Stereo/CD mounting ideas

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Feb 12, 2009
48
Catalina 27 tall rig Tyler, TX
I'm looking to mount a sound system in my 84 Catalina 27. Does anyone care to show off their systems? I'm kinda stuck as to where to mount everything.
Cheers
 
Feb 26, 2004
23,081
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
So many people mount the speakers on the bulkhread

that's it's almost figured "The way to go." I disagree, because of "stereo." Down below you're either sitting on one side or the other, so the speaker closest to you will override the further speaker. We put ours on the port side shelf, one speaker forward, the other aft and get great stereo when we're in the dinette settee. Save holes in the bulkhead, too.
 
Feb 12, 2009
48
Catalina 27 tall rig Tyler, TX
Re: So many people mount the speakers on the bulkhread

Thanks Stu.I have noticed several guys have mounted all-weather speakers on the railing on either side of the tiller. It seems to me the music would be in your ears while at the tiller. I'm leaning towards mounting two speakers inside the cabin, but I'm not sure where the best place for mounting the receiver. Does everyone use some kind of aftermarket bracket or harness?
 
Feb 26, 2004
23,081
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
OK, now, inside or outside?

I was discussing inside, which is where most people start. Our C25 only had inside speakers, so we had to crank them up and turn them down when we went below. Never did put in cockpit speakers.

Cockpit? Drill holes in your vertical fiberglass under the helmsman's seat or mount speakers externally.

Equipment? Automotive has been "deemed" suitable from almost everyone on this Message Board. There was a topic just this week about it. Switch your new posts to 5 days and look around, or do a search on the word stereo and read the last five years of good stuff. Equipment also includes remote controls. Depends on how adept your crew is at sail handling and volume, level, equalization and faders at the same time.:):)

Location for receiver: I have NO idea what your layout is. I'm fortunate that I know a bit about a C27 -- do you have the traditional of dinette layout? Where do you sit? How far is your wiring? What do you like to keep on your shelves? You could mount it over your hanging locker across from the head, but you may have stuff there. If a dinette, would you like it close to your seats, or if you buy a remote, across the saloon could be just fine. Joe, you gotta personalize this to your satisfaction.

Funny things about boats -- would you ask someone where to put the stereo in your house? Just askin'...:D
 
Apr 30, 2008
16
Catalina 27 (Standard Rig; O/B; Dinette Int.) Santa Barbara Harbor
>>Funny things about boats -- would you ask someone where to put the stereo in your house?

If only the C27 had so many options! I think Joe's question has more to do with the tighter space onboard the 27.

Mine is mounted flush into a wood face, inserted into one half of the slide track for the shelf, above the dinette. I still can use a bit more than half the shelf, and the stereo and wiring are neatly tucked away but easily accessed. Speakers are on brackets, mounted to the bulkheads.
 
Feb 12, 2009
48
Catalina 27 tall rig Tyler, TX
I just got this boat, so I'm still a complete noob at all of this. These were taken before I cleaned up the boat. The VHF will get replaced and stay in its current position. I was thinking about mounting the stereo around the galley area, but perhaps the dinette cabnet would be better....
 
Jan 22, 2008
57
Catalina C-27 Providence, RI
My sterio is mounted neatly in the engine compartment bulkhead. The speakers are external with brackets and mounted in the cabin.
 

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Feb 12, 2009
48
Catalina 27 tall rig Tyler, TX
Bill, thanks for the picture! That seems like a perfect place for my deck, and its close to everything as well. It looks like the sink is shallow enough to allow an install without too much trouble. I'll check it out this weekend, but that looks like an ideal install.
 
Jan 22, 2008
57
Catalina C-27 Providence, RI
Joe,
I'm glad it helped. I know that on my boat the sterio has plenty of room behind the bulkhead to work on things. It's also a central location for running the speaker wires. I'm going to install two outdoor speakers in the cockpit and two indoor in the cabin. I have a seperate volume control for the cockpit. I'm not sure how it'll sound, but that's the plan.
 
Jan 22, 2008
57
Catalina C-27 Providence, RI
"Now for something completely different"

Now that we've decided where to install the sound system, let's take a peak at some of the other upgrades that I've been working on over the winter. The admiral and I are planning on spending most of our time cruising so making modifications to the cabin are important.

The first thing I made was a storage and navigation unit for behind the table. I've also made some cabinets, draw units, remodeled the galley and refinished all of the teak. I'm currently working on a new set of teak companionway doors.

Once the weather breaks I can finally attack the deck and hull to get her ready for splash day in mid May.

http://baysailorbill.spaces.live.com/
 

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Jun 9, 2004
615
Catalina 385 Marquette. Mi
Stereo

Well, as a musician I went a little overboard in my 270.
There are a couple of 6X9 Polyplanor box speakers down below
powered by the deck amplifier. Below the nav station (pic) is a
power amp mounted on the cabin wall which pwrs a 10" sub
which is flush mounted below a setee.

The cockpit only needs a couple of SMALL box speakers which
will fit in the oval cockpit storage area.
This system sounds amazing, and not all that bad on battery
draw.
Good luck!
 

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Last edited:
Apr 6, 2007
120
Hunter Legend 37.5 Isla Saboga, Panama
I'm jumping in here a little late, but here's where I put my stereo. It's also a DVD player, and I mounted a small flat panel TV over the port settee. There are speakers on each side of the TV, and 2 small surface mount speakers mounted on the stern coaming under the pulpit rails.
 

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