stereo systems,.... older boats,....

[key]

lets see them!!! ive got a 79' and want to put a stereo and all in it and want to keep it clean(neat),....

[east tx skier]

How old are we talking?

[EarmarkMarine]

key,
For reference you can go to our site and look at our marine installation photo gallery. There is a section called 'Nautique Resurrection' that profiles an older model that had no factory provisions for a stereo. Keep in mind that this project was done a decade ago so the equipment certainly has changed.
Today, many go with a hideaway source unit, EQ only or volume controlled line driver rather than the conventional source unit because of the dominance of ipod.

David
Earmark Marine

[east tx skier]

I think the trick to the older boats, particularly the closed bows, is to, where practical, maintain the classic look while dealing with the limited space for amps and subs. Were I doing things from scratch today, I might opt for a larger sub. But having tweaked my system to get ready for the season last night, I do not find myself at all compelled to replace anything in my setup. This is not a fish killing stereo, but it does sound pretty good for what I'm using it for.

Head Unit is a JVC automotive type with a CD player that reads MP3 and also has a hardwired iPod cable. I had one of these in my last boat (sans ipod connection) and, for the $130 that they run, would buy another. It's under the stock radio cover and I have had no problem with it in a boat environment.

I'm running Polk DB6501 component speakers in the rear. The previous owner had installed components and I couldn't really uncut the tweeter hole in the combing pad. I top mounted the speakers in the factory location and mounted the tweeters in the previously cut hole.

I'm running Polk DB651s in the front. The one on the port side is top mounted in the factory location. I got tired of having to blast the stereo to hear the driver's speaker mounted on the kick panel. So I built a speaker pod that I mounted to the hull just underneath the throttle. This has made a significant improvement in the the balance of the cabin speakers from the driver's standpoint.

The sub has gone through a few transitions. The boat came with a 6.5" bazooka tube. After one season, I replaced it with an 8" sub in a sealed enclosure which I mounted firing to port on the hump in the closed bow. The following season, when I consolodated my amps into a single 5 channel, I upgraded the sub to a Polk MM840 in a sealed enclosure and reoriented it so that it fired to the nearby starboard side of the hull under the bow. The area above the kick panel offers enough ventilation so that the sub, despite its size, really fills out the low end of the spectrum well with minimal power from the amp.

As for the amp, I consolidated two amps into a single Infinity 5 channel Reference Amp, which puts 200 watts to the four cabin speakers and 150 watts to the sub. The amp is mounted to a board that is mounted to the back of the sub. I tried it mounted to a board on the port side of the hull under the bow, but it is less in the way because of the elongaged, elevated hump on the starboard side of the bow. While 150 watts doesn't sound like much to drive a sub, the little MM840 really thumps without requiring much gain from the amp. In fact, none of my gain settings are over 50% (amp gains set up with HU running at 75% volume).

I don't have any pictures of the amp and sub mounting, but here's a shot of the top mounted speaker, the HU, and the driver's speaker pod. I had an extra polk grill that I put over the old speaker hole in the kick panel.

[bhectus]

Looks great! What did you use to affix your front starboard speaker pod to the hull with? I'm having similar issue with my '96, can't hear the speaker in the driver kick panel much at all. What a stupid place for a factory mount!

[east tx skier]

I cut a 1/2" piece of plywood in the same shape as the base of the pod with a notch in it to allow me to run the speaker wire into the pod. I used epoxy putty to mount three bolts to the base. Then, I secured the base to the hull under the carpet with epoxy and cut slits in the carpet to allow the bolts to come through. 3 holes in the base of the pod and I just bolted it on. It's somewhat permanent, but I'm sure I could get the base off if I absolutely had to.