Replacement Electronics Shelf + possible mods

[garyf]

My overhead electronics shelf has had many things mounted and removed and moved over the years and it's beginning to look like swiss cheese. Of course, I need to drill more holes and add new things here in the near future, so I'm wondering if I should replace it altogether. It's the original from 30 years ago - solid teak I believe... it's pretty heavy!

I'm curious who else has done this and what materials were used. Love teak, but it's pretty heavy to mount overhead, etc. Has anyone used more modern materials like starboard or carbon fiber or something? Any useful mod possibilities in that area? More storage, etc, IDK, just wondering what kind of opportunities might be in this area.

[Peter & Judy]

I replace mine with a shelf and cabinet that I built out of Red Cedar coated with varithane.

[thataway]

If it is made of teak, it would be a custom after market item. Is this the shelf or the a fascia board facing the shelf?

The originals were made of the same material that the rest of the interior. In an early 90's boat that would be a plywood for with Melamine type of veneer.

Starboard would not be a good material--it is heavy, expensive and few glues stick to it. It is also easy to distort with weight-and would most likely sag.

A plywood shelf would probably be the best. The minimum thickness could be 3/8" with a strong back in the. middle and a piece of teak or solid wood stained to look like teak on the front. That will keep any deflection to the minimum.

[CC Rider]

I found the original overhead shelf lacking in usefulness.
The space from the shelf to the roof was narrow and didn't allow much to be stored up there except for folded charts, books, etc. , which would all come falling down from the rear of the shelf by the windshield in even moderate seas. There was no shelf lip or rail to stop stuff exiting the shelf. The stuff would fall out the front as well, even though the teak lip was there.

So, decided to make a new shelf. I used 3/4" plywood sign board and painted it with melamime. I put plywood spacers painted with epoxy to extend the existing mounting points allowing for a wider shelf space. Finished with a teak front and hinged door. Used 1/4" plywood pieces on the rear of the shelf to stop stuff from falling out.

[garyf]

[garyf]

[hardee]

Yea Chris, Mine was pretty useless too, so I hung a bunch of stuff up there to look at



I guess I thought that is what it was for.

But Yours does look nice.

Harvey
SleepyC

[localboy]

I used marine ply that has a white surface for the shelf itself and used teak for the front face. Teak was pricey. One could use other types of wood like mahogany; probably less boat units. I coated it with teak oil. Nice soft, warm sheen.