Where to mount panels on small tinny?

Hello,

In the next month or two, I plan to re-wire my "new-to-me" 14 ft. basic aluminum fishing boat. I have no electrical or boating experience, but I think I have the basic concepts figured out.

My question is, if I want to incorporate a switch/breaker or switch/fuse panel into my plans, can anyone suggest where and how I should mount these? The boat has no console or dash to mount the panel. It seems to me like most of these panels were designed to be recess mounted into a dash or console.

The previous owner had just mounted a terminal block onto the transom and placed a cheap fuse holder above it. The block is very rusty, and the connections are no longer reliable. In fact, the last time I tried to open the fuse holder (screw-on "lid" with glass fuses inside), the top completely cracked off when I twisted it. It looks like the plastic has succumbed to age and the weather.

Any suggestions as to how I can improve my current set-up with regard to how I can mount these panels are appreciated.

Re: Where to mount panels on small tinny?

When people want to make changes like this to a tiller steered boat I suggest that they go to a dealer and ask to look at one with some electrics installed. You will find that most have a panel mounted at the port side of the boat above the rear seat and against the side of the boat. You can easily make a slanted panel that will fit your particular boat. Small boats don't need a bunch of switches so space is not a consideration.

Re: Where to mount panels on small tinny?

Thanks. I plan on attending the "Eastern Sports and Outdoors Show" next week in Harrisburg, PA. It's billed as the largest outdoors show in the eastern U.S. I know that there are boats and dealers at the show.

This should be a good time to look at the set-ups and maybe pick some of their brains for ideas.

Re: Where to mount panels on small tinny?

Depending on what you have for an engine (charging system or not) that will determine what instruments you need/want. If the engine has a charging system you should include a voltmeter. A tach is not necessary on small engines but if you feel you need/want one, the Tiny Tach is a good solution and takes up very little space and is extremely easy to install. You likely don't have a built-in fuel tank so a gas gauge is not necessary nor is a speedometer. So you very likely need a switch for the nav lights, bilge pump if you have one, and perhaps a live well. What some folks like to add is a 12 volt accessory socket to plug in cell phone chargers, spot light, etc. A four circuit fuse panel would be sufficient.

Re: Where to mount panels on small tinny?

I have access in the seat bulkheads of my jon boat so I mounted the switch panel to the face of the drivers seat bulkhead, on the port side within easy reach of the driver.

On my friends boat, we bought a plastic electronics project box (Radio Shack, Fry's, etc) and mounted the switch panel where the metal lid used to be on the plastic box. He was kind of lucky as the switch panel was the same exact size as the project box's metal lid, we just swapped them out. Something like this:

Re: Where to mount panels on small tinny?

Thanks for the ideas. Regarding the motor, I mostly use a transom mounted trolling motor that I run off of a separate battery. Many of the small lakes I fish are restricted to electric motor-only. I do have a portable 15 hp tiller with no charging system, and so I think I can get by without a tach, etc.

My understanding is that I only need to light the stern-mounted light at night while at anchor, and the red/green nav lights at the bow only need to be lit if under way. I need to find this out for sure. If so, I thought I would switch the nav lights separately so as to save battery power while anchored, although it's probably not enough power to worry about and may cost me a fine if I forget to turn the bow lights back on.

I think I want to wire the nav lights, 12-volt accessory socket, fish finder (has its own power switch), and maybe one courtesy light inside the boat for night fishing. My bilge pump is a sponge and bucket. I guess I could add one, but I'm not sure that I need it. There is no livewell, although it may be nice to have two 12-volt sockets because I do have portable bait aerators that can run on 12-volt power.

I'm definitely going to check out the project box. My boat is a bare-bones V-hull with foam-filled tank seats. I thought about riveting two aluminum strips from my gunwale to the tank seat where I sit, and then riveting a flat piece of aluminum with cutouts for the panels onto these strips. I'm not sure if it matters, but the connections under this thin piece of sheet aluminum would be exposed.

Any opinions on this switch/fuse panel from BEP Marine?