Boat Stereo Installation and Marine Audio
Music in the cockpit and saloon is part of enjoying a boat, but a stereo aboard lives with salt spray, damp and a 12V supply that changes as batteries charge and discharge. Our boat stereo installation work uses marine-rated head units, speakers and amplifiers, wired so they sound right and do not drain the bank.
Domestic and car audio rarely lasts on a boat. Marine units are sealed against moisture and UV, and the wiring behind them needs tinned cable and proper protection.
We work from Shoreham Airport and fit audio aboard at your berth, Brighton to Southampton.
Marine stereo systems
A typical system has a head unit at the helm or chart table, speakers in the cockpit and cabin, and sometimes an amplifier and subwoofer. Fusion marine stereos are common because they can be controlled from a compatible chartplotter over NMEA 2000, as well as from a phone app, so you can change track without leaving the helm.
- Marine-rated head units with Bluetooth streaming
- Cockpit, cabin and flybridge speakers in separate zones
- Amplifiers and subwoofers with correctly sized supply cable
- Chartplotter control over NMEA 2000 where supported
Power and protection
An amplifier can draw a lot of current, so it needs its own fused supply sized for the load. The head unit's memory feed should not slowly flatten the batteries while the boat is left. We route speaker cable away from instrument data lines and keep audio from adding noise to the VHF.
Marine electronics installation · Battery monitor installation
Speaker positions and sealing
Cockpit speakers are cut into lockers or bulkheads where there is enough depth behind and nothing structural is weakened. Every cut-out is sealed so water does not reach the cabin. Inside, speakers go where they give an even sound without vibrating fittings.
Quote and handover
Tell us what you would like, from a simple cockpit stereo to multiple zones. We look at mounting positions and power, then provide a written quote. At handover we pair your phone and set up zones.
Planning audio during a refit
Volume and zone control matter on a boat moored close to others. Separate cockpit and cabin zones let you keep music inside in a busy marina and turn the cockpit up at anchor, and a sensible volume limit on the cockpit zone helps keep good relations with neighbours on the pontoon.
If the boat is having other electrical work, adding audio at the same time saves opening up lockers and headlinings twice. Cable for speakers and an amplifier can share routes planned with the rest of the refit, and a spare circuit at the panel can be allocated for audio from the start.
We can also fit a simple system now with cable left in place for a second zone later, so the boat can grow into a fuller setup without further disruption.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a car stereo on my boat?
It may work for a while, but car units are not built for salt, damp and UV. Marine-rated equipment lasts far better.
Can my chartplotter control the stereo?
With compatible units, such as Fusion stereos on NMEA 2000, yes.
How do I repair a boat Bluetooth speaker?
Check the supply, fuse and pairing first. A sealed speaker that has let water in is usually replaced rather than repaired.
Will a stereo flatten my batteries?
Not if it is wired properly. We size the supply and check standby draw.
Music aboard, done properly
Send the boat details, where it is kept and what you have in mind, and we will come back with the next step and a written quote.