Installing Rear facing Speakers

You know the drill..

Moderators: Redneck_Randy, badmoonrising, lakerunner

Post Reply
Message
Author
cbl1
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Jun 14, 2018 1:55 pm

Installing Rear facing Speakers

#1 Post by cbl1 » Thu Nov 15, 2018 5:41 pm

I am thinking of installing 2 rear facing speakers facing rearward in my pontoon.

The rear of my pontoon has the aluminum fencing on both sides with the entrance in the center (an Avalon Catalina)

Both sides have accessible areas in boat behind the wall (seating on one side and entertaining bar on other side).

Has anyone had experience putting speakers into the aluminum. Any issues? Cutting? Holding Speakers? Vibration?

Thanks,
Chris

User avatar
steve1313
Posts: 679
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2017 6:33 am

Re: Installing Rear facing Speakers

#2 Post by steve1313 » Fri Nov 16, 2018 3:45 am

I assume you're talking about flush mount (not box) speakers similar to what you've most likely got in other areas on your boat.

I think you'll be fine, but the aluminum skin is pretty thin, so I'd use some type of backer behind it to give added support and rigidity. If I was doing it, I'd probably have a metal fab shop make about a 12" square piece of aluminum with the appropriate cutout for the speaker. I'd mount that on the backside of the fencing so that the fencing is "sandwiched" between the speaker and the backer. You could do the same thing with a piece of starboard or marine plywood.
Steve
"Serendipity" - 2017 Sweetwater 2286 WB Tritoon w/ 150HP Yamaha
Slipped at Lake Anna, Virginia
Primary Residence: Richmond, Virgina
Lake House: Lake Anna, Virginia

riplipper
Posts: 280
Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2018 8:00 am
Location: St Augustine, Florida

Re: Installing Rear facing Speakers

#3 Post by riplipper » Fri Nov 16, 2018 4:18 am

The backer idea is a good one, maybe even sandwich a thin rubber membrane between the backer and the skin for vibration dampening.
The other option, if you have any deck space to mount them is to get a couple of "poly planer" speakers and mount them to the deck facing backwards.
They are very weather proof, had them on my old boat off shore in salt water all the time and they were still working good when I sold the boat.
Just google poly planer and tons of options show up.
I am the guy at the boat ramp that gives you dirty looks when you are a complete idiot and too stupid to know it.

User avatar
guy48065
Posts: 554
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 4:32 am
Location: Atlanta, MI

Re: Installing Rear facing Speakers

#4 Post by guy48065 » Fri Nov 16, 2018 7:52 am

Some things aren't meant to be put in the rear...including speakers.

:rofl
Mark
1996 Sweetwater 180EX + Johnson 40
Rush Lake, Atlanta, MI

cbl1
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Jun 14, 2018 1:55 pm

Re: Installing Rear facing Speakers

#5 Post by cbl1 » Sun Nov 18, 2018 11:38 am

Thanks for the ideas guys. Yes flush mount them.

So I'm thinking the rubber/foam gasket material between speaker on outside and the aluminum. Then maybe I'm thinking same rubber foam material on inside and then a wood piece thats 3-4" larger then the opening to sandwich with on the inside. If I had to I could have the wood piece large enough to go all the way to the top inside aluminum railing - If I had to bold to that to shore it up.

Actually - I found this stuff I may put on the entire aluminum panel - sounds like it will stop any vibration and give the aluminum some extra support all the way across http://a.co/d/aVU4I7x

I purchased these 8" Infinity Speakers (as they are exact match to the 6" ones inside the pontoon).

https://www.infinityspeakers.com/infini ... nt#start=1

The reason putting on the rear is to get more sound out into lake when we are out floating (and would also be good for kids tubing). Right now you really have to turn up the speakers inside to hear music when in the water.

I'm going to install a dedicated amp for the 2 rear speakers https://www.crutchfield.com/p_049MA1440 ... 440-4.html
and one of these on the helm in order to independently turn them on/off/up/down vs. the inside speakers. https://www.roswellmarine.com/product/d ... e-control/

User avatar
Henpecked
Posts: 110
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2018 9:05 pm
Location: Ellis County, TX

Re: Installing Rear facing Speakers

#6 Post by Henpecked » Sun Nov 18, 2018 4:25 pm

Have you considered a blue tooth speaker? Can you link one up to your boat stereo or phone and let it float near you where you swim? That gives you control for the volume while you are in the water and it should disturb others less and use less battery power. You should be able to hear it underwater as well. The cost should be about the same and it's portable and easier. The only downsides are that water skiers won't have tunes and it can be stolen or lost easier.

User avatar
Marc K
Posts: 742
Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2018 4:35 am
Location: Eustace, TX

Re: Installing Rear facing Speakers

#7 Post by Marc K » Mon Nov 19, 2018 9:21 am

There are indeed some nice Bluetooth stand alone speakers out there, but it is important to me to be able too "fade" front to back.
When I am towing the kids/grandkids on the tube, I can crank up the rear facing a little, but mediate the onboard speakers - or the opposite.

We are not big on blasting the tunes wide open, but when are way out away from folks - you just gotta do it now and then!

Marc
Big and ugly but we love our 1999/2000 Crest II DL with a Yamaha F115

BobL
Posts: 589
Joined: Fri Jun 25, 2010 10:41 am
Location: Louisiana

Re: Installing Rear facing Speakers

#8 Post by BobL » Mon Nov 19, 2018 11:56 am

Do you have a ski/tow bar? If you want rear facing speakers that people can actually hear when you are towing the tube/wakeboarding, etc. then I would look into some dedicated speakers designed for that and mount them to your ski/tow bar. You can go the JL/Wetsound/Excile speaker route but the cost is pretty high (I had the JL's on my Mastercraft boat)...there are some other similar speakers that are more reasonable.


Here is an a pretty good article if you want to consider that route:

https://pontoonopedia.com/speakers-pont ... imini-top/
SOLD - 2009 20' Bentley w/4 Stroke 90hp Mercury
SOLD - 2011 SouthBay 522CR w/115 4 Stroke Mercury
2014 Xcursion 23RF XS package w/150 4 Stroke Mercury

cbl1
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Jun 14, 2018 1:55 pm

Re: Installing Rear facing Speakers

#9 Post by cbl1 » Tue Nov 20, 2018 5:14 pm

I did look at possibility of mounting speakers on the tow bar but decided the rear walls would look a lot cleaner. Speakers mounted on tow bar would probably be better than the wall mounts. I look forward to how it turns out … when spring comes.

Holly molly - - Wiskey Trip on that link - - I'd be surprised if skiers can even hear the engine over the music with all those speakers.

User avatar
guy48065
Posts: 554
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 4:32 am
Location: Atlanta, MI

Re: Installing Rear facing Speakers

#10 Post by guy48065 » Wed Nov 21, 2018 8:34 am

cbl1 wrote:
Tue Nov 20, 2018 5:14 pm
Holly molly - - Wiskey Trip on that link - - I'd be surprised if skiers can even hear the engine over the music with all those speakers.
Wow...a rig like that would have a few holes under the waterline in the morning at my quiet lake.
Mark
1996 Sweetwater 180EX + Johnson 40
Rush Lake, Atlanta, MI

Post Reply