Swinging Instrument Holder for Companionway

[John Storring]

Does anyone have a picture or innovative design for a swinging platform to hold portable GPS/fishfinder/depth sounder in the companionwy opening for a small boat (Grampion 26) I am pretty handy and have large shop and tools so will build it myself but need ideas. Thanks.

[zeehag]

there was a tv mount on an arm that would swing out and around---have you seen those?? i have sen some instruments using those ....on some boasts i looked at were set up in that way

[nauticalrich]

Try the west marine catalog. They sell a swing arm and picture might be in the catalog.
Look for GPS accessories.

I have GPS, Radio and Radar on Swing arms mounted inside and swing outside the hatchway.

[Larry Wilson]

Ram mounts...work great. They were originally designed for motorcylces, but adapted well to marine use.
I have a Garmin 440 mounted in the companionway on a swing arm, but no photos. Basically just an articulating arm.

[John Storring]

Thanks much for the help guy/girls. Will look at all those suggestions, but am hoping to design something from wood. Envision a piece of hardwood dowelling mounted inside on a wooden swivel with stops, and a number of wooden platforms to swing out and lock. Will try to post a picture when design completed and built.

[CommodoreSwab]

What kind of wood will you be using?

[John Storring]

Probably mahogany as I have some pieces left over from a dinghy project that is just coming to completion. Dowelling will be hardwood.

[Wilson]

Dear John:
On my Mac 25 I have a swing out arm with the VHF radio, the depth sounder and the Magellan meridian GPS. This allows good visibility from the cockpit and by swing them in good entrance when going below. This unit is similar to those shown on West Marine. I built one for my Clipper 21 out of a 1"x 6" mahogany, hinged from the companion way that worked well. It is a bit tricky to get the angles right so that when the console is out all is level.

Good luck on your project.

[Tokkie Lottering]

Hi John, It was interesting to read that you have a 26ft Grampion. I have a 23ft Grampion, bright cranary yellow! Abandoned boat I got cheap, painted boat etc. I am a liveaboard on my boat, really enjoy my little Tokkels! Hope yo have sccess in finding a design for a swinging platform. regards.Tokkie

[Bob Isaacson]

Here are a couple of rather poor photos taken from the Aquarius Yahoo site that shoe a swing-out mount. I hve an Aquarius 23 that I am just stating to restore, and I have compiled a large set of photos for items such as these. I wil continue to search!

Any more Aquarius owners out there?

Bob Isaacson
1973 Aquarius 23 Hull # 1144

[John Storring]

Hi Bob,
I did basically the same as you have done, in the photos, and thanks. Mine is a little bigger as I wanted to mount more than one instrument. Will post some pictures when the water around here gets liquid again!