www.iFourWinns.com

Fellow Vista owners, wondering if anyone as attempted to add speakers to the arch? I can't stand running with the glass down and not being able to hear the music, without blowing everyone else away!! Top facing do!wn? sides facing in? Looking for some ideas! the West marine catalog came in the mail Saturday, so I spent yesterday like a kid with the Sears Christmas catalog circling everything I wanted!!!

Thanks all!!

_________________
Michael Bova


"Swept Aweigh"
2003 Four Winns 328 Vista

Previous Boat
2003 Crownline 230CCR

Obviously, I don't have a 328, but I do have an arch with speakers. One thing is the arches are not very thick, and therefore are not a real good enclosure for speakers. They will do fine with the highs, but no so much with the bass. Mine are mounted on the sides and do a good job of projecting the sound all around the cockpit. I know some of the 318's have speakers mounted in the top facing down, and I'm sure those are plenty audible as well.
Another thing to consider, if you sit at the aft lounge facing towards the stern, the speakers will be right in your ear, which sometimes is not so good when you don't want it loud and happen to be in that seat. I suspect facing down in the top of the arch would eliminate the speaker inches from grandma's ear.

_________________
One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Michael,

I have not added additional speakers to our radar arch (just upgraded the factory ones) but I thought you may want to know that you will find some portions (if not all?) of your radar arch to be aluminum.

I did add a VHF antenna to the top of our radar arch and ended up drilling and tapping the holes for the antenna base.

So be prepared if you plan to cut out speaker holes you may be going thru aluminum not just fibreglass, or maybe just the top of the arch has aluminum backing to support add ons?

Mike.

_________________

Current Boat
- 2001 Four Winns 328 Vista "Hour Decision"
- 2010 310 Mercury Inflatable

Previous Boats
- 30' Doral Prestancia
- 25' Doral Citation

I have a 328 Vista with speakers in the arch.
You'll need a spacer ring.

Kind of like this (I'm in a hurry or I'd look for a better example)...
http://www.neobits.com/metra_tsunami_82 ... ml?atc=gbs

Mine had 6.5 inch rings for the typical clarion speaker install.
I also added seperate tweeters because I replaced mine with component speakers

_________________
When all is said and done, more was said than done...

Thanks for the information, good to know Mike about the aluminum. I was thinking of putting in an XM antennae on the arch. Cory did you have any issues running the speaker wire? Any pics?? thanks again guys!

_________________
Michael Bova


"Swept Aweigh"
2003 Four Winns 328 Vista

Previous Boat
2003 Crownline 230CCR