Some very fine work Sir.
Some very fine work Sir.
2000 Viper Coral 202/225 Pro Xs
Ghost, HDS Lives, etc, etc.
Got the drivers conslole all torn apart. Since the worst things about the viper coral is the limited knee space in the consle area, and im a big guy, 6' 2" 245lbs. then this has to be dealt with for me to be happy with the boat. Another problem is the seat height, it is so close to the floor that it is really hard getting up and down out of it, this will also have to be dealt with.
Plan is to increase height and design of console, and also increase the height of the hydraulic steering helm. The design will have to incorporate my 10" humminbird helix into the console, i also have to make custom windshields for it.
Seems like the more i do, the more i find to do.Oh well it is certainly cheaper than a $50,000 new boat.
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Don't know if you've seen this old post, but member G352NV made a console from a motorcycle fairing. He's got mad fabrication and fiberglassing skills too!
No doubt you'll come up with some way to cut/raise the helm mount. Personally, I'd move the gauges away from center, leaving a flat blank area on the dash. Then surface mount electronics with something like a dek-it or precision sonar mount. Allows for easier electronics upgrades. Would also cut off the "shelf" along the bottom where the switches and helm were mounted, and push that forward so it's on the same plane as the dash portion. That would give you a LOT more knee clearance.
A quick edit in Paint app for an idea:
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Thanks for the idea's CastingCall, thats what i love about this forum, is other people's ideas that i would of never thought of. I will have to do some measuring and see if my helix 10 would still work there. I can get rid of the speedo since i will have that on the sonar unit, which will create more room yet. Your idea may be the best, as i wont lose the original design of this rare boat.Originally Posted by CastingCall
A quick edit in Paint app for an idea:
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1998 Viper Coral 202
1998 Mariner 200 EFI
Update: None of the ideas above would work, just not enough area to work with and if i moved the steering helm flush with the rest of the console , then the hydraulic unit on back would not have enough clearance to mount, and i wouldnt be able to use my tilt steering, so i cut out the bottom of both consoles. I will have to move all my rocker switches on the drivers console, and i also purchased a swing arm mount to mount the helix 10. I made a shelf in below the passenger console for storage since i had to do away with the glovebox. I now have a ton of leg and knee room, no more banging of the knee's on these consoles!
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I also got my Lexan cut out for the console panels.[IMG][/IMG][IMG]
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I got my windshields all cut and ready to go, and i got the old holes filled where the old dash panels and fish and ski windshield frames were. Still need to wet sand and buff around those areas.[IMG][/IMG][IMG]
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I also got a little painting done on my steering wheel and guages. I have a little cleaning up to do on where the paint bleeded underneath the tape. I bought some frog tape as it is not supposed to bleed through. Fail!
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1998 Viper Coral 202
1998 Mariner 200 EFI
Looks like you are making some good progress. FYI frog tape has an adhesive that is activated by the water in latex pain, it does not work well with other solvent based paints. I found out the same way you did.
Yes, i will be cussing that tape when im trying to clean the paint off the face of the guages. Guess i should of researched the tape a little better.
1998 Viper Coral 202
1998 Mariner 200 EFI
Looking good!! Your knees will love the new clearance.
Thanks CC, and my wife also appreciate's the changes as she also complained on hitting her legs and knees on the passenger console, and she's only 5'7". The days when the lake was rough we would always come home with bruises on or just above the knee's. I love the Viper Coral, but that was my biggest gripe on the whole boat is the console area's must have been designed for some very short, small people.
1998 Viper Coral 202
1998 Mariner 200 EFI
looking good....
I got the cutouts done for the guages and switches, then covered the panel in 3M 1080 Scotchprint vinyl. Got the guages, and livewell timer switch installed into the panel. I really like the updated look.
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1998 Viper Coral 202
1998 Mariner 200 EFI
I also got one of the windshield's mounted. I drilled the holes out to 1/2" and used 3/8 stainless bolts with neoprene washers, and used teenuts installed into a block of wood and used some Loctite power grab adhesive to bond the wood on the back side, then snugged them up. This way i can remove the windshield quickly w/o having to access the underside. I ordered some 9/16" black hex cap covers for the bolt heads on the outside of the windshield for a cleaner look. Heres the link for the covers. http://www.pro-dec.com/black-9-16-hex-caps-bolt-covers
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1998 Viper Coral 202
1998 Mariner 200 EFI
Looking good, Mike!
Consider painting the caps red to match your gauge surrounds... keep the theme going.
I actually ordered some red caps through pro-dec. Ill post pics as soon as i receive and install them.
1998 Viper Coral 202
1998 Mariner 200 EFI
I came down with pneumonia on saturday so there wont be much progress made on the boat for a few days. This stuff is really kicking my butt! Hopefully this strong antibiotic they put me on will knock it out soon. Will have more update's as soon as im well enough to get back to work.
1998 Viper Coral 202
1998 Mariner 200 EFI
Any update?
I havent updated this thread in quite some time, but the boat is finished, and is actually for sale, so i can start on my next project. You can view all the photo's here. https://stlouis.craigslist.org/boa/6036712517.html
1998 Viper Coral 202
1998 Mariner 200 EFI
Turned out great, Mike! Some lucky buyer will end up with a beautiful rig.
Thanks.
1998 Viper Coral 202
1998 Mariner 200 EFI
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