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Hi,
Does anyone have any suggestions on replacing the original panel that the insruments and knobs are mounted on, mine is completely rotted I discovered when trying to change a couple of the switches. Photos?
Thanks
Ian Longman 'Strider' 1973 C&C 27 mk II
When I replaced mine a couple of years ago, I was fortunate enough to be working for a medical device manufacturer and I obtained a panel of carbon fiber... using holes saws and drills, I replicated the layout of the original... very high tech looking. If you can get a hold of some glass cloth and epoxy resin then using a piece of formica or other plastic sheet as a base, lay up a thickness of an eight of an inch, then go about cutting it out. If there is a boat shop near you they may do the lay up for only a few dollars out of scrap material.
"IRIS"
1975 C&C 27 MKlll
Hull # 453
Kittery Point, Maine
I didn't even think of carbon fiber, I bet it looks awesome.
Thanks
Ian
I had the same problem. I made a pattern and took it to a flexiglass shop. They cut it accordingly and it looks great now. Can send you the photos if you send me your e-mail
Moe Fahmy
I know of a custom builder who replaces all the manufacturer's panels with one he makes himself of teak. It gives him an obvious place to hang his logo but it looks good and isn't expensive. Personally I'd look for a piece of that white plastic material called "Starboard" cuz it doesn't rot and requires no varnish.
C&C eventually switched to all-plastic panels to avoid this problem. I have done a lot of work with Starboard and I recommend it highly as a working material, but I don't think it would be the best choice in this particular instance. I say this mostly because of issues around how large a piece you would have to buy and then what are you going to do with a lot of 1/4-inch thick starboard? The 1/2-inch and 3/4-inch thicknesses are more useful for most jobs on a boat.
Instead, I would recommend that you go to a window or plastics place and have them cut you a piece of 1/4-inch acrylic (a.k.a. "Plexiglass"), or possibly 3/8-inch, in either black or very heavily smoked colouring. You should be able to buy just one square foot. This should be fairly easy for you to cut and drill and it too will be relatively impervious to weather and sunlight. Many marine stores sell small screw-on labels which you can then use to identify the knobs, etc.
Thanks to all for your replies,
The problem I have is that when I went to remove the old panel, it is so fragile that even the slightest bit of movement causes it to crack and crumble, and the fact that it seems stuck in place by 30 year old heavy duty caulking, I'm afraid there will be nothing left to trace a template out of by the time I remove it.
Ian
The instrument panel is not so complex a shape that making your own template from the remains of the old panel would be an insuperable chore. As to the caulking, it's probably the original butyl tape, so like stick-on lettering, it can be made more pliable with a little bit of heat from a hair-dryer.
I now have a Starboard instrument panel of approx. 3/16" thickness. -- it's nice material to work with as long as you remember you have to do all your work with an edged tool like a saw or a plane -- you can't adjust a dimension with sandpaper or a file or the area gets feathery.
As to buying a suitable amount, people have already testified here to the convenience of Plastic World (http://www.plasticworld.ca/) in Toronto -- I imagine that any large city or regional centre would have something comparable (I know that Hamilton, at a fraction of the size, was reported in the Forum as having something the like). Plastic World will cut almost anything for you. Failing that, a piece of aluminum sprayed black would do.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
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