Normally you wouldn't think a 38-foot Sea Ray would have much in common with a 747 jet.
But with Matt Massick, owner of the Sea Ray, and you'll discover the boat's massive audio systeme at full volume is nearly as loud as a jet taking off. Massick's system pumps out 154 decibels at maximum output. A jet produces around 155 decibels.
Talk about rockin' the suburbs.
Massick's boat is so loud in fact, that he's been kicked out of nearly every bar and restaurant in Lake of the Ozarks, Mo., and if you've ever been to the area you'd know how hard that is to do. But with his stereo system averaging 125 decibels in the cockpit, it's easy to see why.
Nowadays at the lake or on the river, it's not only important to be seen but to be heard. Long gone are the stock stereo systems, being replaced with massive aquatic systems and restorations that have set some owners back as much as $125,000.
Loud stereo systems have long been the trend with large boats, but with a new crop of performance boats are shooting them down. And companies such as Waves and Wheels Audio in Lake of the Ozarks, Mo., are at the forefront of the stereo revolution.
Justin Wagner, owner of Waves and Wheels, put together Massick's stereo system in the Sea Ray and has done many other high-profile ones in performance boats from Nor-Techs to Scarabs. But Wagner acknowledges that systems should be more than decibels. The quality of components, apperance, durability and weight are equally important.
THE NEW GENERATION
High-end stereo systems can add considerable weight to a performance boat, that's why a new generation of equipment is lighter, more powerful and in some cases more durable.
Installers such as Wagner are quick to look for ways to shed weight. Extra batteries or generators can add hundreds of pounds, which can ultimately cost a boat on its top-end. That's why Wagner opts for ones from Kinetik Audio. "You can double your reserve time and cut the battery weight in half," Wagner said. "I can vouch for that myself. I gained 2 mph on my cat from just switching out to lightweight batteries."
The same goes for amplifiers, which generate plenty of heat but need to stay cool and withstand marine conditions.
"These amps are designed to be very efficient and have clean and poewrful output with a minimal amount of power consumption," Wagner said. "They have built-in fans to keep the system cool, allowing you to play your system all day long."
THE SKY'S THE LIMIT
When it comes to marine systems, the only limit is the size of your bank account.
Boaters are opting for complete systems that feature LED lights, video and security systems to protect the investment.
For Waves and Wheels, it's not uncommon to add cabin lights and underwater LED lights as part of the stereo makeover.
"It looks awesome at night at the dock showing off your polished props and drives while they're underwater," Wagner said. "When you're coming out after dark and you're the only one with 20 feet of neon blue water surrounding your boat, you can be sure that there will be some jealousy from other boat owners."
Video recording systems like those made by RaceOptics can be setup on your boat with a quad camera DVR recording system to record your engines, the bow, the stern and the cockpit all at the same time. "If you're running a race team or doing just a fun run, you can record it and play it all back and watch it on your home, car or marine video system," he said.
Ron Burnett, owner of Ron's Billet, a custom install shop in Lake Havasu City, Ariz., said boaters continue to push the limits.
"You have to use your imagination a lot more than in say, a car, but it is also in a lot of cases an open canvas to show your ability to build a killer sound system," Burnett said.
MAKING OLD NEW
Many customers are now opting to do a facelift on their older boat rather than purchasing a new one. While an audio/visual investment can run tens of thosands of dollare it's still a fraction of a new model.
Some high-end installers will even rebuild parts of a boat to make things work. At Waves and Wheels, Wagner and his crew often create custom watertight houseings for LCD screens, amplifiers and head units to assure their longterm durability.
Eric Ross took his 1999 32-foot Scarab to the company for significant restoration. The work included taking the factory windshield and remaking it with eight FOCAL 130CA1 speakers around it.
Next, they added two 9-inch monitors with a RaceOptics DVR system for viewing and recording of the bow and cockpit. The rear bench was next-it was rebuilt to house six MTX TS7510 subwoofers. The speakers were then covered in a fiberglass housing. Another set of FOCAL speakers were added to the transom.
In the side panels, a motorized amplifier rack was built to house five Twister amps. LED lights from OceanLED can next and were set up in the cockpit and under the transom for underwater lighting. The final step was to add five Kinetik powercells to run all the electronic components and a marine security system with AutoPage C3 module just to ensure that everything stayed where it belonged.
Overall, the installation took 480 hours, but according to Ross, it was worth it in the end. He said it was important that the work was unique.
"The custom designs that I got, that Justin and the guys came up with, ensured me that I was getting something that nobody else would have," Ross said. "The work they do is awesome." SOUND OFF
The equipment options can be daunting sometimes, but it's important to decide what you want in your stereo. Do you want it to be the loudest or offer the best bling on the sandbar?
Next time you are at Lake of the Ozarks, chances are you'll proboably hear Massick's stereo system. There's no way the thumping and the girls dancing can be mistaken for a 747 jet.
