inside your cabin, dos the dome light cover that hole?

 

[shawnee83]

Great looking Radar mount and install job. Those Battle Wagon mounts are the way to go, IMO. Just a thought before you cut down your anchor/all around light. I moved mine when I changed out all my Nav lights to LED. I wanted to get it out of the way on my top because my wife and others love to ride/hang out up there on the bean bags, but I think the way I mounted it will work for you with the Radar situation. You will be able to fold it back towards the deck. As an added bonus, you can eliminate a few more holes in the cabin top. You can pick up these L brackets easily. I purchased on-line. Ran the wire down with the spreader light wire.

 

[willf650]

The hole that is inside your cabin, dos the dome light cover that hole?

Yes and no. My boat has a plastic valance above the windshield that covers the wires for the wipers and is for mounting over head electronics. That valance also has a hole in it directly below the hole in the cabin ceiling. The dome light mounts to the valance covering the hole in the valance which is directly below the hole in the cabin ceiling.


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[willf650]

Great looking Radar mount and install job. Those Battle Wagon mounts are the way to go, IMO. Just a thought before you cut down your anchor/all around light. I moved mine when I changed out all my Nav lights to LED. I wanted to get it out of the way on my top because my wife and others love to ride/hang out up there on the bean bags, but I think the way I mounted it will work for you with the Radar situation. You will be able to fold it back towards the deck. As an added bonus, you can eliminate a few more holes in the cabin top. You can pick up these L brackets easily. I purchased on-line. Ran the wire down with the spreader light wire.

I could do that but I already trimmed the light shaft down today. It was the simplest solution and I don’t have to patch the original mounting holes in the roof.

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[shawnee83]

Well that certainly works. Nice project

 

[ryderpit]

The hole that is inside your cabin, dos the dome light cover that hole?

Yes and no. My boat has a plastic valance above the windshield that covers the wires for the wipers and is for mounting over head electronics. That valance also has a hole in it directly below the hole in the cabin ceiling. The dome light mounts to the valance covering the hole in the valance which is directly below the hole in the cabin ceiling.


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Ok gotcha, the older parker pilot house doent have that.
looking for a mount that will hide the 2 cables coming from the radar unit. I see battle wagon and the scanstut pt2004 that im looking at both have a solid base up top so the cables have to route in through the back grommet.
how do you like the look of yours?
can you show me a pix of how your cables are ran?

 

[willf650]

Ok gotcha, the older parker pilot house doent have that.
looking for a mount that will hide the 2 cables coming from the radar unit. I see battle wagon and the scanstut pt2004 that im looking at both have a solid base up top so the cables have to route in through the back grommet.
how do you like the look of yours?
can you show me a pix of how your cables are ran?

The look is what it is. I would think the wire exiting the stand in the back is more water proof then it going through the top plate.

The radar itself isn't really made for the wires exiting underneath. There actually isn't a cavity in the center of it to allow the wires to exit below. The conections are in the front of the radar and there are wiring channels that go around the center and route to exit either side or the back. I assume the center is flat as that's were the motor/gear box mounts. If you wanted the wires to exit from underneath the holes would have to be off set to the side or the front/rear to be in that wire channel. You wouldn't have room to put any type of weather proof connector in the wire channel. Also if you have to drill a hole off to the side chances are it won't wind up inside the mounts hollow cavity.

As far as pictires of the wiring I assume you mean on the roof as there is no exposed wiring at all in the cabin. All the wiring is routed in the wiring cavity in the roof and is covered in its entirety.

This is the only pic I took that show the wiring on the roof but the picture was taken to show the anchor light so the wiring in the image is just happenstance.

 

[ryderpit]

Ok gotcha, the older parker pilot house doent have that.
looking for a mount that will hide the 2 cables coming from the radar unit. I see battle wagon and the scanstut pt2004 that im looking at both have a solid base up top so the cables have to route in through the back grommet.
how do you like the look of yours?
can you show me a pix of how your cables are ran?

The look is what it is. I would think the wire exiting the stand in the back is more water proof then it going through the top plate.

The radar itself isn't really made for the wires exiting underneath. There actually isn't a cavity in the center of it to allow the wires to exit below. The conections are in the front of the radar and there are wiring channels that go around the center and route to exit either side or the back. I assume the center is flat as that's were the motor/gear box mounts. If you wanted the wires to exit from underneath the holes would have to be off set to the side or the front/rear to be in that wire channel. You wouldn't have room to put any type of weather proof connector in the wire channel. Also if you have to drill a hole off to the side chances are it won't wind up inside the mounts hollow cavity.

As far as pictires of the wiring I assume you mean on the roof as there is no exposed wiring at all in the cabin. All the wiring is routed in the wiring cavity in the roof and is covered in its entirety.

This is the only pic I took that show the wiring on the roof but the picture was taken to show the anchor light so the wiring in the image is just happenstance.

willf650
thanks for the detailed information!!! I don't have the radar yet and your explanation helps me with my thought process. ok I will not stress over the wires routed in the back thank you