I'm not doing a total rebuild, as the only mess is behind the panel. This is
a 19' bowrider: the panel is the passenger side dashboard, with a shelf
below it. Right now the wires are a maze laying on the shelf - I want to
organize them and avoid them taking up all of that space. I have a few wires
in the gunwales - plastic ties to keep them together. Most of the wires
enter the area behind the panel from the same place. I have the excess radar
cable stowed out of the way. I guess that since I'm just about done adding
stuff to that side of the boat, I can wrap them, leaving just about 12" free
to make the connections. I'll have to find some way to tag the wires, so
that I know what they're for.
I considered adding a board, hinged at the forward edge, keeping the wires
on top of it, and lifting it up to keep the shelf clear. I'm concerned that
there's so little space to work already, that board may make it almost
impossible to get my hands in there if it's ever necessary.


"Lynn Coffelt" wrote in message
...

"William Andersen" wrote in message
news:d1yBf.13657$JT.1368@fed1read06...
Has anyone who's done a neat job of wiring behind their control panel got
any tips for success?

I've added a bus bar in a waterproof container behind the passenger side
of
the dashboard of my bow rider but haven't figured out how to keep the
wiring
neat and organized. Here's a list of the equipment on that side of the
boat:
2 VHF with an antenna switch, ADF, AM/FM, GPS with connections to VHF and
transducer, radar with connections to GPS, utility outlet.

Larry's suggestion sure sounds good...... I tried it a little, and IF
it were my boat the flat waxed linen lacing would sure be my choice.
EXCEPT
at the point where your design puts the foot or so flexing portion of the
bundle at or near the panel hinge. The flat plastic spiral wrap really
works
great there. As the panel hinges out for access to the rear (hopefully
almost never) there is always need for a certain amount of slippage of
individual conductors against each other. The spiral wrap seems to grip
the
bundle with just about the right amount of tension to allow slippage to
equalize the stresses among the conductors. I think that an "L" turn in
the
bundle at the hinge point makes the most compact arrangement. However if
there is plenty of clearance, a substantial loop (spiral wrapped) may be
even better. The loop can be rather long if no actual hinge is intended,
and
the panel can be merely unscrewed and pulled out on the cabin sole. (my
aged
knees prefer the actual hinge)
Old Chief Lynn