Surf Speaker Project VTX

[h2ojunkie]

Wanted music behind everyone in the boat and this turned out to be the best route for our boat that we could come up with after fabing many boxes and alternative methods ect... Using rear channel of one of my amps and a Pac LC1 for fade control of this set of speakers as we have the WS 420 controlling the tower/boat speakers from front channel feed. I made the speaker bezel rings from cutting board material as I needed to compensate for contour of boat without modifying the speaker grill. Got to test it out and we are happy with results and all of our regular crews are stoked for a better "in-boat" experience and surfer will be happy with the loudness of music without everyone in boat burnt out from the loud music. (don't know how many pics I can post with this but have a step by step to post up so may have some add on in my posts)

Edited January 24, 2014 by h2ojunkie

[h2ojunkie]

Pics

[oldjeep]

OK, I'll be that guy. What keeps your speakers from getting trashed if you get water splashing up there?

[h2ojunkie]

More pics

[h2ojunkie]

WetSounds. Spoke w Tim & Simon, Doesn't seem to be a concern for them as they have had many cruisers, yachts, w speakers mounted in transom area.

We have and may still consider "back mounting", inside boat and make a custom cover like a home stereo box type with screen material over the holes but with temps around zero-20F right now here this is as far as I got recently. Don't ever have to put beer in the cooler right now, had a few on hand for project completion.

[Levi900RR]

That is cool. Probably very effective for hanging out behind the boat swimming as well.

[wakebrdr94]

I like it. Gives the rider music and you can turn down the towers and not kill the people in the boat. Epic has been doing it,

[Bill_AirJunky]

What happens if you somehow get hit by a big wave in the transom?

Epic's boat has a 2nd transom wall in front of the speakers so it wouldn't be an issue.

[h2ojunkie]

Hoping my VTX is a little "easier" on the eyes tho. No offense to any Epic owners but, just not my flavor. It was good speaking with ya the other day. Enjoy your Cali weather,,high today, 10, low tonite, -4 w -25 wind chill. SUCKS. Will be so glad when spring - summer gets here. I do use my system out in my barn tho when I'm doin projects ect...sometimes stuff falls off the walls from the bass tho with a favorite song

[wakebrdr94]

I would think that the epic design would throw water right back at the speaker if a wake that big hit your transom. bounce off the top of the compartment right into the speaker vs just going up and over or across

[David]

There is considerable backwash with considerable displacement and force against the transom when the boat suddenly stops, especially if the ballast is full and the boat is low. It's enough over time to tear a transom-mounted speaker apart. But the Malibu project has the speakers high up into the deck cap where there is little risk.

[h2ojunkie]

Bill, with deflection of water not worried about it much and if have that big a wave its probably coming over into boat under rear deck pads anyways. I've sealed off speakers with Marine sealant all around edges under bezel rings and speaker to bezel rings ect... Doubt it will ever be a issue, WetSounds has a good warranty on speakers

[David]

Earmark has been doing that same procedure forever. Here's one example.

http://www.earmarkcaraudio.com/install_cobalt_232.asp

[h2ojunkie]

David,a conversation I had with you (as well as Tim @ WetSounds) last year (before our son Mack was killed in an accident) inspired me to want to come up with something for like this,,just had to get my head back in the game so to speak with all that happened last year. I looked at that Cobalt installation and got some ideas from it. I just had to fab some boxes and think it thru what was best for us and figure it out for my boat. Thanks, you are a big help on this site and are appreciated more than you know.

[BlackBluMalibu]

Nice work! I'll be adding that to my project list.

[Dsingram]

I am interested in doing this project. How has it worked out? Do you get enough sound to the surfer? Have you had speaker problems?

Thanks

David

[h2ojunkie]

Dsingram, PM sent We love them and so does everyone that has been on our boat. One of best mods I have ever done. Way more peaceful in boat for surfing and at times just to have music out back vs inside or above on tower. We can have tunes anywhere we want and volume ect... to match. Rider can have their music and great volume level and folks in boat can have conversations ect... w out end of day headaches ect... less obnoxious to others at one of the lakes we go to as well, have had many compliments and a few there duplicate my set up for same reasons. All said they love it. ( oh, and no speaker issues what so ever, WetSounds.)

Edited January 13, 2016 by h2ojunkie

[NCSurfing]

Like the idea and looks clean! Not sure if it matters to you or if it was a fit issue but they are upside down (by way of the logo).

[David]

Incorrect. Those are Metsounds speakers.

[jonyb]

The Wet Sounds speakers are a little different than some marine speakers. I thought I'd mention this because no one has just yet. The tweeters are floating on the grill, not sitting on a pole through the woofer. With that setup, water or moisture can't get through. I install a lot of these speakers in SSV Works kick panels in side by sides. These guys ride creeks and get water on them all the time. While I don't recommend it, they haven't been back with issues.

[Fman]

Cool install, I would be the first to mount all my XM9s on the transom if someone could come up with a way to do it. Would be so nice to get those speakers off the tower. Transom mount would be perfect to direct ALL the sound at the rider and not the passengers in the cabin area.

[dukesofhazzard]

have a look at an EPIC transom