Aluminum Console?

[davidj65]

I need to make a console for my 14' tiller to house fuse panel, bus, switches, etc. and I was considering aluminum. Is there any reason it couldn't be made out of .060 aluminum stock as long as it was grounded?

 

[Bailey Boat]

Everything in your boat that is electrical should be "home run". That is, an individual ground and an individual positive. I would NOT recommend using the hull as a ground like in a vehicle. Use a QUALITY fuse block (Blue Seas) and it will have both connections.

 

[davidj65]

Oh, I'm not planning on using an aluminum console as the bus. I have a BlueSeas switch/fuse panel and a separate ground bus. I'm just wondering if aluminum is a suitable material for a console? I imagine some boats have a factory console that is aluminum? I was going to ground it just for safety, not as a bus. It is possible to insulate it from the hull. I do understand that the hull shouldn't be grounded. All my connections have an independent ground to a common bus.

I could use epoxy treated plywood, but I have a source for very affordable aluminum sheet and angle stock, and I just like the idea of a weatherproof box that won't need to be replaced.

 

[LDUBS]

"I imagine some boats have a factory console that is aluminum?"

Definitely yes. I would say most all aluminum boats with consoles have aluminum consoles.

 

[Bailey Boat]

The console in my Alumacraft is aluminum and came from here: https://www.akmccallumco.com/

They also have a bunch of related stuff not on the web site, just ask.....

 

[Tin Man]

Not sure of this is what you are looking for.....

I made this small side console for my former Alumacraft V16. It housed FF, fuse panel, bilge switch,12V power source, and main power switch.

https://www.tinboats.net/threads/my-custom-side-console-for-tiller-steered-boat.49626/#post-490040

 

[JL8Jeff]

There are kits out there for a bare bones side console. This one looks like it's .090 thickness.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/204443046160?itmmeta=01HWQMKMWFB4C788T3AVQ5XRDN&hash=item2f99c15110:g:5ngAAOSw3jFk7NQM&itmprp=enc:AQAJAAAAwFCmBgZbfRlf2Hl2rMVSWUTfzgA1TfirnuiiTqfMWp7JdPyN8GOZrjiVvL0C+g0aAWnSqOYdmeeXZSi4a/EJ8aPwzhLPQNDohtrjODWXs97tSfo9btB2f8cSZMYeFJiWS0G2BtUhV99cGTl6XHhj0tKqodEtX4SlTalRZz9ZggPuvJIG/Nq7kGiau9pfLFAeLzhMboG/nGXJlxXcqn5gOf2UB4mmiStJljx0N6x59LkoRj7Q9dpgbgle2IH89wkUFw==|tkp:Bk9SR6rOzvTlYw