Anyone re-do their helm? Pictures?

We need a picture of your current electronics console to help guide our suggestions.

Welcome to YF. We luv DIY projects here.

O K, What do you have in mind? Just glass in the holes and put all like it is?
Angled up big display maybe? At least raised in that cluster?
Sure would luv to raise that whole helm up a good bit.
From the seat height, I don't think your short.

Do you have an overhead box? Thought about a black box vhf with just the hand set around the panel?
The vhf and stereo do not need prime real estate.
It looks like all is around your knees. Could you raise the whole console top?
The AP head must have fast & un-obstructed access so to hit that standby button quickly if needed.
There are plastic shops out there that can make a perfect new dash panel with finished edged. Hit on them for help also.

Consider glassing, fairing and painting the whole center console?

To redo something like that, I would fill the existing holes with good quality plywood and lay a flat black Formica over the entire surfaces. Whatever will be installed will benefit from the contrast, as the operator's eyes won't react to the glare as much and provide better focus on controls and images. The Formica can be glued down with contact cement reliably, but the best job would be vacuum bagging with a slower setting adhesive. Once the surfaces are uniform, I make templates of the equipment being installed and place them for an appealing layout for the operator. It's always nice to have the important stuff in as near to the line of sight as possible, so that when operating in limited visibility or close quarters, you only need to move your eyes and not your whole head to spot depth or plotter position. Having actual size patterns allows viewing alternative placements. In the case of doing professional installations, it assures that the owner/operator is on the same page with the installer (or vice versa )

IDK, I think it looks pretty good as is. Save your time, energy and money for other projects. Or maybe none at all , and save that money for fuel!

QUOTE="cleanslate, post: 286963, member: 63137"]IDK, I think it looks pretty good as is. Save your time, energy and money for other projects. Or maybe none at all , and save that money for fuel![/QUOTE]
IMO that's a stitched together helm. Does it work sure, but I think the OP is looking for a little bit of aesthetics - particularly to the left of the helm? The thought may be to refabricate the left surface to have a continuous flat surface for mounting? That can be done with starboard and a acrylic surface of your choosing. Every screen looks to be conveniently mounted, though. I do have to agree that relative to the helm chair that console is quite low. Maybe it just camera prolix??

The coosa board material is great to work with. It cuts and sands like butter. You could make a continuous flat surface and epoxy the small side filler strips on. "glue it together" Then have someone glass and spray it to match as close as possible. I would finish it off with a thin black acrylic face.
I would also glass in through bolts to attach it so there would not be any visible screws heads.

Look up Boattronics on instagram, they do a lot of rewiring and dashes. Lots of pics of work they have done and will give you an idea.

If you give them a pattern of that area, they will cut a whole new panel and mount what you want all in one piece. Will save you a lot of time and money.

You can also tap Coosa board for machine screws FWIW.

Thru bolts, immo. You don't want that panel with instruments flapping around in a heavy sea after it pops out