How to install a Radio in a Boat
Last Updated on January 12, 2022
If you’re looking for the optimal solution to your need of installing a radio in your boat, you may be wondering what that is. There are many different things that people do when they need to install a radio in their boat, but these are some of the better and more common ones. In this article, we’ll talk about how to install a radio in a boat.
These instructions apply to most modern-day marine radios, but some things will be different for yours. You may want to get the manual for your radio brand and model before doing anything as they’ll cover it in more detail than we can here.
2 Methods on How to Install a Radio in a Boat
1. Swipe-mount installation (if you have a mounting plate that swivels)
A swipe-mount is one of the easiest ways to install a radio in a boat if you have the right type of mounting bracket on your boat. It’s just two pieces of plastic that go over the brackets on your dash and then slide together and lock.
This is very easy to use in your boat depending on whether or not you already have brackets screwed into the dash that is wide enough for a swipe-mount to fit over (most do).
This type of installation requires a little bit of work, although nothing too hard. You’ll need to drill through the dash wherever you want the radio and then screw it in place with some small screws, most likely 1/4″ bolt size will be what’s needed for this.
Then mount the radio onto the plastic plates and slide them over the screws to secure them and put an end cap on top of each plate if necessary.
The thing about a swipe-mount that makes it nice is that you can undo it later if you need to. It’s pretty much just a locked-together set of mounting plates that you can take apart again.
You might also want to consider buying an external antenna extension cable as well for use with this type of installation. Then you could place your radio wherever you’d like on the boat and where the satellite is on the roof or wherever you like and then just mount an antenna outside somewhere else.
This method has some advantages: You can put the radio in an easy-to-access location inside the boat, keep your wires running from the radio hidden under dash/floor carpeting & utility panels so they’re out of sight, etc.
2. Permanent mount installation
Permanent mount installations are just where the radio stays wherever you put it and then you run wires from it to wherever they need to go. Some people like doing this as it’s more secure, permanent, and upfront & center than swipe-mounting something in a moving vehicle.
This method also doesn’t require any extra costs if done correctly but will take longer to get all of the wirings runs completed for the installation (on average about 2 hours to complete). Also, note that some radios come with some sort of wire harness already on them so there may be no wires needed at all for your radio type.
For this kind of installation, you’ll want to pick a good location for your radio and pre-drill the mounting holes. Make sure it’s centered and straight before tightening down all of the bolts.
When choosing a place for your marine radio installation like this, try to find a place that’s out of sight if at all possible but also not too hard to access such as behind seats or under tables or other furniture where you have more room to work.
The more you can hide it, the better in most cases as the radio plus wires will be less of a distraction or danger from getting bumped & damaged.
After that, run the wires where they should go. Sometimes it’s easiest to simply remove one of the panels on your boat and then drill holes for running your wire under them.
Other times you might want to open up a hole in a panel somewhere and stick some wire up through there first before wrapping it around back on itself and securing by plugging wires into screw connectors inside the dash somewhere. You may also need to install an antenna if you don’t already have one.
Just make sure not to let the wires end up touching the engine or exhaust as that will create a bad situation and should be avoided at all costs.
If you just want to avoid wiring messes in general, then cable trunking might be something you want to look into which is basically pre-built wire channel sleeves for running cables through without any exposed wires (for marine use only).
The next step for this kind of installation is to go through and connect your wires together. Most marine & car stereo wiring diagrams will tell you what wire goes to which part with the diagram as well as each radio’s installation manual.
You’ll want to connect the power & ground wire (black in most cases which is called a “ring” connector) and also the antenna lead wire (usually red or yellow with an antenna symbol on it which can be confusing but almost always goes to the back of a radio).
Many radios also come with speaker wires that need to be connected as well, usually black or red for negative, and then positive will be green or yellow. Connecting these should be straightforward as they’ll have terminals designed for speaker connection already on them you just need to plug in the ends from each side together.
After everything is connected together correctly and then secured using cable ties, the last step is to now install your new stereo into its spot. Just lay it over where you want it, line up the mounting holes and fasten them down by screwing in some screws on each corner if there’s a hole for them already or drilling some of your own if not.
How to Install a Radio in a Boat – Conclusion
So now you know the answer to how to install a radio in a boat! Whether it’s on a boat, car, or any other place where you want to be able to listen to the music you’re playing, any of these systems will work for you if it meets your needs.
