Boat stereos

[dhess]

Hey Guys,

Thinking about kitting out the boat with a stereo to play some tunes on the way out to offshore fishing grounds. We often travel between 60-90mins each way.

Was wondering if anyone could give me any guidance. have had a look around at local marine places and on ebay. Definitely want to have MP3 capability and being able to play MP3's off SD or CF cards would be nice. Looking at GME 9020 or 9040 but fairly $$$.

Does anyone have any exeriences good or bad with any of the brands available out there?

Also will 4 speakers run directly off a head unit have enough volume over an outboard or should I get a seperate amp?

Was also considering getting a non marine car stereo (much cheaper)and moutting it in a water resistant enclosure and just replacing it when it dies. Probaby a fair few years down the track. Does this approach work?

All input areciated.

DomB)

[bootyinblue]

Will also watch this thread with interest as would like to do something similar.

Maybe Ray has some laying around in that never ending shed of his?

[dhess]

Well Ray, do you have a few spare stereos or what?:laugh:

[Gazza]

Depends on the type of boat your going to mount it in for a half cab where you can hide it I'd suggest a strathfeild special with some out door waterproof speakers

I think the secret to saving bucks is mount your player where it wont get wet and get speakers that dont care if they do

Gaz

[faulked]

i have an ancient sony in my 15 foot runabout that has lasted one season so far i dont play tapes though just the radio but it cant go louder than my old outboard maybe if i had a brand new honda but even then i doubt it boats are naturally noisy when under way if the boat is big enough and quiet enough and you do have DUALL BATERIES then an amp will let you drown out the out board etc nicely the poly speakers seem to last but avoid paper cones as they last minutes with out dual batteries and using an amp you have a very reel probability of flat batery itus my 400w poweer amp flattens a truck battery in 35 mins if its run flat out but that will definately drown out outboards i just use little speakers now to have elevator music in the background nowadays im too old for thumping great sound systems that weigh more than my fuel tanks ihope that wasnt too much of a ramble:)

[dhess]

I like the cheap car stereo in a water proof housing idea. The boat is a runabout with a bimini top so keeping it dry won't be much of a problem.

Just need to find an MP3 stereo that takes CF or SD cards. Any ideas?

I have dual batteries but I think I will shy away from getting an amp. Will aim at positioning the speakers so they are close to me when I'm driving.

[Nastymind]

9020 and 9040 are only 2/300 $. They have SD and USB capabilities. Pretty nice units. Come in and see me at Anaconda Logan. We have them set up and ready for demo. We also have marine speakers available.

[Feral]

Whats wrong with a MP3 player and earpods?

[dhess]

Nothing at all. It would be nice for all of us onboard to be able to listen though.

Thanks Nastymind, might have to drop in and checkout the GME's.

Just had a really dodgie idea. How about if I bought a cheap inverter and plugged in my cheap but powerful logitec computer speakers and sub woofer hooked up to an MP3 player?

I could have the sub somewhere completely out of the way and have the satellites mounted on the grab rail at ear level.

[ellicat]

Feral wrote:

Whats wrong with a MP3 player and earpods?

That's what I was thinking. Maybe you could arrange a junction box for the plugs so you could run a few sets of plugs. Wouldn't be such a bother with drawing the boat's battery power either.

And you could all enjoy it without disturbing the peace for other boaters:whistle: . (Provided you weren't all singing out of tune:laugh: )

[faulked]

an ipod amp and speakers works well to