Stereo Install Write Up--Anyone Have One?

[Jeff T]

I'm looking at purchasing tower speakers, sub, and two amps. To save money, I'm considering doing the install myself. Does anyone have any experience running the wiring for an install like this? Is it a difficult task that should be completed by a professional?

Boat is an 05 22v.

[Tequilasun]

Re: Stereo Install Write Up--Anyone Have One?

Originally posted by Jeff T
I'm looking at purchasing tower speakers, sub, and two amps. To save money, I'm considering doing the install myself. Does anyone have any experience running the wiring for an install like this? Is it a difficult task that should be completed by a professional?

Boat is an 05 22v.

I don't know of a write up, almost all the installs are custom enough that it wouldn't help much.

The most difficult part is pulling wire through the tower, but that's not too bad if you have a shop vac and some string.

Other than that, ask away, we're here to help.

[mtnsmith]

Jeff, I installed tower speakers and an amp myself. What tower do you have though? I have a 05 22v with the factory tower. I just want to make sure I am telling you the right things for the right tower.

As Tequila said, a shop vac to pull string, in my case dental floss through the tubes worked best. We folded the tower down and sucked the dental floss from the hinge point back to the foot and then from the hinge point up to the holes drilled in the top of the tower. Make sure to tape over any other holes in the tubing to help get the string through. I used a small dental pick like tool to get the string and wire through the holes in the top of the tower once it got there.

Wiring for the amp is pretty straight forward but I did remove my built in cooler to help get the amp power wires and the speaker wires up into one of the built in cradles that was up behind the observers seat. I wired my speakers in parallel so it would be easier to pull through just one wire instead of two. If you have the factory tower there is a hole in the rear port mount of the tower already and you just have to unbolt it from the boat and drill the hole through the gunnel. I know some other towers have a similar set-up.

Hope this helps, let me know if you would like more detail or pictures of anything. Since I am a lucky one in Florida my boat will be used year round and it is no trouble to get some shots posted.

[Jeff T]

I will most likely ask you for pictures, but no need right this minute. I'm still a ways out and just trying to plan costs. I want to make sure that it is doable for a non professional with some experience in car audio to do and install.

I was going to install a sub in the driver's cockpit. How do you run wires from one side of the boat to the amp, which will be under the glove box area. Also, what is the route to run the power wire from the battery to the amp?

[spharis]

What RMS are you looking at in your subwoofer? That will make it 'better' to run the wire differently, as far as length. Power wire to the amp from the battery is just two short runs of properly fused and sized cable....one to power, one to ground.

[Jeff T]

Gotcha. But where do you route the wire...physically speaking. Under floor? In seating compartments?

[mtnsmith]

Along the port side of the boat up behind the seat backs there are small round glassed-in holders that keep wires up under the gunnels verses laying on the floor. Like I said one of the holders you have to get to by removing the cooler insert. For the wires to go to the sub, the easiest way is up and around the bow. Yes running shorter wires can be better, but the easiest is up and around.

[Jeff T]

Thanks a ton!

[Jeff T]

Originally posted by mtnsmith
If you have the factory tower there is a hole in the rear port mount of the tower already and you just have to unbolt it from the boat and drill the hole through the gunnel. I know some other towers have a similar set-up.

Could you help me understand this a little better. Where exactly is the hole in the rear port mount? Is it on the underside of the mount...meaning when you unbolt the tower from the boat, you can access the inside of the tube or tower from the bottom side of the mount?

Also, I have a stupid question (keep in mind that I'm a newbie ). What is the gunnel? Do you mean that I would unbolt the tower from the boat and drill down through the topside of the boat where the mount meets the boat?

Thanks for the help.

[mtnsmith]

Correct on everything you just said. The gunnel was originally called the gun wall, for obvious reasons. Just a little trivia.

When you go to unbolt the foot of the tower I suggest having a towel or rag handy to set back under it as it usually does not rest exactly on the top of the deck. If you look at the area on the fiberglass where the foot sits you should be able to see where the hole will be. On my boat there way an obvious circle from the foot where I would be drilling. When you drill through make sure to use some masking tape and run the drill in reverse until you have made a good scoring in the gelcoat, this will prevent cracking in the gelcoat from the drilling.

[Jeff T]

What kind of bit did (size / type) you use to drill? Also, do you mean that I literally drill through the masking tape (I.e. I cover the area that will become the hole with tape, then drill)? When you were running the drill in reverse, does it matter what speed (meaning, do you want to go ultra slow, or just moderately slow)?

If you don't mind, tell more more details about exactly how you approached the drilling process. This will be the most nerve racking part for me I think. Again, thanks for the wisdom.

Another Question: When you reattach the tower, what tension do you need to torque the bolts to w/o stripping or cracking the fiberglass?

[mtnsmith]

Not sure on the torque, did it till it felt right. I have done a fair amount of fabrication with fiberglass. Yes cover up the area with the masking tape and drill right through it with the bit in reverse. I have a dewalt with three speeds and it was the middle speed. Fast enough to cut but not too fast to risk chipping. Once the gelcoat is scored all the way around, you can put the drill back in forward and drill through the fiberglass and the aluminum backing plate. I just used a regular bit but made sure it was nice and sharp. When you go to drill in to the tower make sure to use a punch to dimple the tower tubes first so that the drill bit does not walk around as you are drilling.