Link
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MrG that plasdeck is fantastic lookingI havent done to much to my Q, But so far, Im loving the yeti cooler
And I love the Plasdeck eddition to the Swim Deck
What's your favorite addition to your Bennington?
- Thread starter Spoiledrotten
- Start date
ssc
Well-Known Member
Good friends, and family, especially the grandkids. Topped off with my CD of ,"Songs You Know By Heart."
Cheers, Steve
Cheers, Steve
tcpip95
Well-Known Member
I realize this thread is about a year old, but I've been away from the forum (more on that later).
When we bought our boat, I worked very closely with my dealer on what additional things I wanted added to my 24SSL.
The first thing we did was to put in an additional 19 gallon gas tank. We wanted the additional range for the boat to allow us to run down to the Florida Keys in it. We installed it behind the rear lounger and it fit like it was made for it. It now gives me 51 gallons of fuel.
The second thing we added was a NMEA 2000 network to the boat so that I could tie my Yamaha F150 into my Garmin 541S chartplotter. This gave me so much more engine data (fuel consumption, additional temp gauges, oil pressure gauges, GPH, MPG, and other info.
The third thing we added was a 10-gallon fresh water tank to rinse the saltwater off after we've been swimming in the Gulf of Mexico.
I added a fixed VHF radio to it, and tied it into my Garmin 541S, so in the case of an emergency my location would be sent via DSC.
The last thing I did was add a Fortress FX-11 anchor. It was expensive anchor, but when it sets, it sticks.
When we bought our boat, I worked very closely with my dealer on what additional things I wanted added to my 24SSL.
The first thing we did was to put in an additional 19 gallon gas tank. We wanted the additional range for the boat to allow us to run down to the Florida Keys in it. We installed it behind the rear lounger and it fit like it was made for it. It now gives me 51 gallons of fuel.
The second thing we added was a NMEA 2000 network to the boat so that I could tie my Yamaha F150 into my Garmin 541S chartplotter. This gave me so much more engine data (fuel consumption, additional temp gauges, oil pressure gauges, GPH, MPG, and other info.
The third thing we added was a 10-gallon fresh water tank to rinse the saltwater off after we've been swimming in the Gulf of Mexico.
I added a fixed VHF radio to it, and tied it into my Garmin 541S, so in the case of an emergency my location would be sent via DSC.
The last thing I did was add a Fortress FX-11 anchor. It was expensive anchor, but when it sets, it sticks.
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Link
Moderator
Well thought out tcpip. Set up exactly for you
1Blderbob
Well-Known Member
Nice job with the boat configuration. What you described is exactly what I wanted to do,it's on the bucket list. How far down the keys have you gone with the boat?
Spoiledrotten
Well-Known Member
Very nice tcpip, and most of these thread never get to old to add to, especially when it adding stuff to our toys! 
So the water is calm enough to go to the Keys? I've never been down that far in a vehicle, surely not a boat, so I don't know what the conditions are. I just thought they would be "raging seas".
So the water is calm enough to go to the Keys? I've never been down that far in a vehicle, surely not a boat, so I don't know what the conditions are. I just thought they would be "raging seas".
tcpip95
Well-Known Member
What we do is leave Ft. Myers in the early morning and head down to Marco Island. From there we top off the tanks, and check the weather window. Unless we have perfect conditions, we'll spend the day and night in Marco and leave at first light.
If flat seas we'll run direct from south of Cape Romano to Marker 13 at Marathon ("Direct 3"), otherwise we'll take the coastal route ("Coastal 1") just skirting ENP. D3 takes us a little over 4 hours, while C1 is nearly 6 hours and 4 more gallons of fuel.
There's a couple that we are friends with, and sometimes the guys will take the boat while the girls drive the car, or the other couple will drive their car and we'll drive our boat. That way we have a vehicle for getting around while we're down there. We haven't bothered taking the boat down to KW as it's more bother than it's worth. Just easier to drive from Matathon or Islamorada.
I also have a route that I have not done yet ("MARCO-KW Direct") that is a straight shot down to Key West. It's 80 nm and about 30 gallons of gas.
in all cases, I've thrown in two additional 5 gal fuel containers just to be safe.
If flat seas we'll run direct from south of Cape Romano to Marker 13 at Marathon ("Direct 3"), otherwise we'll take the coastal route ("Coastal 1") just skirting ENP. D3 takes us a little over 4 hours, while C1 is nearly 6 hours and 4 more gallons of fuel.
There's a couple that we are friends with, and sometimes the guys will take the boat while the girls drive the car, or the other couple will drive their car and we'll drive our boat. That way we have a vehicle for getting around while we're down there. We haven't bothered taking the boat down to KW as it's more bother than it's worth. Just easier to drive from Matathon or Islamorada.
I also have a route that I have not done yet ("MARCO-KW Direct") that is a straight shot down to Key West. It's 80 nm and about 30 gallons of gas.
in all cases, I've thrown in two additional 5 gal fuel containers just to be safe.
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abypfcs
Well-Known Member
Wow, that sure does sound like fun. I love the Keys as it gives the feeling of being on a Carribean island. Have driven the motor home down to Grassy Key, but have never had a boat and done any fishing. That is something I hope to do one day.
keithkz
Well-Known Member
We have very good long time friends who live on Marco Island. Beautiful place.
So......reading about these YETI Rambler colsters. First I've heard about these. Do they function as good as their advertisement claims?
So......reading about these YETI Rambler colsters. First I've heard about these. Do they function as good as their advertisement claims?
Jack M
Moderator
I have the Yeti and the Thermos .( did get the Yetis half price at my local Ace )
I prefer the Yeti ,The Thermos did sweat on the inside and dripped out when tilted to drink
Search the Yeti Can Cooler Alternative topic here
tcpip95
Well-Known Member
Very nice tcpip, and most of these thread never get to old to add to, especially when it adding stuff to our toys!
So the water is calm enough to go to the Keys? I've never been down that far in a vehicle, surely not a boat, so I don't know what the conditions are. I just thought they would be "raging seas".
You have to watch the weather EXTREMELY closely. The gulf can change pretty quickly on you. Seas are generally 1-2' in the morning - which is when we make the run. PLB, Primary VHF, backup VHF with built-in GPS, good anchor with 150' of rode, 10 gal fresh water if needed are all MANDATORY items as far as I'm concerned. I also keep a lensatic compass, and a cell phone charger, and paper charts.
We're never more than 25 miles from shore, and never more than 40' in depth so anchor should hold us in place. Only real fear is that of lightning if we were to get caught out there.
Spoiledrotten
Well-Known Member
That does sound like quite the adventure, with very good planning to keep things going your way. Thanks for taking the time to explain.
Jack M
Moderator
I forgot the Most Important .My Wife & I . :lol:
And the new people I have met here and on the water .
And the new people I have met here and on the water .
Michiman
Well-Known Member
Bet it is a lot of fun, but being a Midwesterner, it would give me the willies being up to 25 miles from shore on a small vessel. Obviously, you have experience and it sounds like you take all necessary precautions, so enjoy your trips!
1Blderbob
Well-Known Member
I think you should try to make some more friends in the keys and make a boaters club. I can't imagine how cool it would be to meet up and boat to each others houses or they come north to your place. Oh my, My wife's not going to like this idea!
Fla. here I come!
tcpip95
Well-Known Member
Here are some pictures of the upgrades.
The first one is the NMEA 2000 network bus. It is installed under the sun deck on the port side, next to the battery switch:
Next is the installation of the 19 gallon Moeller fuel tank. This is installed behind the seat back of the dual lounger:
Next step was to put in the 10 gallon fresh water tank. This was installed beneath the sun deck, just aft of the lounger (I just replaced the blue tie-down straps; I need to trim them to length):
The next steps were to install a manual fuel line switch that is wired into the console fuel toggle two-way valve, as well as wire in a water pump for the fresh water tank. We added a toggle switch on the port-side of the console:
The water pump is at the bottom of the photo. The fuel line valve is at the top of the photo, just to the right of the fuel/water separator (hard to see in the photo). Moving the valve to the 9:00 position selects Tank 2, while moving it to the 12:00 position selects Tank 1.
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Michiman
Well-Known Member
Wow, nice additions. Bet that took some planning...
tcpip95
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I spent about a month designing the NMEA 2000 network, integrating the Yamaha data connectivity into the Garmin 541s chartplotter. The dealer had no idea it could even be done - which initially shocked me, but after my bad experiences with them comes as no surprise. I had to tell them all the steps involved in connecting it up.
The 2nd fuel tank was pretty straightforward. The rear lounger had a molded plastic support bracket right in the center which we simply cut out. Once removed it opened that compartment up for easy access. The 19-gallon Moeller tank fit perfectly - like it was made for it! They ran the fuel fill up the port side, and placed it directly above the main tank fill - except it is installed HORIZONTALLY rather than vertically (like the main fill is). They made a black plastic square base for the filler cap to be installed, and did a very nice job.
For the 10-gallon fresh water tank, they installed the filler cap vertically on the stern of the boat, and ran the hoses from the tank to the water pump locared beneath the lounger, then installed a standard hose fitting with manual shutoff valve on the stern of the boat. A coiled garden hose connects to it, and allows us to shower and rinse off after swimming in the Gulf.
Total costs for these mods was about $2,500 but in my opinion were essential for what we wanted to do with the boat.
I have not made any additional mods to the boat since then.