# Where should I mount my sub in the boat?



## Loneranger (Oct 24, 2008)

I have a JL Audio M10IB5 I am about to mount in a Sea Ray boat. I have a few options for mounting and thought I would get some feedback on the best location. The sub is an infinite baffle design. 










This was my planned first option but that area has a compound curve to it and would require a shim to be made which may be difficult.










I am not sure about this area but I could put it inside the hatch on the flat part of the gunnel. The mount would be easy but the sub would then be enclosed under the helm seat. Could I put vents in the area where I was planning on placing the sub initially in the first picture?










While I was contemplating this today I noticed I could probably mount it below the stock clarion speaker seen in the picture. The area is large enough and flat enough if there is enough mounting depth. I think having the coaxial speaker and the sub in the same space might be an issue?

What do you think? Any ideas? 

John


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## pjc (May 3, 2009)

I did alot of boats back when I was installing. We always tried to do subs in an enclosure and put the enclosure somewhere in the box... under a seat, etc. I think I remember a few in the engine compartment actually. I never did any IB subs in a boat. I remember a few boats where we did tower speakers and such... and the boat had an existing IB type setup and it not being as loud as the subs in the enclosures. Hope that remotely helps.

In the first pic, on the side of that console might not be a bad place to put one.


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## Loneranger (Oct 24, 2008)

pjc said:


> I did alot of boats back when I was installing. We always tried to do subs in an enclosure and put the enclosure somewhere in the box... under a seat, etc. I think I remember a few in the engine compartment actually. I never did any IB subs in a boat. I remember a few boats where we did tower speakers and such... and the boat had an existing IB type setup and it not being as loud as the subs in the enclosures. Hope that remotely helps.
> 
> In the first pic, on the side of that console might not be a bad place to put one.


I currently have infinite baffles on a bow rider that work really well (but in the bow rider there was no room for an enclosure). If I use the second two locations I probably do not have enough space for the IB anyway. If I go another way I may have to trade for the M10W5 which is has a recommended enclosure of 0.5 to 1 cu.ft.

Anyway I wanted to use the location you point out but that surface is curved both top to bottom and left to right. Any instructions on cutting a shim ring to allow mounting to this surface?


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## pjc (May 3, 2009)

As far as shimming it out... hmmm, it could be done. Probably more work than what it would be worth. You probably dont have too many options do you as far as flat surface? What about the back of the boat. In the first pic...under that seat. Is there enough room on that back wall? And I guess, really any flat surface is going to work. My biggest experience was using enclosures. We did alot of Mastercrafts. And alot were subless installs. Alot of tower speakers and such.


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## Lone Star (Jun 5, 2009)

What's on the other side of the boat and what does it look like underneath the helm? Generally speaking you will get more out of it by having it in front of you if possible. Under the helm also gives you something to focus the sound in the right direction.

The compartment under the seat looks interesting if you were willing to loose most of its use by filling it with a box or mounting the IB woofer in the door.


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## Loneranger (Oct 24, 2008)

Lone Star said:


> What's on the other side of the boat and what does it look like underneath the helm? Generally speaking you will get more out of it by having it in front of you if possible. Under the helm also gives you something to focus the sound in the right direction.
> 
> The compartment under the seat looks interesting if you were willing to loose most of its use by filling it with a box or mounting the IB woofer in the door.


There is no room under the helm. The door into the cabin is a sliding door that pockets back under the helm taking up most of the space. The rest of the space is taken up by gauges and instruments. 

The other side opposite has a lounge seat that forms the ceiling for a cave like sleeping area under the cockpit. I thought about intruding into this area but really do not want to. I will look and see if I have other pictures. The lounge seat though is also quite curvy though. 

Storage space is a premium on this boat which is why I was trying to avoid building enclosures. I could mount the IB in the door and seal it but I would still lose access to this area for storage.


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## Loneranger (Oct 24, 2008)

I think I might mount it on the back wall underneath the back bench seat. Some people build enclosures underneath this seat but for me the seat is hinged and moves out of the way when you open the engine hatch. 

The back wall under the seat is part of an aft storage area that is fairly large. It would expose the woofer to more water and abuse from items placed in this cavity but I guess it is supposed to be a tough speaker.


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## Loneranger (Oct 24, 2008)

Untitled Document

The fifth and sixth pictures from the bottom of the above page shows another idea I have thought about. Changing my current sub to one designed for an enclosure. Mounting the enclosure underneath the helm seat and then add a vent.


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## Lone Star (Jun 5, 2009)

OK, much bigger boat than I was thinking. Might not be as big of a deal having it in the back for you especially if your crusing and floating. What about in a ported box under that rear seat? A hole in the fiberglass is pretty permanent, it would really suck if it didn't work. 

What I've learned with doing stuff in a boat is that too much is just enough. You're in a convertible school bus more or less so SQ and cabin gain are non existent when you're moving. You need SPL that sounds good when your parked. The average levels in my boat are at least 6db louder than what I'm comfortable with in my truck, and my boat isn't particularly loud compared to some my friends. I do get them on SQ though when we stop. : )


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## Lone Star (Jun 5, 2009)

I just saw your other post, David @ Earmark knows how to do it, you should give him a call. I thought about what I wanted for a couple of years before I did it. He completely changed what I thought I wanted and not only does it sound better than I had hoped, it was about half the price of what I was planning on spending. They sell everything you can think of for a boat online and he will deal some too. I know everyone here is very DIY, myself included, but I would trust him to do anything in my boat if he was local.


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## Loneranger (Oct 24, 2008)

Lone Star said:


> OK, much bigger boat than I was thinking. Might not be as big of a deal having it in the back for you especially if your crusing and floating. What about in a ported box under that rear seat? A hole in the fiberglass is pretty permanent, it would really suck if it didn't work.



I know several people who have built enclosures to go under the rear bench seat. For me though it will not work. The rear bench is hinged and is on top of the hatch to the engine room. When you lift the hatch the rear bench seat folds up and out of the way. An enclosure under it would prevent that. 

I am thinking though that mounting one in the wall behind the aft bench seat may be a good option. That wall is the front of an aft storage compartment that spans almost the entire width of the stern.

I have successfully patched smaller fiberglass holes but not one 9 inches across. So I am trying to think this though pretty well before a cut.


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## Loneranger (Oct 24, 2008)

Lone Star said:


> I just saw your other post, David @ Earmark knows how to do it, you should give him a call. I thought about what I wanted for a couple of years before I did it. He completely changed what I thought I wanted and not only does it sound better than I had hoped, it was about half the price of what I was planning on spending. They sell everything you can think of for a boat online and he will deal some too. I know everyone here is very DIY, myself included, but I would trust him to do anything in my boat if he was local.


Yeah if I was not 800 miles away on the Tennessee river it would be a good option to have them do it for me.


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## Loneranger (Oct 24, 2008)

BrittanyGulden said:


> Ah, always mounted mine in the Fish well


No fish well on this boat though.


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## Chrisw21 (Nov 28, 2011)

Little more info needed. What year/model Sea Ray is it? I live 20 minutes from where all the big Sea Rays are built and I know the widow of one of the founders, so I might be able to tap in to some tribal knowledge on this one!


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## Loneranger (Oct 24, 2008)

Chrisw21 said:


> Little more info needed. What year/model Sea Ray is it? I live 20 minutes from where all the big Sea Rays are built and I know the widow of one of the founders, so I might be able to tap in to some tribal knowledge on this one!


It is a 2000 year model 270 DA Sundancer. The factory audio system consisted of Clarion M5470 head unit, Clarion M635 CD changer, M101RC wired remote at the helm, and a Clarion APA2030 2 channel amplifier. There are 4 clarion speakers in the cockpit powered by the head unit and 2 in the cabin powered by the amp.

Are you close to Knoxville or to Merritt Island? Opps I read your profile you are close to the Florida plant. There are 2 of them correct? 

I am close to the Knoxville plant and know a bunch of people that have worked on these boats. The trouble is no sub even as an option from the factory. So there was no planned location for a sub.


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## Chrisw21 (Nov 28, 2011)

Ya, right by Merrit Island. Every once in a while I get to see some "secret" new Sea Rays out on the ICW. Kind of cool! So.... I'm sure you know that boats are built to maximize every inch of space available. That means that you are going to have to give up something in order to have a good sub mount location. Question is, what are you willing to give? Mounting in the same air space as that coaxial is a bad idea. You'll blast that little thing out rather quick. How about that starboard hatch, just to the left of the coaxial in your pic?? Looks very tempting. What about the stern under the fold-a-way seating? Looks fairly flat and close to the batteries if you plan on hooking up an amp. I looked at some other pics online and (if you're willing to drop down in size, maybe using multiple 6" or 8" subs) mid-deck looks like it might work too. Right behind the port lounger the gunwale on both side angles out and looks like it would fit at least 6" subs. I understand you already have the M10IB5, but being a boat owner you should already know about throwing money away (I do it regularly myself!). You may be better off going with four 6" or two 8" subs. Tuned right, they will sound as good, if not better, than a single 10".


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