Installing New VHF & Antenna on 18' Sea Ray - Where to Put Them?

Hi,

I recently bought a Standard Horizon GX1150 VHF radio and a Shakespeare 5206 antenna with a ratchet base for my 1999 Sea Ray 180 bowrider. I'm looking for some ideas about where to put them.

I'd like to flush mount the radio just to the left of the steering wheel (shown in attachment). There's a nice flat spot there with nothing behind it. I know it's partly blocked by the wheel, but I don't need to be continuously watching it. However, the fiberglass is thicker and reinforced on either side of where the steering wheel mounts. That reinforcement ends about in the middle of where I'd like to put the radio. I'm sure it's reinforced for a reason, so I'm very cautious about cutting through it. Anyone else with the same or similar boat mount a radio here?

About the antenna, my first thought was to put it on the right side of the boat, just forward enough that it wouldn't hang off the back and so it could be reached from the steering wheel. This puts the antenna pretty close to the radio though, and the manual says to keep it minimum 1 meter from the radio. If I go far enough forward, then I start getting into the curved area of the bow. So I'm thinking to mount it on the side, near the back, and fold it forward when not in use. Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Scott

Re: Installing New VHF & Antenna on 18' Sea Ray - Where to Put Them?

VHF position is correct. The wheel support is reinforced because of the constant push/pull by the driver while operating, and it's the captain's only handhold while the boat is in motion. It needs to be reinforced. The minimal are you cut out shouldn't affect the stability of the dash/helm area. If you are skeptical still about cutting it, mount it under the dash with brackets. As far as the antenna, I would mount the base aft and fold the antenna foreward when stowed. You need the 1 meter of separation.

Re: Installing New VHF & Antenna on 18' Sea Ray - Where to Put Them?

Thanks Fireman

What is the 1 meter of separation needed for?

Re: Installing New VHF & Antenna on 18' Sea Ray - Where to Put Them?

To hold down RF interferance. You can always mount it on the port side even with the windshield. You can buy a rubber-plastic clip that screws in that will hold the top of the antenna when it is down. It does not have to be completely straight when down. It can follow the curvature of the hull just to the outside of the bow rail. Wherever you mount it just make sure its doesn't turn in to a handhold or you will be replacing it soon.

Re: Installing New VHF & Antenna on 18' Sea Ray - Where to Put Them?

kahuna123 - great point about the handhold. I thought about mounting on the port side, but the cable routing could get tricky. Still might try it though if I can't find a good spot to mount it aft.

Re: Installing New VHF & Antenna on 18' Sea Ray - Where to Put Them?

Make sure to check where the antenna will lay when its in the down position. Mine sits nicely inside of a rear wooden bracket/ handle. My buddy who like cutting holes in stuff and THEN seeing how it fits, has to bungee cord his antenna to the same handle. The ghetto look 4 sure. Didnt know about the 1 meter rule.. Hmmm gonna have to go see if thats whats causing all the static on my boat. Got rid of the wife , so that source of static has been eliminated...

Also, I was having a hard time hearing the little speaker thats built into the radio itself, bought a little aux speaker from Radio Shack that plugs into the marine radio and mounted that on the dash, works great ! FYI