Alternative to kick panel speaker 98 Ski Nautique

[east tx skier]

I did a little stereo tinkering last weekend and replaced the bazooka tube with a slightly larger sealed box for my sub. In the process, I again noticed that the 6.5" speaker on the kick plate seems like not quite the most ideal place for a mid/high range speaker.

Has anyone relocated this. It seems like putting it in an enclosure (like one of those q-form enclosures) and mounting it beneath the throttle angled up would be a good spot. I think that's what the newer boats do, right? If so, would that enclosure work for the 98 SN?

This is what I've seen at crutchfield, but not sure how best to mount it.

[Nautibouys]

RE: Alternative to kick panel speaker 98 Ski Nautique

My 2000 SN 196 has a speaker pod molded right in to the sideboard throttle area pointing in that exact direction. Works well and gets the tweeter directionally pointed at the driver. Not sure how to retrofit one, but the material of the one you show above looks identical to mine.

[east tx skier]

Thanks. I just picked that one at random. My concern is that anything I add on to the forward part of the combing pad is going to be flimsy if I don't somehow secure it to the deck or floor.

Do you have a picture of the one that CC put in the boats at that time?

[Nautibouys]

Yes, I do have a picture on my work computer that I will upload when I get back to the office. On mine, they have a screw going into the floor, one on the side going into an aluminum bracket, and then four or five bolts on the top rail, as the whole panel wraps over the top rail.

[east tx skier]

Thanks! I'm thinking about just building a little wooden frame to sit under the combing pad that houses the throttle. Underneath the throttle, build in a little storage for small items, ipod, sunglasses, etc. Once under the dash, mount a short piece of 6" PVC that's mitred to create an angle toward the driver and secure a ring of mdf to the end of the pipe to mount the speaker. Trim out the piece and mount it in there. My only concern is having too much weight thrown that far to the side.

[east tx skier]

I basically ignored this project for the better part of the year. Last week, I got ambitious and built a custom speaker pod that will mount to the starboard hull just forward and beneath the throttle. I can't take all of the credit for the concept since I am copying an install done several years ago by Clay at Sound Illusion that I found on wakeworld. The project is moving along quickly though, and I will have some pictures of the process with a write up in a day or three. The pod is done and I decided to splurge and let someone else suffer through carpeting the weird contours of this thing with the scrap OEM gunmetal grey carpet I picked up from my dealer this afternoon.

Overall, the project was somewhat time consuming (mostly letting resin dry), but is pretty easy stuff. I think the results will be much better, particularly when it comes to not having to turn up the stereo really loud just to hear the driver's side speaker, meanwhile blowing out the passenger's ears since the speaker on that side is right next to the observer's seat.

[east tx skier]

Okay, I finished the project. It started with a pear shaped base, a 3/4" MDF ring with a 5" ID and an OD that matched the speaker grill. The angle is created with 1.5" dowels on the low end and an angled MDF piece supporting the other end. I added a couple of extra dowels for support later. I attached everything with epoxy putty (love that stuff).

[east tx skier]

Next, I stretched a layer of stretchy fabric (lycra/cotton blend) over the form, stapled to the bottom and the inside of the ring. I painted the fabric up with resin, let it dry, placed a little glass mat over it, added a coat of resin, and let it dry again. After that, I put on a layer of bondo putty. After it dried, I gave it a good sanding with the random orbit sander to get it relatively smooth. Since I was planning to carpet it, I didn't bother with an extra coat of putty to make it really smooth.

[east tx skier]

Next step, take speaker pod to upholsterer. On the way, stop by CC dealer and pick up a pair of scrap gunmetal grey carpet (thanks Ski N Sports). An extra $20 to not have to mess with carpeting those contours was priceless!



Just to be sure, the speaker and grill fit!



Once it was home, I traced it and made a duplicate of the base out of 1/2" birch plywood. I drilled some holes to match the holes I drilled in the base, set some 3" stainless bolts in the holes with epoxy putty, and painted the plywood with resin on both sides.

[east tx skier]

The base was glued to the hull under the carpet (surprisingly, there's a backer board there; who knew!) with epoxy putty. Set up in 45 minutes. I ran speaker wire into the notch in the base and reatched the carpet to the hull. Then, I slid the pod over the screws, tightened the nuts with lock washers, and ran the wire through it. I next packed it loosely with polyfill.

[east tx skier]

All that was left was to hook up the speaker. Sounds so much better. No need to blow the observer out of the seat just to hear the driver's speaker anymore.

Hope this helps someone with a similar desire to relocate this speaker. Overall, the project was easy. I have never played with building forms, resin, or glass mat before. It was surprisingly easy, albeit time consuming. Thanks again to Clay for the original idea as it applies to this era of Nautique.