Hey all,

I am re-doing my boat this winter and figured I would spring for a new RAM mount to bring the screen...well.....closer to my eyes. I looked on line....$59.99 RIP OFF!!!!

So I got the stuff and made one. Let me know what you think!!!

OK this is what you need: gimble bracket, a 1 1/2" flange, a 5" nipple, (find both at the Home Depot plumbing dept.), a lag bolt 6" X 1/4", two fender washers, and a 1/4" bolt.

Assemble as shown. Paint with metal primer and flat gray/black spray paint (haven't done that yet), screw into your deck and go. Total cost...around $5.00!!!! PS the nipple comes in 5", 6", and 8" lengths.

Excellent idea and a lot sturdier than the plastic stuff available.

I can envision the same construction with two shorter nipples and a 45 degree elbow for an even closer-to-face mounting. A plumber's nightmare in the making, LOL

Nice work! 8-)

Pretty cool! Does the gimble bracket just happen to be the size your unit needs? Or do they come in different widths?

Great job! by my wife's reasoning, you now have 54.00 dollars to go buy more fishing gear! Wooohooo

Very nice creativity. 

This bracket is for a 520C...I am sure there are different widths for different models.

Great job! by my wife's reasoning, you now have 54.00 dollars to go buy more fishing gear! Wooohooo

LOL.....I like that thinking!!!!!

Here's a suggestion for mounting.

When you have everything in place, and it's ready to be fastened down, put a quarter to three eighths inch bead of silicone where it will be mounted.

Set the flange on the silicone, and compress it slightly, leaving a gap of an eighth inch between the flange and the mounting surface, then let the assembly sit overnight, if it's in a warm place, or twenty four hours, to let the silicone set up.

Then you can tighten it down.  Will make a nice watertight gasket which will prevent gunk from accumulating beneath, and will reduce any vibrations that reach your sounder.

I was shown this trick years ago when I was replacing the lexan windows on my lobsterboat.

No matter how much water I took over the bow, they never leaked a drop.

Thanks Rhino!

Ask Craig the youth director about that. lol He had his unit snap off in some big ones on Champlain and it hit him and broke a few ribs. If that breaks off it might kill you. ;D

How do you move it?

$60 for a RAM isn't a rip-off. 

If that's what kills me...I'll be OK with that!!! lol

Nicely done Alan. There should be no reason for it to come off, if installed properly. Just add Loc-tite to the bolt running down through and you will be good.

Just have to mount it!!!!!

I ordered 2 of these yesterday. If the price is legit its a heck of a deal on a ram mount.

http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=208917605&listingid=71302340

Very nice Alan. Only concern might be vibration. Wouldn't haul it down the road with the unit mounted.

Question, will it swivel?

I ordered 2 of these yesterday. If the price is legit its a heck of a deal on a ram mount.

http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=208917605&listingid=71302340

Sure is, I just bought two yesterday at $32.99 ea.

I ordered 2 of these yesterday. If the price is legit its a heck of a deal on a ram mount.

http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=208917605&listingid=71302340

Sure is, I just bought two yesterday at $32.99 ea.

I'm thinkin about buying a couple more for giggles.

Once you own a RAM mount or two, you come to appreciate them more and worry about the price less. They are sturdy as all heck and maneuverable in positions you could only dream about. In short, I say you get what you pay for and while home made mounts are clever and certainly inexpensive, they are not quite capable of doing the same thing a RAM mount can do. Now that I've owned them for a while I have no qualms about buying another when I need it for a new application. In fact, i just ordered one for my Lowrance X135 that I got (both) from XXXX (Edited). Look for "sales" and definitely shop around for your best price and you will be very happy with any RAM. Good job on making you own fixed mount but it doesn't nearly compete with a RAM in it's capabilities..

And for those of you who implied that these are cheap plastic mounts, you obviously don't own any as they are coated heavy steel parts. Top quality stuff..

Had I seen that link I would have bought at least one too.

It does not swivel fish, but then again, neither did the gimbel mount that came with it.

What you have built is creative but I like my RAM mount.  The ability to swivel is more important to me than the added height of the unit.  If you don't need it to swivel, HOMERUN!!!

This looks great and as you said, the original bracket doesn't swivel either.  Can you tell me where in the Home Depot one might find the Gimble bracket?  I have never seen these there and would like to find one and build one of these.  Thanks.

BRILLIANT !!!!