Bow Speaker Install

[smorris7]

Getting ready to install bow speakers on 2012 Mojo. Any advice on the best way to cut the vinyl? I'm a little nervous about cutting holes in the vinyl...

[WFO]

Start small and work your way bigger

[EarmarkMarine]

First, you must draw out in pencil the limitations of the vinyl opening based on the diameter of the speaker basket. The center of that hole must be perfectly aligned with the concealed structural hole behind the vinyl. Then you have to decide how you will terminate the vinyl so that is does not wrinkle or stretch over time and with temperature extremes. You don't want the vinyl terminated by just the speaker mounting holes or clamped down by the speaker frame only. You can either cut out a circle or cut a pie pattern depending on how you plan to terminate the vinyl. You can first cut a starter slit with a razor blade and then use quality scissors. Cut the vinyl first and cut the foam padding separately.
Odin with Earmark provides his customers with a detailed step by step procedure that includes several illustrations. The procedure also addresses a variety of techniques for terminating the vinyl, managing the speaker depth in thick foam, and cutting out the back of the polymer bolster plus cutting the fiberglass mold when an existing hole is not provided from factory.

David

[Birdman]

Can you run thes speakers off the deck or do you need an amp

[David Analog]

You could run the bow speakers off source unit power if two HU channels are otherwise dormant, but I do not recommend it.
The cockpit occupants are not going to hear the bow speakers which are on the opposite side of the windshield so you need just enough power for the occupants in that small bow area. Is this going to be a getaway for children or adults wanting to have conversation, or is this area needing to be competitive in power?
HU power, if rated the same way as a good external amplifier, is no more than 15 watts per channel. That will normally not be enough when underway.
So if the bow speakers are expected to compete with movement, wind and the cockpit system, with HU power only, then one of two scenarios will play out. First, the bow HU power will fall flat on its face prematurely. Second, if you gain the other externally amplified zones inordinately high so that the bow doesn't clip way early, then the bow will lag behind at all listening levels and the rest of the system will have an inordinately high noise floor.
So again, typically if the other zones are externally amplified then the bow must follow suit.

[navajake]

Really simple job. If you reach in the combing pocket you should feel where the speaker cutout is and is covered in vinyl. Cut out that vinyl and install the speakers. Some small pilot holes for the screws will make the install easier.