Ever put radio and speakers on a Hobie?

Hi
Iv been sailing with my friend for two years on his H18. He bought the boat with a custom grate bulit in front of the mast to hold a cooler mad into a stereo. I just bought a h16 and would likt to put a stereo on it, but i dont want to add a grate. I was thinking about drilling into the mast to mount the spearkers. would that be a promblem? any iedas? anybody ever do that?
thanks

That would simply be stupid!! Im sure many will agree the whole idea of sailing is to take in the ocean and wind and admire what it does when ure out there. Look at powerboats burning petrol back and forth and be proud ure a sailor.

Besides H16 are mostly for racing they fly and also flip, they need to be as clean as possible in rigging/no obstructions. A a small cooler on a light breeze day with the girlfriend is ok.

Two options: buy a bigger sailboat or get a tinny water proof radio (shower radio) and tie it to the tramp.

Just my opinion dont take it personnal!

Just to add to ALEXSAILS' comments, drilling holes in the mast for anything except rigging equipment is a potential disaster in the making. On top of that you'll have more crap that the jib sheets will hang up on.

You'd be better off getting a large tool bag with two snaps from Murray's and putting a stereo in it. That way it's easy to reposition depending on what type of sailing you're doing and easily removeable.

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Wow, someone got a little harsh there. I do not think it is a stupid idea, it is great to be able to enjoy that water around you but sometimes when you pullup on the beach and have people clustered around your boat because it is the coolest one on the beach you need to be able to put out some volume.

I use a waterproof radio that I got at CVS, it is tough and can be fairly loud. I tie it to the boom about halfway back on my 14. I sometimes bump into it with my shoulder but it is rubber so it is no big deal.

I would go with something like that, but don't drill any extra holes

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Nacra 5.2 "Elsies"
Hobie 14T, "Blazin" I guess I am keeping her!

Music soothes the savage beast , and a Hobie is a savage beast indeed

Although I am primarily on the water for the beauty of the wind, the waves and the water, one of the best days I ever had sailing was going solo on fall day (like today) in 1995, the hills blazing with color, little waterfalls from recent rainfall running down cliffs, NOBODY but a few fishermen intent on their task, a fat 'ole sun with big fluffy clouds scattered in the sky, a STEADY 10kt breeze AND Pink Floyd, Comfortably Numb, live bootleg Pulse version playing on my water-resistent boombox strapped to the mast. It may be one of the only days that I did not come back injured - but it was fun anyway

The music is important to me too

As for drilling holes in the mast, every hole presents a possible failure point on the most stressed piece of your boat and the mast MUST be sealed and airtight too. How about on the boom, near the gooseneck, powered by an mp3 unit in a water resistant case ? There are also a lot of decent sounding mini-speaker-units that work with mp3's that you could put in a waterproof bag (see Campmor.com) and strap it down.

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The fact that this windy world is largely covered in water obviously means that man was meant to sail.

While some obviously don't have an affection for music while sailing; this is something I've looked at for years. As the technology has gottten us better sounds in smaller packages I'm more tempted every year.

I've thought about mounting some water-proof speakers into the hull inspection covers.
There's a guy on the BeachCats site that has an Ipod fixed into a water proof case hanging below the boom.

Remember the "Sharing the Wind" video?

There's a goofy sequence with the skipper and crew getting funky on the wire with HUGE radio headsets. So this idea is not new.

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2003 Tiger - Don Atchley

OK,
The mast is a bad idea because jib sheets get caught on it and it is too wet. Even the "water proof" radios and speakers don't do will there.

The end of the boom, past the blocks is a drier area (until you capsize, but you don't do that), it is also a low load area, so here is what you do.

Drill the two rivets off back of the boom to release the casting. You need a radio small enough to fit inside the boom. Mount two small, powerfull "waterproof" speakers on the end of the boom. Flush mounting makes it all look cool, kind of like the jetski guys. Hard wire the speakers to the radio. Turn the radio on, adjust the volume, and place it inside the boom. Place the end cap back on the boom, and use the outhaul to hold it in place. The wakeboard guys will think your boat is the bomb!!!

Hey! What's wrong with a little Buffet, on a light wind day?

This subject reminded me of sailing my old wooden Penquin 13 as a kid with a one of those little 1970's AM ball radios (remember the ones with the chains?)...mine was blue.
I flipped, it died. I do like the idea of a shower radio though. Yeah, no real point to this post, just an amusing memory .

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1981 H16.
1993 Macgregor 26S

I think you all should have gotten a Multiband marine VHF with radio. Just put on the FM, go to a beach sounds station, and wait patiently for the Beach Boys. THATS when you take your boat out over the surf.

Alternatively, something calming is great when the wind dies on the middle of a lake on a hot day. You know, when everybody starts jumping off the boat in 100 degrees.

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Peter Scranton
'14 Tandem Island "Awesome"
'03 Windrider Rave "Menage a Trois"

Funny this topic came up... I have been thinking of ideas as well. I plan on just buying a cheap radio, maybe water resistant, to use when the wind is light and I am just cruising around. On those days you barely get wet anyways and if it is bungeed to the tramp it will do fine. If it ever goes overboard, no biggie, it was cheap.

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1983 Hobie 16 "Rumpshaker"

I have brought out radios on both my H16 and H18. the H18 is easy. Just strap it to the boom since the foot of the sail is loose. I keep it near the gooseneck so I don't bang into it all day.

The H16 does take some work. I just put two of the block hanger straps up near the gooseneck so I could hang the radio and speakers off of them. On a light wind day it is nice to have music with you. Especially if the wind dies and the water is calm. It sure beats paddling in silence.

Keep in mind that you don't have to be a jerk like the power boats that blast their music.

I am not the biggest fan of headphones as I feel too isolated from the sounds around me.

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Nick

Current Boat
In the market
Previous boats owned
'74 Pearson 30
'84 H16
'82 H18 Magnum
St. Louis, MO

We have been spotted with the Tune-a-fish before.

http://www.amazon.com/Tune-Fish-AM-Shower-Radio/dp/B0002LQVNC

Although it appears to no longer be available. Perhaps I need to take better care of mine. We just hang it on the mast and let it bounce around. Not the best for great sound, but perfect for listening to the ball-game.

Hey widerisbetter
"Music soothes the savage beast" great album, I read that and had to put it on.

ALEXSAILS you savage beast go listen to some music. there is no need to use such a tone or language here. The stupid idea was you cutting into him like that, In case you have not noticed, no one else here ever calls someone else's idea "stupid". Listen to some Tchaikovsky before your next post. Next time instead of telling him to "don't take it personal!" try saying things a little differently so you don't look like a condescending penis head.

Now that we streightened that sheet out, back to the matter at hand, (cause ya can't sail with sheets out of order)

http://www.otterbox.com/products/ipod_cases/

I have one for my 60 gig. I have yet to take it on the 16 but, on the beach/mono hull/cutting the grass/working (welding). Its a valuable investment for my valuable investment.

My $.02 would be to fix it to the boom along with the speakers, fabricate a bracket to keep it all up near the main sail that way everything is fastened to the boat when the inevitable happens.

we in the upper latitude's are running out of sailing weather, Live it up!!! Capsize once for me!!!