Installing a Marine Stereo
A lot of boats these days come with a stereo installed, but many still don't.
by Steve Noury
July 1, 2005
A lot of boats these days come with a stereo installed, but many still don't. That doesn't mean
that if your boat is lacking a factory-installed stereo system, you can't enjoy your favorite tunes
on the water. Installing a basic stereo is fairly simple. There are a number of marine systems
available on the market, but be sure you select a true 'waterproof' marine model.
STEP 1
For the purposes of this article, a Poly-Planar MRD 60 AM/FM CD receiver and two 5 1/4-inch,
two-way speakers (www.polyplanar.com) are used. Select a good location for mounting the stereo
receiver. This will depend on the type of boat in which you're performing the installation.
Find a relatively dry spot for mounting. In this case, the type of boat is an open 17-foot
center console. The most logical spot for this installation is on top of the console, just above
the steering wheel, yet protected from spray by a small console windshield. Some stereos are
'bracket'-mounted, while others are 'flush'-mounted. This is the latter, so it requires cutting the
appropriate-size hole in the top of the console in order to install. This model, as most do, comes
with a template for measuring the exact-size hole that is needed. After tracing the correct size,
it's then cut out using a standard jigsaw.
STEP 2
The next step is the actual installation of the receiver. Insert the unit into the cut-out
hole, making sure that the silicone rubber gasket around the outer edge of the face plate is
properly seated and sealed to the mounting surface, and then mark the four screw holes for
drilling. Then drill and secure with the four (included) stainless-steel screws and locknuts. This
model also comes with a rear hanging support bracket that screws onto the rear of the unit and can
then be secured somewhere to the inside surface of the console behind the stereo. This will provide
extra support for the weight of the unit in rough seas. In a case where the mounting surface is not
flat enough to ensure a watertight seal, a small amount of silicone caulk should be used to prevent
water from leaking in behind the unit.
STEP 3
Next come the speakers. Locate the speakers in a place that'll optimize their sound, but
will minimize exposure to water. For this installation, the sides of the center console are the
best location.
Most speakers are either bracket-mounted or flush-mounted. The flush mount is chosen, which
requires the cutting of two round holes, one in each side of the console, for each speaker. A
template is supplied, so after tracing the holes, use the jigsaw to make the cuts. This is trickier
than cutting a square/rectangular hole, but keep in mind that the lip of the speaker cover will
overlap the hole slightly to hide any imperfections that might have occurred while cutting. Once
the holes are cut, insert the speakers, mark the four screw holes for drilling, then drill and use
the four (supplied) stainless-steel screws (and locknuts) to secure.
STEP 4
The last step is wiring and connecting the stereo to a power source. The unit has wires
protruding from the back. The connections are color-coded. The red wire is the 'hot wire' and will
need to connect to the positive terminal on the battery, either directly or indirectly. The black
wire is the ground wire, connected to the negative terminal. The yellow 'memory' wire should always
be connected directly to the battery, and a blue wire to connect an external amplifier if so
desired. The remaining wires are for connecting the speakers. Each speaker has two wires; one is
the ground wire (solid color), and the other is the hot wire (same solid color with a stripe).
There are four sets of two wires, for four speakers. Each set is a different solid color (purple,
brown, etc.). The connections on the back of each speaker clearly indicate which one is for the
ground wire and which one is for the hot wire.