Batboard

Hey guys
My squad just got a new rescue boat. It is a flat bottomed alunimum center console boat with a metal light bar mount.
I will be installing 2 antennas and 2 radios on the boat. I am looking for any tips or suggestions for the install. I would like to wrap the connections in something but not sure what. I am also looking at suggestions for antennas and mounts.

Any info would be appreciated.

Thank you

Wrapping: Wrap the connections first in electrical tape, then in butyl rubber tape, then again in electrical tape.

The first electrical tape is to make it easier to take the connection apart if you need to - it keeps the butyl rubber out of the connection.
The butyl rubber provides water resistance, but it is sticky as hell until it cures. Then it is just sticky as heck.
The final electrical tape protects the buytl from being punctured, keeps it from rubbing off on everything, and keeps it from being degraded by sunlight, salt spray, and ozone.

For antenna's I would look for no ground plane antennas. Does this bat have an enclosed bow? if not I would also try to mount the radios in a weather proof box with a lid or mount them somwhere out of the way not to get wet.

thanks, nothing is enclosed.

Do you have a suggestion for a good ground plane antenna?

If this a seasonal, or occasional rescue / SAR boat that will spend most of it's life on a trailer in the locked compound, you guys might be better off just using portables especially if system coverage is good. If it's a patrol boat with daily use, then I'd go through the trouble of permanently mounting radios.

Antenna choices depend on what bands you are trying to operate. Tessco has a number of groundplane-less antennas but with limited mounting options. Look for marine antennas - low gain, no ground plane required, corrosion resistant heavy duty plastic mounts (some foldable). Marine quality antennas generally are limited to VHF however.

I'd wrap connections in silicon tape. It's weather and corrosion resistant, easily applied, easily removed, and doesn't leave a mess.