Stereo speakers for forward deck?

31seahorse · Jun 11, 2012

Speaker location is less important than choice of music while sailing. If you choose something soothing like Brahms' Lullaby you might wake up aground in Canada!

tsheie · Jun 11, 2012

Hmmm...just an idea-- West Marine and many other vendors sell waterproof/durable speakers, that part's not hard--what if you installed them into the back/aft wall of the anchor locker (I don't know what kind of boat you have) on the common wall with the V-berth? One or both could be in the anchor locker facing the bow, and you could pop open the locker a bit and get some sound..

Gwilliston · Jun 11, 2012

Go wireless!

Vegas said:
I love to set the autopilot and sit on the forward deck....as do many of my guests. The cockpit speakers can't be heard up there, and I sail with my ports closed so the interior speakers don't help either. Has anyone installed stereo speakers up front near the mast or bow pulpit area? If not, any ideas on what type of speakers to use, where to install them, etc.?

Buy a wireless and when you need it, strap it to the base of the mast or the pulpit.

LuzSD · Jun 11, 2012

I agree with GWilliston, we have an Altec Lansing that comes in a zipper case, a strap that could secure it to something up by the mast and it is inexpensive... $25 and less.
It uses 3 AAA batteries and last 24 hours with excellent sound. It is capable of being very loud without any distortion that I noticed. It compares in sound quality to my Bose DS, it is that good.

I don't want to presume that you are not thoughtful but it sure seems that more and more people are infringing on those around them with their music by installing speakers that face out rather than low in the cockpit where it can be turned up without sharing it with everyone around you. Installing speakers as you described would be met with a cringe from us if you were our dockmates. I know you are describing listening to the music when sailing,but I can imagine it extending to time at the dock. Last comment is that over the past few years we have turned OFF our music while sailing and found it to be one if the best sounds of all.
My couple cents...

Benny17441 · Jun 11, 2012

Other than charter tour boats I have not seen any permanent speaker installations on private boats. I guess is possible but a small portable speaker that could be easily let out of a hatch and hooked to a MP3 player would do just as well. Now if the purpose is to share your music with other boats then you may consider a high output amp and mast mounted speakers.

shemandr · Jun 11, 2012

I'll go with the sound of the water rushing by - that's music to me!

Dalliance · Jun 11, 2012

Strapping a wireless to the base of the mast or pulpit rail makes sense to me if you must have music on the bow. Anything permanently mounted up there is going to cause problems. Recessed speakers will let water in sooner or later and surface mounted speakers could snag genoa sheets when you tack.
Remember to turn down the volume when coming back into the harbor or you could be mistaken for a power boater!

ITMaster · Jun 12, 2012

Look into a set of Bose speakers, with the right horsepower (watts) they can be heard pretty clearly, even on another boat if you wanna crank em till you feel em. I've got mine at the stern and can hear them pretty good up front while under way.

higgs · Jun 12, 2012

How about some flush mount speakers installed in the cabin top?

higgs · Jun 12, 2012

Where is Shores, MI?

philwsailz · Jun 13, 2012

If you can get to the inside of the exterior 'glass skin, consider a set of tactile transducers. It will be better if you can find a section of 'glass that is not cored... In boats I have been around look to the front of the coach/cabin roof where it angles down to meet the deck. Simply attach the tactile transduceres directly to the interior surface of the un-cored section and connet them straight to your radio or external amplifier. An example of the taactile transducer I am suggesting can be found here.

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=297-221

This is a very unconventional solution but will usually provide quite satisfactory results, without the need to cut a hole and seal a more traditional loudspeaker.

If you can find a decent area of un-cored fiberglass near the area you are looking for tunes, consider this novel approach.

Merlin Clark · Jun 13, 2012

I'm going to try a set of those in my cockpit. Thanks Phil!

mark_swart · Jun 18, 2012

In my old H34, an owner had installed a speaker in the head right under the sink. Weird, but when we were up on the bow we could actually hear it. I decided to leave it after a few sails.
Love the wireless idea!