Hints and Tips

 

 

SO37 Overhatch Instrument Pod

Ricardo Correia details his bespoke project

 

I always thought the navigation instruments should be visible to all crew at all times so everyone could enjoy the “ride”. The idea started to develop and soon become a plan that was finally put to action late 2016.


Below is the story from the concept / prototype to the final implementation of the POD on my Jeanneau SUN ODYSSEY 37.


1. The first prototype was used to test the visibility and feasibility of the project.  


2. After some measurements and adjustments a harder prototype was produced to be showed to the fiber team masters of SotaVoga.


3. Side view with revised depth and shape.


4. A 3rd prototype was created in wood to allow building the fiber moulds.

 

5. Almost final wooden prototype.


6. Side view of 2th and 3rd prototypes.

 

7. The master carpenter final touch to define the instrument panel fixing points.


8. Mould ready for production.

 

9. Slicing of the moulds.

 

10. Moulds ready to receive fiber.


11. First layers of fiber receiving resin.

 

12. Vacuum treatment to increase stifness.


13. Both pieces taken out of the mould.

 

14. Pieces ready to be glued with resin and reinforced with fiber.


15. Glue and reinforcement process.

 

16. All in one piece.


17. Fitting check. Some minor corrections identified.

 

18. Corrections made and paint coats finished.


19. Front panel ready for instruments.

 

20. Instrument tests and fixing.


21. Seatalk tests done. Wind and Speed/Depth information still missing.

 

22. All instruments ready : 1 Wind, 2 Multi, 1 Tridata and 1 Compass.


23. Fixing points over hatch glued with strong resin.

 

24. Cable passage opened to deck.


25. Overhatch POD fixed with strong screws and Sikaflex.

 

26. Front/side view of POD.

 

27. Cables passed from deck to starbord cabin door area, to bow, to cabin closet where the Raymarine Autohelm 100 is. Autopilot left near steering wheel.


28. Wind information already available. Waiting for the last Seatalk cable to connect Depth / Speed.

 

29. All connected and ready to go ! Night view tests.

 

 

After a lot of studying on Raymarine and Seatalk and some good insights from experienced electronic technicians, I decided to do the cable installation and connectivity myself. It was very challenging to blindly find out how to pass a cable from the deck to the starboard cabin closet. Testing where the boat cable passages lead to and the “cabling architectural principals” was time consuming and sometimes close to desperation, but … all in all I ended up knowing a lot more about my boat !! The project and the result couldn’t be better… though I am now with more ideas to change/improve other stuff than in the beginning of this project… Well then again isn’t this a big part of the fun of boat owning ??

 

I couldn’t finish this story without a BIG THANK YOU for the SOTAVOGA TEAM, they did magic with the POD and were always open to small changes and improvements. WHAT A TEAM !!

 

Cheers Ricardo Correia