Gummy Bears & Cockpit Panel Fastening Ideas

Jon W · October 03, 2015, 08:56:38 PM

I just finished the last of the critical upgrades which is the harness upgrade and adding a voltmeter to replace the ammeter. A while back someone was asking what everyone was referring to when they say "Gummy Bear". I've attached a couple of photo's of the Gummy Bears that I removed from my 1987 hull #493. The first two were at the engine, the third was at the cockpit control panel.

Also attached a photo of the fuel pump positive the goes to the control panel with it's original ring terminal. I posted this because the second day of doing the upgrade it literally fell off the crimp. Same thing happened with the blower motor positive. No tugging/pulling/rough handling. Just fell off. Might want to think about this.

The last photo is my control panel, engine running with a voltmeter! Still need to clean it up and reseal with bed-it butyl tape.

Hopefully all attachments show up.

Jon W.

KWKloeber · October 04, 2015, 01:17:00 AM

Quote from: Jon W on October 03, 2015, 08:56:38 PM
I just finished the last of the critical upgrades which is the harness upgrade and adding a voltmeter to replace the ammeter. A while back someone was asking what everyone was referring to when they say "Gummy Bear". I've attached a couple of photo's of the Gummy Bears that I removed from my 1987 hull #493. The first two were at the engine, the third was at the cockpit control panel.

Also attached a photo of the fuel pump positive the goes to the control panel with it's original ring terminal. I posted this because the second day of doing the upgrade it literally fell off the crimp. Same thing happened with the blower motor positive. No tugging/pulling/rough handling. Just fell off. Might want to think about this.

The last photo is my control panel, engine running with a voltmeter! Still need to clean it up and reseal with bed-it butyl tape.

Hopefully all attachments show up.

Jon W.

You're lucky Jon -- you caught it before the plugs melted and blew up. Here's what they look at at their worst. Well not the worst -- the worst is them lying at the bottom of the harbor in pile of burnt up fiberglass.

Anyone who still has these is flirting with an insurance claim!!

kk

Ron Hill · October 04, 2015, 11:18:07 AM

Jon W : You truly are lucky. BTW, What took you so long??

Hard to believe that we've been harping on this critical upgrade since 1992 and there are still boats out there with the old trailer connector - ready to burn up!!

Mt thought

Jon W · October 04, 2015, 04:16:39 PM

Ron, I just bought the boat 5 1/2 months ago. I don't know why one of the PO's didn't do this critical wiring harness upgrade.

I also don't know why they didn't change the steering idler pins to SST, fix the leaking exhaust riser, change the gooseneck fitting to the one without the cotter pin, remove the fuel pick up strainer in the fuel tank, or the fix the fuel fill cap which had a broken 0-ring and cracked cap.

As of today all the critical upgrades I could find on this forum have been implemented or verified done on my new to me 1987, plus the items I listed in a June post. 5 1/2 months seemed like quick progress to me.

Jon W.

Noah · October 04, 2015, 05:36:19 PM

Congrats! Sounds like a lot of work in a short period of time to me! I am sure Ron's frustration is placed with a series of POs that haven't "taken care of bizness" over so many years...and left unsuspecting new owners with the consequences.

Ken Juul · October 05, 2015, 06:23:10 AM

I've been pitching the C34IA and message board for many years. About half the folks I meet know about both and belong to one or both. The other half just don't care or want to get involved with an on line thing. You can lead a horse to water.....

Stu Jackson · October 05, 2015, 05:50:57 PM

added a link to here on the Critical Upgrades topic

tgsail1 · October 05, 2015, 11:30:35 PM

I would think twice about bedding the panel (even with butyl tape). There is a lexan rain shield there to protect it and you will likely need to get that panel off again.

Noah · October 06, 2015, 07:42:31 AM

I hear you Stu on issues with bedding cockpit engine instrument panel. First time I used standard messy "caulk" then had to remove panel for wiring access. Then I used butyl tape..and had to remove again for some BS. Annoying! But even with rain shield it still goes against my grain not to have some sort of seal. Next time I need to remove it, I am going to fabricate a rubber gasket for it.

KWKloeber · October 06, 2015, 08:27:00 AM

There's two things going on here -- I meant to chime in earlier.

Bedding the panel TRAY and "bedding" the PANEL itself and the plexi RAIN SHIELD. Oooops that's three things. Sorry, CRS.

The tray was removed and may have to be removed again - rightfully at some time the stop cable and whatnot will be repaired/replaced so that the tray can be permanently affixed to the coming. I would epoxy it in place once repaired, or possibly use 4200 to bed it. Unfortunately, it appears that the PO drilled / bolted it in place so it looks like crap. If affixed in place, I would run a tiny bead of 4000UV around the 3 sides (leave bottom side uncaulked - like you do around house windows) and fill the holes with 4000UV or gelcoat paste and finish it off.

The PANEL - use EPDM (preferred) OR closed-cell-foam weatherstrip tape (home center) - no need to fabricate a gasket.
Ditto for the RAIN SHIELD - if desired.

Butyl isn't meant for removable panels, etc.

Cheers,
KK

Noah · October 06, 2015, 09:13:18 AM

I like the foam weatherstrip idea! Duh.

much easier.

KWKloeber · October 06, 2015, 10:06:24 AM

Quote from: Noah on October 06, 2015, 09:13:18 AM
I like the foam weatherstrip idea! Duh. much easier.

There's a thin EPDM tape that has like 3 ribs on it -- very flexible and compressible that I just used on a J/120 panel rain shield.
HD or L or Ace or TV hardware should carry it. I think Frost King, or MD products, or.... CRS.

k

Ron Hill · October 06, 2015, 04:56:36 PM

Jon : I've written this in many, many posts - here it is again. To keep the rain, UV and weather off the engine instrument panel here's what I did :

I cut a piece of Lexan (poly carbonate) to the whole size of the instrument panel facing (not 3/4 as the factory did) with a notch for the fuel cut off. I then cut 1 inch holes to get at all the switches etc. under that panel. Then I put protective boots on the key switch, the starter switch and the blower motor - on the inside of that Lexan cover.
I also made a sunbrella cover for the entire panel to protect it when the "boat's in port" and not in use!!

A few thoughts

Jon W · October 06, 2015, 07:37:57 PM

Looks like I have caused some confusion by not being clear. My apologies. Thanks Ken for clarifying my intent. I meant to say re-bed the tray to the coaming with bed-it butyl tape.

On my boat, the tray has no back to it. See attached before photos of the back of the tray and panel with the old wiring. In the photo of the tach you can just make out that the positive wire is missing to the light. It had corroded and fell off sometime in its' life. Some screws holding the gauges and tach to the panel were also missing. Added them with the wiring change. All gauges, wiring, switches, etc. attached to the panel are exposed to any leak between the coaming and the tray. The tray had been sealed with some type of caulk. I had seen water leaking past the caulk onto the gauges, wiring, switches, etc.

When ready to re-install the tray, I removed all of the old caulk and decided to use butyl tape after all the endorsements of how well it seals. I may end up removing the tray again to replace something, but don't know when that will be and like the peace of mind knowing I have a top quality sealant.

The tray was screwed onto the coaming before I started. Not sure it looks like crap, but agree it would look nicer without the screws. Each corner of the tray has snaps for the protective sunbrella cover to attach to. Unfortunately the snaps are 3/8" long thread. Over the years they are no longer snug and can pull out so need to thread into the coaming with 1" long thread snaps. While waiting for the 1" long snaps, I've used SST screws at each corner to ensure the tray is sealed.

I have a protective boot on the glo plug push button. Don't know what happened to the one on the start push button but am looking for one to put on. Jon W.

KWKloeber · October 06, 2015, 08:22:39 PM

Jon,

Too bad the tray is back on -- the most secure way to apply snaps in that situation is to use the ones that have a machine screw thread (nut behind the tray edge). It seems like the tapping screw ones will eventually strip out no matter what when driven into a relatively think substrate - like the tray or coming. Ditto for the screws that hold the panel to the tray if they strip out.

I have several that pulled out of the (out)side of the coming that were from the dodger. I had no way to get to the backside to use the machine-screw snaps, so I had to devise other means.

If you have thin material (like the tray, etc,) you can soak a piece of foam (foam ear plug works) in epoxy resin, stick it behind the tray edge, and voila' a new, thick substrate to screw into.

If you can't get to the back side, you can drill as large a hole as possible that the fitting will just cover, stick an epoxy-soaked earplug (squeezed out dry) thru the hole -- leaving about a 1/4 of it outside. Just when the epoxy kicks, slice it flush outside with a razor blade. The inside expands and voila', forms a foam/epoxy "wall anchor" to screw into.

Another trick where the substrate is a void (like the coming) that you cant get behind -- fill it with expanding foam (carefully!) When cured, rout out some of the foam (dremel bit, or wire, or bent nail through the hole w/ a drill) and fill the new void in the foam with thickened epoxy. Voila' a new "strong point."

kk