Home Forums Fishing Saltwater What to look for in a stereo for a boat???

Just bought an older Alumaweld Formula Vee that has no stereo. I'm wanting to put one in. I don't have much music on my phone and I've never really streamed music before. What should I look for?
I have a little bit of music on my computer I could put on a sd card or usb, but I'll mostly be listening to the radio - music and talk radio.
Are there streaming services that go thru the radio, or just thru my phone played over the radio?
I have bluetooth for phone calls in my truck that is nice, do you guys use that on your boat?

I'll probalby just mount 2 6.5" speakers and call it good.

you can't stand to be out in the boat without a radio screwing up the peace and quiet? sad

I recently bought a Pyle Hydra head unit. It comes with 4 6.5" waterproof speakers. The head unit is a stereo receiver and connects through bluetooth, and also has an SD card reader built in. I am waiting on my boat to arrive to install it but I think it will do well. It also allows you to make hands free calls through your phone just like your vehicle bluetooth.



To each their own. The majority of the commercial trollers I have seen have music blaring while they are working. Make the time pass a lot faster and helps keep them awake. I am putting it in because I don't want to sit in my boat by myself listening to the motor run for hours on end.

Depends, what kind of music do fish like?

What to look for in a stereo for a boat??

The off button would be my first choice.

90 % of the boats that I outfit get Fusion stereos.
https://www.fusionentertainment.com/marine

I look for the "off" button.

Amen!

Slow day trolling or chumming on calm water, music keeps you sane. Used to listen to the idiots bantering on the UHF, but everybody's went to talking on cell phones now.

Absolutely, a functioning OFF button is the only requisite.



On a similar note, I’d put in for a device that lets one access the off buttons on nearby boater’s stereos.

Yea, offshore is another matter.

I fish a fishery that has an average of one bite per 10 hours of fishing, I know what slow is, but I still don't want a radio on my boat.
Do you listen to a radio when hunting? Or do you enjoy the outdoors and being away from the noise of daily life?

We have a magnum stereo at home and it's not been on for over a year. For sure I will not poison the out of doors with a unit in my boat.

My wife is pretty easy to get along with and very rarely nags. But, nag she did until I took a certain son-in-law fishing, I have no regard for him and even less after one fishing trip. My boat had a stereo that had been used maybe two or three times in ten years so he took it upon himself to turn on some head banging rock. He was told politely to turn that sheit off. "That's the music I like" was his only reply" and even turned it back on when I turned it off. Unplugging the power and antenna took only seconds and it went overboard in 200' of water. Son-in-law shut up and the stereo hasn't been replaced.

Stand proud there.

This.

It's a hell of long trip when you're on someone's boat and have to listen to a stereo blasting.

I recently put a Boss Marine round unit with USB and Bluetooth in my 18' Maycraft. It came with (2) 6.5" marine speakers that I installed on the sides of the console. Often in the summer we will take the boats out to a sand bar and beach them and have some beverages while hanging out. I've been happy thus far and the 6.5" speakers are plenty loud to hear even when going down the lake. I think I gave less than $100 on Amazon for the package when it was on sale.

https://www.amazon.com/BOSS-Audio-R...mp;sr=8-4&keywords=boss+marine+round

Having the radio is nice when you're out drowning bait waiting on a big drum. My boat is a do-all...hunt, fish, family, etc so I wanted the radio.

You threw the wrong thing overboard. LOL.

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Amazing how so many worry about what others do.