I Have Tunes

With better weather, I've been able to do a few more additions and improvements to the boat.  It is a real challenge to work on the boat in the slip at our condo.  I have to plan out all the materials and tools and take them to the lake. In addition, as I only have some smaller hand and power tools available, I have to pre-make pieces based on templates I created on an earlier visit.  It is a lot slower and less accurate than working on the boat in my garage. 

Anyway, I was able to accomplish several items on my improvement list:

• Added radio to listen to music and Cardinal games while anchored in the cove. 
• Added a modesty panel to hide the trash and cooler from back seat view.
• Replaced some crappy electrical connectors that caused my lights to fail
• Added a US ensign flag at the rear. 

 Here are some pics of the radio install.  It is a Boss Audio marine radio.  It has an iPod connector on that cable as well as a USB and SD card slot in the main unit.  I didn't want to mess up my dash so I decided to drop it into the side console on the passenger side.  A whole lot easier to install - gravity holds it in!  It comes with a remote so I can control it from the driver seat if needed.

 An unfinished project was hiding the trash and cooler.  I built a 3 sided plywood box to cover it up and hung it from the framing of the center deck.  It is pretty light, so the 3 through bolts seem to hold it easily.

I wanted to fly a flag, so I bought a US ensign and pole.  My intent was to hold it in the navigation light which had a hole for a flag.  The problem was it vibrated loose when under way.  I could not think of a good way to make a more solid mount without hacking up the light, so I mounted a flag holder behind the rear seat in the center (no picture).  I couldn't mount it further back or off to the port side due to my cover, which then wouldn't fit.

Finally, I had to replace some female disconnect connectors on my wiring.  The cheap connectors did not maintain tension on the male connector and came loose or fell off.  This affected my lighting which didn't work one day.  I have a few more to replace where my wiring connects to the fuse panel.  It's a real pain to work under the dash and front deck.