The Center Console

The design of this boat did not call for a center consol, I elected to put one in. After walking around in the inside of the boat, I realized that I did not want to be so far back sitting on the stern holding a tiller. It just seemed more obvious to have a center consol. Besides I love all the instruments and other gadgets that go on a center console. I guess it’s a guy thing.

I could have bought a center console but in my book, that would have been cutting corners. I figured that if I had already built a boat, why not go all the way and build the center console. I could have picked up a fiberglass ready made console but a real boat builder would have made his/her own console.

The hardest thing about building the center consol is the design. I searched all over and took plenty of pictures of consoles at my local boat lots and of course, Bass Pro Shops. After looking at so many different styles, I could not make up my mind on what to build. Finally I just went for it and started making sketches and cutting card board until I came out with one that was easy to build and somewhat pleasing to the eye. This is what I came up with.

Cardboard cut out of console.

After deciding on the correct size, we cut the floor and sanded all sides.

The sides were then cut out. Note that I gave it a slight taper to get rid of the straight lines.

Sides are mounted as well as the front.

The interior was coated with epoxy resin and the outside was covered with fiberglass.

Plastics clips held the glass in place.

Outside coated with epoxy over the fiberglass. Looks pretty professional if you ask me. Once the epoxy dried, I used a razor blade to cut off the excess fiberglass and made a nice clean edge.

After the epoxy dried and the excess trimmed, I lightly sanded the outside. I then used a roller to paint it flat white. The inside and outside as painted on the same day.

Almost completed. Now for the console goodies!

This is not the final lay out of the instruments, throttle and switch panel. The items shown are props that I made to the exact demensions of the items that need to be put in: Switch panel, water preasure guage, RPM and throttle. The point here is to use the props and move them around until you like what you have. Once the holes are made and you dont like it, you're either stuck with it or you build a new front board. Unless you have OCD, you will learn to live with it 

I still have to epoxy the mounting face, where all the instruments go, and then cut out the holes. I hope to have the center console completed by the weekend.

If you want the demensions of the console to compare to what you're building, email me and I'll forward you my sketches and final demensions.