My boat needs a system, I need your help choosing my equipment

[Wattser93 10+ year member]

I have a Glastron GX185 boat, it's 18.5 feet long, has an open bow, the full rear sundeck (space for a sub box, amps, etc... about a 15 cubic foot area if needed for all that stuff)

The speaker mounting options are very, very flexible. I'm looking to have speakers in the open bow (lowest priority), driver/passenger (highest priority), and the rear bench seat. I also want a sub, will be mounted in a box under the rear deck so I don't NEED a marine sub because it won't be exposed to any spray or anything from the water, it will be dry all the time. The boat sees about 15-30 days a year on the water and is stored inside a garage so it won't be under constant exposure to the elements. The system will be ran off of an iPod 99% of the time.

I'm thinking 6.5" 2 ways in the front, 6.5" comps in the driver/passenger area, and either 6"x9" 2 ways or 6.5" 2 ways in the back, probably one in each box (boxes are my only mounting option in the back) on either side. I was thinking a 12" or 15" sub, I already have a Type R 12" DVC 4ohm lying around so if you think that will be good enough that could save me some money. Those are the sizes I was thinking about but you can suggest whatever you think will sound the best for my build. I also have a Jensen CD3610 deck lying around too if that makes a difference.

I know that audio is expensive but I'd like some recommendations based on the following budgets.

I'd like it to be under $500 but I'm dreaming with that budget. $1000 max but less is always better. I'm not an audiophile and on the water acoustics **** anyways so it's more about being loud than sounding good.

I have 4 gauge welding wire already and have 16AWG wire right now but have up to 8AWG readily available if needed so my budget is solely based on speakers/amps/sub/material for sub box, will be making the box myself (sealed preferably, much easier plus I like the way a sealed box sounds over ported) based on specs you guys provide me.

Thanks for you time and I look forward to the suggestions.

PS: The Bose system in my 2001 Denali sounds good enough for my ears so as long as what you suggest sounds as good as that I'll be a happy camper

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[Cabin_Pressure 10+ year member]

I use "Poly-Planer" 8'' co-axials in my Mastercraft. I have four, 2 in front bow and two in rear side panels. I have 4 8'' Kicker L7s for the substage, i have 2 under each side of the dash. Also have H2O tower cans with Kicker 6.5" co-axials. My HU is a Kenwood X-792 and i run all Series VII Hifonics O/S amps. Electrical consists of dual 70Amp marine alts, 3 Kinetik batteries (one for starting and two for reserve wired through a 100amp isolator). I don't have any pics of just the stereo, but here is the boat.

 

[z0n3d0u7 10+ year member]

The first thing you should look at, Is your Electrical, And what it can handle. Also, Would it be easily upgradable?

Whats your budget?

If i were you, Beings you want it to be run off of a Ipod, I would start with a nice half din EQ. Make sure the EQ has a sub out as well (Or your amp has a "Threw / Output", However i dont know if the output would just out out the high freq's being sent to the 4ch, So id go with a sub out.). Ipod input into the EQ, EQ out to a nice 4 Channel amp, 4 ch amp to your speakers. [if you decide 6 speakers total, There are several ways you could wire them to the amp. I would personally run ch 1 and 2 to the bow speakers, Then run channels 3 and 4 at 2 ohm's, to your componets or whatever you go with in the mid area of the boat.] Or you could do a 4ch, And a 2 ch, But keep in mind your Elec system WILL limit you a bit.

Your Type R should suite the stereo well, beings im sure your not going for SPL, just something to listen to. However Type R's do have decent output. Maybe a Transmission, 4th or 6th order bandpass, Since you have all that room for your substage? on something like a 750.1.. Should be plenty.

Pics of the project? I had a boat i was gonna remove the front window's, And mount my mids and tweets there. Then i was gonna turn my open bow into basically a tanning deck, With my sub stage under it, Deck in the glove box, Coolers, Ect.

Then the guy who gave me the boat, Got it stolen out of his yard. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif