Planning to put speakers in the cockpit of my '81 H31. Any suggestions on where to put them (on the boat) and wiring advice?
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EXTERNAL SPAEKERS
Put each speaker on the back rail. wires ran from radio by the water tank through the battery section into the stbd area by the fuel tank then into the rear section up through a hole by the gate to the swim platform no holes. speakers are on wooden blocks clamped to the rear rail. very clean job.
Put each speaker on the back rail. wires ran from radio by the water tank through the battery section into the stbd area by the fuel tank then into the rear section up through a hole by the gate to the swim platform no holes. speakers are on wooden blocks clamped to the rear rail. very clean job.
thinking flush, but looking for suggestions.
the surface mount ones (w/o holes) are too expensive for the current budget.
the surface mount ones (w/o holes) are too expensive for the current budget.
Try Stern Locker Bulkhead
You can see a picture of mine in the Photo Forum. Article Title: Single Handing an H31. Picture Title: A Picture of Me Single-Handing Look behind the binnacle.
You can see a picture of mine in the Photo Forum. Article Title: Single Handing an H31. Picture Title: A Picture of Me Single-Handing Look behind the binnacle.
Go Flush
I have just fitted a pair of flush speakers to a H31 1986 in the stern storage compartment facing forward. They were only cheap (sorry .. inexpensive) speakers but sound good enough for us. Our radio is close to the switch box so we ran the wires though the quarter berth and tucked them up under the fiberglass lip. I used some self adhesive cable clips that I purchased them specifically for the job. I had to buy a whole load. If you want a handful to do the job let me know and you can pick them up from me at Horn Point Harbor Eastport. Email me at AVMH@erols.com
I have just fitted a pair of flush speakers to a H31 1986 in the stern storage compartment facing forward. They were only cheap (sorry .. inexpensive) speakers but sound good enough for us. Our radio is close to the switch box so we ran the wires though the quarter berth and tucked them up under the fiberglass lip. I used some self adhesive cable clips that I purchased them specifically for the job. I had to buy a whole load. If you want a handful to do the job let me know and you can pick them up from me at Horn Point Harbor Eastport. Email me at AVMH@erols.com
Speakers aft! Why didn't I think of this?
My friend Harry of the s/v Ainigma thought of this: "Why not hang a waterproof speaker from the underside of the cat-seats aft?" He did it. I copied him! I bought a couple of the Bose "Environmental" speakers removed the teak strips(keep them in order, or you'll be sorry!),and bolted them through the plastic under the teak, reapplied the teak and ran the wires down thru the stern pulpit(push-pit for sailing purists and Englishmen) tubes and through the deck where they attach to it. I sealed everything with silicone to keep things dry. From there you just wire 'em up to your stereo. Be sure to use large diameter wire to reduce power loss over the run. They work great and sound nice even when the cockpit enclosure is up. The sound comes right through! Good Luck! Ron
My friend Harry of the s/v Ainigma thought of this: "Why not hang a waterproof speaker from the underside of the cat-seats aft?" He did it. I copied him! I bought a couple of the Bose "Environmental" speakers removed the teak strips(keep them in order, or you'll be sorry!),and bolted them through the plastic under the teak, reapplied the teak and ran the wires down thru the stern pulpit(push-pit for sailing purists and Englishmen) tubes and through the deck where they attach to it. I sealed everything with silicone to keep things dry. From there you just wire 'em up to your stereo. Be sure to use large diameter wire to reduce power loss over the run. They work great and sound nice even when the cockpit enclosure is up. The sound comes right through! Good Luck! Ron
Ron....help on your response
Ron...I have an 87 31' and wondering what you mean when you refer to "underside of the cat-seats aft". I would like to install speakers in the cockpit of ours but haven't decided on the location yet. Like your explanation but not sure what you are referring to. ...Larry...
Ron...I have an 87 31' and wondering what you mean when you refer to "underside of the cat-seats aft". I would like to install speakers in the cockpit of ours but haven't decided on the location yet. Like your explanation but not sure what you are referring to. ...Larry...
Don, here is my suggestion...
Buy some nice moisture-resistant box speakers with metal bracket mounts and get a pair of those nice white rail clamps (which are movable and removable at any time by using a single knob - made by SeaFit, I think, and available from WM). Drill mounting holes in your metal speaker brackets to match the holes in the clamp's plate, and mount them to the speaker brackets with steel bolts and aircraft nuts. Get two Perko watertight deck connections and mount them in the stern area above the cockpit near to where your speakers will go. Wire the female receptacle of each connector with #14-16 double wire to your stereo/CD speaker leads. Now wire a length of double wire to the male plug of each connector, and attach the other end to each speaker using "liquid electrical tape" over the speaker terminals. (Be shure to match the +/- polarity by wire color). Now the speakers can be simply unplugged during wet weather, washdowm, and for theft protection at any time, and if you leave enough slack in the speaker wire, they can be moved anywhere on the rails vertically or horizontally to suit. (If you mount similar receptacles in the interior, they can also be moved inside at any time without the need to buy additional speakers!) I think this was harder to explain than actually do...
Buy some nice moisture-resistant box speakers with metal bracket mounts and get a pair of those nice white rail clamps (which are movable and removable at any time by using a single knob - made by SeaFit, I think, and available from WM). Drill mounting holes in your metal speaker brackets to match the holes in the clamp's plate, and mount them to the speaker brackets with steel bolts and aircraft nuts. Get two Perko watertight deck connections and mount them in the stern area above the cockpit near to where your speakers will go. Wire the female receptacle of each connector with #14-16 double wire to your stereo/CD speaker leads. Now wire a length of double wire to the male plug of each connector, and attach the other end to each speaker using "liquid electrical tape" over the speaker terminals. (Be shure to match the +/- polarity by wire color). Now the speakers can be simply unplugged during wet weather, washdowm, and for theft protection at any time, and if you leave enough slack in the speaker wire, they can be moved anywhere on the rails vertically or horizontally to suit. (If you mount similar receptacles in the interior, they can also be moved inside at any time without the need to buy additional speakers!) I think this was harder to explain than actually do...
Larry, I think he's referring to the 310
Truthfully, I had the same question but was embarrassed to post it. "Cat Seats" must be another name for the stern rail seats on the newer boats. Us old timers don't have such luxuries.
Truthfully, I had the same question but was embarrassed to post it. "Cat Seats" must be another name for the stern rail seats on the newer boats. Us old timers don't have such luxuries.
Cat seat speaker location
Larry, many Hunters from the early Legend series to the present, have seats both port ans starboar, in the stern pulpit(pushpit) way out over the transom. There is a nice flat spot just underneath them that works just grand for a place to hang those speakers. Ron
Larry, many Hunters from the early Legend series to the present, have seats both port ans starboar, in the stern pulpit(pushpit) way out over the transom. There is a nice flat spot just underneath them that works just grand for a place to hang those speakers. Ron
On our H31...
Our speakers (hubby's the sailor here, I don't know all of the correct terms) are "flush" mounted. They're 6x9 waterproof -- Mounted in the lockers (starboard and port) at the back of the boat facing forward. I would personally not like hanging them on the rail, as they may get "in the way" of hubby dragging me back on board.
Our speakers (hubby's the sailor here, I don't know all of the correct terms) are "flush" mounted. They're 6x9 waterproof -- Mounted in the lockers (starboard and port) at the back of the boat facing forward. I would personally not like hanging them on the rail, as they may get "in the way" of hubby dragging me back on board.
Aft locker through hull mounted
I just put mine through hull in the aft locker pointed forward. I was inspired by the Jay Hill photo's. I love it. They are waterproof of course. It was hair-raising using the jigsaw to cut the holes, but they come with good templates, and the covers do a great job of covering any mistakes. The wires go through the aft locker, through the starboard after quarter locker and I mounted the stereo in the panel in the kitchen above the kitchenware built in lockers. The only holes I had to drill were for the speakers and the stereo. All the wires are tucked away in the quarter locker.
I just put mine through hull in the aft locker pointed forward. I was inspired by the Jay Hill photo's. I love it. They are waterproof of course. It was hair-raising using the jigsaw to cut the holes, but they come with good templates, and the covers do a great job of covering any mistakes. The wires go through the aft locker, through the starboard after quarter locker and I mounted the stereo in the panel in the kitchen above the kitchenware built in lockers. The only holes I had to drill were for the speakers and the stereo. All the wires are tucked away in the quarter locker.
Work in progress.
I am now in the process of mounting Sony waterproof flush mount speakers in the cockpit coaming on either side. My thought in so doing was that by getting them higher in the cockpit, as opposed to mounting through the lower aft lockers, that the sound quality would be better. I only have the starboard side speaker installed so far. I almost misjudged the the fore/aft position and would have had problems with the aft galley bulkhead had it been a half inch further forward. The coaming on the port side should be wide open (above the aft berth). I will probably bring the wiring through the aft cockpit lockers and forward through the channel along the hull/deck joint thence to the stereo near the nav station. Ken. Deale, MD
I am now in the process of mounting Sony waterproof flush mount speakers in the cockpit coaming on either side. My thought in so doing was that by getting them higher in the cockpit, as opposed to mounting through the lower aft lockers, that the sound quality would be better. I only have the starboard side speaker installed so far. I almost misjudged the the fore/aft position and would have had problems with the aft galley bulkhead had it been a half inch further forward. The coaming on the port side should be wide open (above the aft berth). I will probably bring the wiring through the aft cockpit lockers and forward through the channel along the hull/deck joint thence to the stereo near the nav station. Ken. Deale, MD
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