new gauges

[rufus mathews]

Removed lower helm station on 1975 42C VT903's. Will give the old guages and senders away when new one installed. What gauges would you'all recommed for the new ones?

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I had to replace my oil pressure gauges and I used VDO because they looked the most like the original AC gauges. I guess it depends on the look you want.

 

[UNIQUE_NAME]

i have never had any problems with stewart warner.

 

[jim rosenthal]

I would get SW...I have had plenty of headaches with VDO gauges- broken cases, gauges that don't work, and now on top of it all they stopped making the style I have so when I have to replace one it will look different. IE look wrong. Get something else if you can. Or at least a style they will keep manufacturing.

 

[Akyla]

I ditto Jim's remarks.
I did the VDO gauges as well and have now replaced almost half of them. The plastic cases have cracked on several - and none of them were put in too tight or torqued down too much. Two others just stopped working, a voltmeter and a gear pressure. If doing it over from the start, I would use something else.

 

[Maynard Rupp]

I guess I can't understand the logic behind removing the lower helm. I know lots of people do that and that newer boats don't even have windshields. I think the best feature on our 1986 36C is the lowr helm.We use it alot. Up here in Mich., the spring and fall days are crisp to say the least. I could never figure why folks would spend thousands of bucks to put a fancy EZ2CY enclosure on their flybridge that has no climate control when you could use a bimini top and a lower helm in an air conditioned and/or heated salon. The lower helm unit takes very little space and we also have wipers and washers. I don't understand the logic. Please help.

 

[Genesis]

In Florida the lower helm will make the boat basically unable to be sold (speaking of convertables here)

 

[MikeP]

Helm - It probably depends on the boat and the geographical location. To me, the primary place to operate the 53MY is the lower helm. I always maneuver it into/out of marinas from the lower helm. It is extremely easy to operate from there and you can step out to the side easily to actually handle a line WHILE at the controls. The flybridge is fine but if I was required to "do away" with either the flybridge station or the lower helm station, I wouldn't hesitate for a second in removing the controls from the flybridge.

Re gauges - take a look at: http://www.isspro.com/categories.php

Check out their various lines of gauges - some are very oem-looking (and some are definitely NOT!)

 

[Genesis]

A motoryacht is an entirely different animal - I'm with you, if I had only one helm on one, I'd want it in the salon. The wing doors on a boat like that make short-handed docking reasonable.

But on a convertable the lower helm is pretty useless. Cockpit engine controls are another matter - some folks have installed those, and they are quite useful when fishing in blue water or while docking.

 

[RICKEY]

Removed lower helm station on 1975 42C VT903's. Will give the old guages and senders away when new one installed. What gauges would you'all recommed for the new ones?

I would go with VDOs there the best for your $. you must make sure you get the right senders when you oder them. new guages must match the ohms

 

[jim rosenthal]

Well, if I have to replace gauges I am going to go with Isspro or someone other than VDO. I am fed up with VDO. I think their quality is terrible and they are not interested in helping customers- I tried and got passed around on the phone foever. Ridiculous. Their sales-prevention department is in full operation.