Radio Cd player for the boat

[saurav16]

I was wondering, your opinions on, whether you can use an old car stereo for the the boat? If not, and you have to use a marine certified radio/cd player any recommendations on the unit and speakers (not too expensive). Thanks!

[sailingdog]

Unless the radio is in a position where it may be exposed to spray, an old car radio should work just fine.

[saurav16]

so power wise both should be the same right (marine cd player vs car cd player)?

[Maine Sail]

Yes, you can use car stereos I've been doing so for about 20 years with no failures. You'll get a lot more for your money with a car stereo than a dedicated "boat" stereo. Buy one rated "high power" (22X4 etc.) and it will be plenty for the boat..

[sailingdog]

Saurav-

The only reason I went with a marinized stereo for my boat was the mounting location by the companionway tends to get wet if the companionway is open and it is raining or we're sailing in the nasty stuff... My boat is a relatively small boat, and small boats tend to be fairly wet critters.

Get one that has some decent wattage, and you shouldn't even need an amplifier. You'll definitely want marinized speakers for the cockpit.

If you're installing speakers in the cockpit and they're not box mounts, you may want to install them behind deck plates that can be closed off in the case of heavy weather. I didn't do this on my boat, since the cockpit speakers open into a locker that drains overboard, not into the bilge. So, even if the cockpit speakers get punched out by a wave, they're not going to be a downflooding risk. Also, on a monohull, the risk of sinking due to speakers being punched out by a pooping wave is much higher than it is on a multihull.

[wchevron]

a couple of questions:

1.do you need to add an antenna up the mast to get fm reception.
2. any recommendations on speakers. something inexpensive but decent sound
3. any recommendations on stereo. i'm thinking of getting one with the aux. plug in the front for the ipod.
4. where in the cockpit should the speakers be mounted & how many. sd, i noticed in another post you had 2 on the starboard side mounted high where your back would rest. does that position give you good sound when under sail. i was thinking the same height but located towards the stern with the sound aimed towards the bow.

[xort]

west marine has a special sale on a radio with full ipod connector on the front. I think it was $99

[wchevron]

i saw that today. i didn't know for that price if it was any good or not.

[sailingdog]

Originally Posted by wchevron

a couple of questions:

1.do you need to add an antenna up the mast to get fm reception.

No

2. any recommendations on speakers. something inexpensive but decent sound

Where are you mounting them?? How much wattage are you pushing through them?? Without this information, it is hard to make a recommendation.

3. any recommendations on stereo. i'm thinking of getting one with the aux. plug in the front for the ipod.

IMHO, you don't want one with an Aux plug for an iPod. You want one that uses a dock-type connector, so that it can charge and control the iPod. Alpine makes a few good iPod compatible units. I have this ALPINE unit in my truck. This PIONEER UNIT is a good choice, and only about $130.

4. where in the cockpit should the speakers be mounted & how many. sd, i noticed in another post you had 2 on the starboard side mounted high where your back would rest. does that position give you good sound when under sail. i was thinking the same height but located towards the stern with the sound aimed towards the bow.

Look again, those are in the transom, facing forward, not on the starboard side. They work quite nicely, however, I almost never listen to the stereo under sail. I prefer to listen to the sounds of the wind and sea when sailing, since that gives me a lot of information about the sail trim without having to look. Also, listening to the stereo makes listening to the VHF tough.

[wchevron]

thanks sd,
as far as the speakers, how much wattage do i need. i'm assuming it depends on how much the stereo puts out? is there a minimum wattage stereo i should be looking for? the speakers will be mounted in the cockpit.