Boat stereo install (pics of course)

[simpleman68]

Finally completed the stereo system install in the cabin.

I fabbed up some decorative wood trim for the amp and head unit mount out of an old piece of walnut I had laying around.

Equipment list:

Nakamichi CD 400 head unit
Zuki Eleets 4 channel SQ amp (vadered from the Vette)
Niles OS 7.5 outdoor speakers mounted topside (these sound incredible)
4 JBL 6.5" marine coax speakers
Onyx XM
4 gauge wire run along port side direct to battery with remote shut off switch
Rewired 12 gauge to all speakers

Started with this

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e28/simpleman68/Vette%20Stuff/20140807_111651_zpso71deepp.jpg

After a good sanding I used a router bit to get a simple ogee edge

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e28/simpleman68/Vette%20Stuff/20140807_131121_zpsjzsknrsi.jpg

Needed a matching faceplate for the head unit

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e28/simpleman68/Vette%20Stuff/20140808_155527_zpssvveiu1t.jpg

All purtied up

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e28/simpleman68/Vette%20Stuff/20140813_151148_zpshcqgxcu2.jpg

Installed in the cabin

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e28/simpleman68/Vette%20Stuff/20140814_125851_zpsaoqvknej.jpg

Just added the XM unit next to the amp and plugged into the aux input

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e28/simpleman68/Vette%20Stuff/20140816_162930_zps7hlsza4a.jpg

[OddBall]

Awesome! :cool1:

[Stangkiller]

Very clean!

[Fastguy]

You are nuts.:cert:

[Norm]

Nice work! I got some stuff for you to do at my "clubroom". :D

[Jeff '79]

Nice job Scott. :seasix:

Almost as nice as Gene's AC job in his camper....:D

How does it sound?
Will it take the beating that it's in for?

[simpleman68]

You are nuts.:cert:

You should see what we did to frankentrailer :funnier:

Replaced the winch and line, upgraded the safety chain and repositioned the boat about 8" forward.
Last thing to do there is raise the guide wheels up just a bit to take some pressure off the centerline.

Once the vinyl has been replaced topside, she should look insane.

We've had her at the lake almost every weekend having fun with her. Can't believe how fuel efficient it is versus how fast she gets on plane.

My brother and I dropped the girls at the dock and went out to see what she'd do. In a heavy chop we easily maintained 56 :dance:
Scott

[simpleman68]

Nice work! I got some stuff for you to do at my "clubroom". :D

Always happy to advise on audio installs. I've been doing it professionally and then as a hobby since '86. :cert:
Scott

[Jeff '79]

My brother and I dropped the girls at the dock and went out to see what she'd do. In a heavy chop we easily maintained 56 :dance:
Scott

Damn! that's zippin for a heavy chop. That'll rattle your teeth for sure.:drivingskid:

[simpleman68]

How does it sound?
Will it take the beating that it's in for?

Sound is outstanding because of the Niles speakers. Hard to beat a purpose built audiophile grade all weather speaker for a boat.

The problem is most boat speakers, other than pre-fabbed tower cubes (think wakeboard boat) are just cheapy coax speakers slapped onto the side of a piece of the boat trim that isn't even a sealed enclosure. You'd be lucky to hit 150hZ with a 6" driver.

The head unit has a 24 bit D/A converter (only single dac but still nice) and very well laid out circuitry.

The amp is an old sound quality amp that is a custom build by an unknown guy in Nevada that wound up impressing the hell out of Dr. Fosgate.
The amp is rated at 5W/channel but on the bench puts out closer to 175 at D/C power just under 13 V.
Scott

[simpleman68]

Damn! that's zippin for a heavy chop. That'll rattle your teeth for sure.:drivingskid:

Nope, very smooth actually. Once you get up to speed, you pretty much dance across the top of the chop.
Scott

[Fastguy]

You should see what we did to frankentrailer :funnier:

Replaced the winch and line, upgraded the safety chain and repositioned the boat about 8" forward.
Last thing to do there is raise the guide wheels up just a bit to take some pressure off the centerline.

Once the vinyl has been replaced topside, she should look insane.

We've had her at the lake almost every weekend having fun with her. Can't believe how fuel efficient it is versus how fast she gets on plane.

My brother and I dropped the girls at the dock and went out to see what she'd do. In a heavy chop we easily maintained 56 :dance:
Scott

That trailer was more of a "get it from point A to point B and store it" versus an every day over the road trailer. No one believed me when I told them how fast the boat was. It specs at 62mph on glassy water with the canvas down, which is stupid fast for a cabin cruiser. I think mid 50's was the fastest I had it going on the ocean in heavy chop, just keep an eye on the tach. I forget what the redline is, I think it is in the owner's manual and stamped into the air cleaner.

[simpleman68]

That trailer was more of a "get it from point A to point B and store it" versus an every day over the road trailer. No one believed me when I told them how fast the boat was. It specs at 62mph on glassy water with the canvas down, which is stupid fast for a cabin cruiser. I think mid 50's was the fastest I had it going on the ocean in heavy chop, just keep an eye on the tach. I forget what the redline is, I think it is in the owner's manual and stamped into the air cleaner.

For a couple bucks and turning a few wrenches, that old trailer is much better for now although we finally got a slip at a nice marina at the slow end of the lake.
Trailer is parked at Mom's house by the lake.
Looking into new Load Rite with disc brakes for the Winter FL trips.

Rev limit is 5k for the Merc Mag but I don't keep it there for long. Most of the time we're just knocking around the lake at 3k which puts us at a nice cruise of ~30.
Scott

[War Eagle ZO6]

Awesome!
:yesnod::yesnod:

[jaxgator]

Beautiful install Scott.

Looks like it was done that way from the factory.

[syf350]

wheres pics of the rest of the boat?

[CertInsaneC5]

Where's the babe pics?

[simpleman68]

wheres pics of the rest of the boat?

Just after picking her up from the Fastguy compound. Nice little Chaparral 235 SSi with Merc 350 Mag and Bravo III.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e28/simpleman68/Vette%20Stuff/20140613_121108_zpsfmtgvfpt.jpg

Got her home and did a serious hull/deck scrub.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e28/simpleman68/Vette%20Stuff/20140702_174045_zpszpv2gn0x.jpg

Out with Mom, Step Dad and a first mate in training.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e28/simpleman68/Vette%20Stuff/20140712_170201_zpshkjyekp3.jpg

Only babe shot I have is with the old rental skiff in Naples from last year.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e28/simpleman68/Vette%20Stuff/20140202_135917_zpshsc4b1qn.jpg

[island14]

Very clean install Scott.. :seasix:

From your detailing in the other threads about this boat, I can tell that you really like things just perfect.

:cert:

[DJ_Critterus]

Very nice. Are you running sound out on deck too?

[simpleman68]

Very nice. Are you running sound out on deck too?

:yesnod: On deck is the primary listening area. Only a couple decent options in the way of speakers that will sound good on a boat.

I didn't want to mount the wakeboard tower speakers. They sound like azz anyway and have miserable acoustic specs.

I could try to install an enclosure within the speaker hole. Almost impossible to get fitment of any box in that small space much less something that is at least .6 cubic feet +.

I found 2 outdoor speakers from Niles that JUST fit into the upper pockets on the inside side rails of the deck. They can get bombed with water and still play with incredible sound. The 7" mid bass driver will hit 60 hZ +/- 3 dB. :eek:

Stuffed 2 of these in there that point directly at the listeners ear and bridged the amp for extra power although it's not greatly needed. These drivers are rated at 91 dB sensitivity although they are an 8 ohm speaker.
Scott

http://www.soundandvision.com/images/712outdoor.niles1.jpg

[DJ_Critterus]

very nice :thumbs: