843Parker 1801(Bristol Condition)

[reellucky18]

@reellucky18 Can you give us an update on your enhancements?

Which trim tabs did you go with and how are they performing? Same on steering...

Got any pics of the helm station and interior helm storage?

Seadeck cost?

Windshield vendor and cost?

I have a 1998 Parker 1801 w/2006 Yamaha 115 FS...fishing machine for coastal/inland Mississippi and Louisiana marsh.

Sure thing, although I have not completed everything yet.

1. Replace the leaning post with something functional
I ended up going with the following leaning post. This added a backrest, foot rest & under seat storage.
https://www.elevationmarine.com/products/bay-series-elite-leaning-post
2. Add trim tabs
I went with Lenco 9X12 trim tabs & LOVE them. Performance and ride are much better.
3. Switch cable steering to hydraulic
I went with SeaStar hydraulic steering. 2 finger turns on the wheel now.
4. Add Raw water wash down
I went with a Seaflo 55 series washdown pump & changed the hose to a 15' retractable. Works great!
5. Create a storage platform in the helm console. Basically create a cover over the batteries so the helm can be used for storage
I have not completed this yet, BUT I am currently working inside the helm for a rewire & hope to wrap this up before the season starts.
6. Add Seadek
I have not completed this yet. Debating on adding a T-Top before doing this.
7. Upgrade my 1 gps/fish finder to 2 units.
I upgraded my GPS/Fish Finder but from a 7" unit to a 12" unit.
I also added a heading sensor, AutoPilot & separate GPS super close to my transducer.
8. I plan to build an inclosed helm station for both new head units.
I scrapped this idea for now.
9. I may add a fixed VHF, especially if I plan to take this 20+ miles offshore.
I will likely purchase & add this over the winter. I plan to go with iCOM M400BB to keep my helm clean/clear.
10. Replace windshield to a clear windshield.
I replaced my old tinted windshield with a new one from UDP Plastics. All said & done it was $336.00. Note that they already had a mold for my replacement windshield. I am not 100% sure if the one they have will fit your helm. If you plan to order from them & expect to get it anytime before May (today is Feb 6), I suggest ordering it now. I think it took closer to 3 months for my order.

I'll add pics of the inside of my helm when I wrap it all up, likely by April.

 

[Reel Rebel]

Great info...what 12" GPS FF did you go with?

 

[reellucky18]

Great info...what 12" GPS FF did you go with?

I run the 12” Lowrance HDS Live. Mostly because it integrates with my trolling motor & I don’t need to use the handheld remote (except to start the propeller

 

[SamR]

Would really like to see some photos when you have time. I’m repowering and refreshing my 1800 and could use the inspiration. The in-console storage is something I was pondering too.

 

[reellucky18]

Would really like to see some photos when you have time. I’m repowering and refreshing my 1800 and could use the inspiration. The in-console storage is something I was pondering too.

What are you repowering from —> to?

I’ll be in the console tomorrow & Friday working on my re-wire project. If I am lucky I’ll wrap it up by end of day Friday, then I’ll start on the storage option. I’ll send you pics as to what I am coming up with, but the one thing I will tell you, that opening to get into the console is only 19” on a diagonal. I am not big, but not small either. By the end of the day, I am bruised squeezing in/out of that little space.

In March/April I’ll pull it out of storage, wax it up & snap some pics of all the editions I did. Hope it could help you or others.

 

[pelagic2530]

I’ll be in the console tomorrow & Friday working on my re-wire project. If I am lucky I’ll wrap it up by end of day Friday, then I’ll start on the storage option. I’ll send you pics as to what I am coming up with, but the one thing I will tell you, that opening to get into the console is only 19” on a diagonal. I am not big, but not small either. By the end of the day, I am bruised squeezing in/out of that little space.

If it fits in with your plan, I highly recommend adding either another door or better yet, a drawer cabinet to the opposite side of the console. Gives you a reason to cut a hole in the other side which makes access a whole lot easier. BoatOutfitters.com has a ton of good options, probably one of my favorite modifications I made.

 

[reellucky18]

If it fits in with your plan, I highly recommend adding either another door or better yet, a drawer cabinet to the opposite side of the console. Gives you a reason to cut a hole in the other side which makes access a whole lot easier. BoatOutfitters.com has a ton of good options, probably one of my favorite modifications I made.

I actually already have a 3 Plano box drawer on the other side which has been a HUGE help in accessing the other side.

To this point, and I am glad you brought this up. I was thinking of adding another door/access area on the port side lower section of the console, but I wasn’t sure if by doing this it would impact the strength or integrity of the console itself. Anyone cut an access panel in the lower section of the 2 piece helm/console?

 

[SamR]

What are you repowering from —> to?

98’ Johnson 115 FICHT (dead) to either a Yam or Zuk in the 115-150 range. I’ve disconnected the wiring and removed the Johnson gauges so that I can patch up and modify the console. Will probable pull the top off of it to make work on the inside easier.

 

[SamR]

I actually already have a 3 Plano box drawer on the other side which has been a HUGE help in accessing the other side.

To this point, and I am glad you brought this up. I was thinking of adding another door/access area on the port side lower section of the console, but I wasn’t sure if by doing this it would impact the strength or integrity of the console itself. Anyone cut an access panel in the lower section of the 2 piece helm/console?

I’d be concerned about the structure and also the wear and tear of that location. The door frame probably wouldn’t mitigate the loss of structure any.

If I end up popping the top off during my project, I will definitely reinforce the front so that I can put a substantial hatch behind the backrest. To me, the batteries and electrical belong under the seat, with deep storage behind it and active storage elevated.

 

[pelagic2530]

I actually already have a 3 Plano box drawer on the other side which has been a HUGE help in accessing the other side.

To this point, and I am glad you brought this up. I was thinking of adding another door/access area on the port side lower section of the console, but I wasn’t sure if by doing this it would impact the strength or integrity of the console itself. Anyone cut an access panel in the lower section of the 2 piece helm/console?

I’d be less worried about impacting the structure, than I would about practicality. The main strength members of the console are the corners of the box. So long as there’s sufficient fiberglass left to keep the corner sections from bowing out or caving in, you’re likely fine. If you’re worried, make an inner starboard frame to reinforce the outer one for the door.

I’d be more concerned with practicality. The console in that area slopes inward, so the door will have to hinge either upward or downward. A fore/aft hinge will be slanted, and will hit the deck. Also, any type of drawer unit that’s mounted flush to the console surface will slope upward, making the boxes/drawers inside likely to slide out on their own when the door is opened. All that for, in my opinion, not a ton of extra access. I contemplated doing it, and decided in my case it wasn’t worth it.

But, structurally you should be ok if it makes sense in your case.

 

[pelagic2530]

If I end up popping the top off during my project, I will definitely reinforce the front so that I can put a substantial hatch behind the backrest. To me, the batteries and electrical belong under the seat, with deep storage behind it and active storage elevated.

You should be fine to cut a hatch in the front of the console without any special reinforcements. There’s not really a lot of load on the flat sections of the console. The corners are the structural component, and there’s not much load on the top of the console at any rate.

I went an opposite direction. I placed my batteries and electrical rigging to the aft end of the console, leaving the area under the seat as the most readily accessible storage area. The tall area of the console offers a lot of bulk storage, but not a ton of footprint so stuff ends up just jumbled on top of itself; how many large tall items do you need to store in there that will fit through that little side hatch anyway? Also, the forward hatch is hard to seal, so locating batteries/electrical in the back keeps them drier, and ready access is less of an issue with maintenance-free AGMs kept charged with a good on-board charger. If I have to wrestle with my batteries once every five years, I’m ok with that as a trade off for easy access storage.

To reclaim some storage in the console, I built a shelf on top of the main and trolling motor batteries. This still allows me to store my tool bag, tackle bag, and smaller miscellaneous items in the console, while ready access stuff is under the front seat. In the picture you can also see the inside of my drawer/Plano box unit, which makes awesome use of the “dead” area that’s high up in the console under the controls and on the far side from the door.



That’s what’s cool about these boats: super customizable, and easy to adapt to what makes sense for you!

 

[SamR]

Very clean work on your electrical and rigging. I hear you on the zones, it is just that servicing batteries has been such a PITA that I am willing to compromise. Hopefully I can rethink this with seatback access.

Would love to hear more about your electrical.

 

[pelagic2530]

Very clean work on your electrical and rigging. I hear you on the zones, it is just that servicing batteries has been such a PITA that I am willing to compromise. Hopefully I can rethink this with seatback access.

Would love to hear more about your electrical.

All pretty well documented here: 1997 1700 Overhaul Project

 

[reellucky18]

You should be fine to cut a hatch in the front of the console without any special reinforcements. There’s not really a lot of load on the flat sections of the console. The corners are the structural component, and there’s not much load on the top of the console at any rate.

I went an opposite direction. I placed my batteries and electrical rigging to the aft end of the console, leaving the area under the seat as the most readily accessible storage area. The tall area of the console offers a lot of bulk storage, but not a ton of footprint so stuff ends up just jumbled on top of itself; how many large tall items do you need to store in there that will fit through that little side hatch anyway? Also, the forward hatch is hard to seal, so locating batteries/electrical in the back keeps them drier, and ready access is less of an issue with maintenance-free AGMs kept charged with a good on-board charger. If I have to wrestle with my batteries once every five years, I’m ok with that as a trade off for easy access storage.

To reclaim some storage in the console, I built a shelf on top of the main and trolling motor batteries. This still allows me to store my tool bag, tackle bag, and smaller miscellaneous items in the console, while ready access stuff is under the front seat. In the picture you can also see the inside of my drawer/Plano box unit, which makes awesome use of the “dead” area that’s high up in the console under the controls and on the far side from the door.
View attachment 35617
View attachment 35616

That’s what’s cool about these boats: super customizable, and easy to adapt to what makes sense for you!

This is pretty close to what I am currently in the process of doing now, with some slight mods to your design. I'll send the pics here when complete. However it appears our consoles are different a bit. The pic I attached is an older version (I replaced those batteries & cleaned up some of the wiring, but currently in the process of cleaning up the rest), but as you can see, this pic is on the starboard side with the plano box across the console on the port side. I am finding a mystery of history in this project with wires that disappear into one hole in the console only to come right back up through the other wire access hole. All of my cabling, hydraulic lines, etc. run through one or both access holes in the console. This is what appears to be different from your pic (at least from the angle I see. I am guessing your throttle cables, steering cables/hydraulic lines, etc. are routed somewhere else?

Needless to say, while the end result will differ slightly (because of my wire/cable situation & I am NOT going through the effort to fix that until I have to replace the gas tank), the end result should look similar to yours, with a nice platform to store small stuff like backpacks, rain jackets. etc.

Nice work on the electrical too! I am SLOOOOOOWWWLY and painstakingly labeling every wire. At least the ones that I know what they do. There are other wires that are simply a mystery

 

[reellucky18]

I’d be less worried about impacting the structure, than I would about practicality. The main strength members of the console are the corners of the box. So long as there’s sufficient fiberglass left to keep the corner sections from bowing out or caving in, you’re likely fine. If you’re worried, make an inner starboard frame to reinforce the outer one for the door.

I’d be more concerned with practicality. The console in that area slopes inward, so the door will have to hinge either upward or downward. A fore/aft hinge will be slanted, and will hit the deck. Also, any type of drawer unit that’s mounted flush to the console surface will slope upward, making the boxes/drawers inside likely to slide out on their own when the door is opened. All that for, in my opinion, not a ton of extra access. I contemplated doing it, and decided in my case it wasn’t worth it.

But, structurally you should be ok if it makes sense in your case.

I have empty & wasted space behind my port side trolling motor battery that I was thinking of putting in a tilt out tray, similar to this
https://www.boatoutfitters.com/tilt-out-2-plano-tray-tackle-unit
I'll def take a bunch of measurements, then measure again, and maybe a third time just to be sure before going with this idea. But sounds like as long as I stay clear of the corners, which I intend to, I should be ok structurally. Now to figure out the angle and if this will work is another thing.

 

[reellucky18]

Would really like to see some photos when you have time. I’m repowering and refreshing my 1800 and could use the inspiration. The in-console storage is something I was pondering too.

A couple of pics of the console re-wire+ project. Pics 1 & 3 were the original when I got the boat & 2 & 4 are as it stands today. I've re-wired the entire boat with new Ancor wire & labeled every wire. The boat is in the shop now getting repowered so even pic 4 will be different when I get it back.

Pic 5 is the before shot of the wires running to the battery switch. I don't love this setup because it looks a little sloppy, BUT space is limited & access to this switch is very easy and it is out of the way. Something I can live with. Pic 6 you can see i lowered them so I can take advantage of the 2 part helm bolts/nuts for future storage ideas. Additionally, I may put a new/different starboard piece for pic 4 to allow for expansion for additional electronics (i.e. black box VHF radio).

I have room in pic2 above my battery charger for additional electronics which are already pre-wired, but I have not received them yet, so they are not installed. I will update when that is completed. I will also update here when I finish my console storage.