Wetsounds speakers: store boat with em off or on ?

My boat is stored outside, so at the end of each weekend since I got a double up I've been pulling the speakers and leaving them inside my condo during the week. I have quick connects for them so it's 8 hex screws and takes about 5 mins. But it's 5 minutes I'm trying to cut out of the "putting up the boat for the week" ritual

So anyways my question is, Do I need to bother doing this? The boat is stored in a secured area so it's not about the risk of them getting stolen, i take em off so they don't get rained on as my tower isn't covered by the boats cover. I did order scotch-garded speaker soxx for them but don't know how much that will do if they get soaked. Do any of you guys store your boat with wetsounds speakers on? How long can they last if they get rained on regularly? I know they're marine speakers and all but still wondering. Tim from wetsounds - this might be one for you man.

Keep yanking them.

Even though they are water resistant.... they are NOT WATERPROOF! You could try putting a dab of silicone around the neutrik connector. That will help some, but that'll prob. be the first thing to go and also first place for water to get in.

This doesn't help w/ the time issue, but if you want them out of your condo, then just leave them inside the boat under the cover.

Let me put it in logic that's hard to argue w/.... It's 5 mins a trip or drop another $1600 .... you be the judge?

Ditto...keep taking them off.

If your boat is outdoors and people can see your speakers...they are not secure.

is it worth having them stolen? ours is stored outside, and we take the speakers off every time it goes to storage. those speakers are not cheap. is the money worth 5 minutes?

Does anyone make a quick disconnect for tower speakers? Or rather, I should say are there any tower speakers with this capability?

(Message edited by dirtysparks on June 17, 2009)

Yep, I was pretty sure most everyone else pulled em too, thx for the opinions guys. I'll keep pullin em.

Jeff,

Monster Tower Single and Double Barrel speakers all have quick release pins. I have the double barrels with the Wetsounds XS-650's in them and pull mine whenever I leave my boat, takes less than a minute.

Off

I have 485's and pull them after every outing. I have even pulled them overnight on weekend trips when the boat was left at a marina docking slip. Get yourself a small cordless drill with the correct size hex hey chucked up, that should cut your up or down time in half. That's what I do.

Thx Mike, yeah i use a finger ratchet with a #6 key in it, than an L allen to tighten down. For what I spent on the trick-connect from WS tho - extra 300 - I wish it was a little quicker of a disconnect, or used a spring pin. Something. I'll live, was just trying to trim some 'put away' time so we could stay out on the water a few more mins each sunday eve.

go to a shop and have them add you some wing nuts or maybe you can find them at a store long enough for the clamps if you get the right size it shouldn't look to bad up there and it'll cut down on time being no tools are used. Just a suggestion but I'd take em off either way cus all the greedy people out there that like to rip people off..

(Message edited by kho20 on June 17, 2009)

Lance, The TC2 clamps are a quick disconnect clamp. It is as quick as we could do while maintaining a solid mount. I have built prototypes with a pin type system and some other faster quick disconnects. But none of them are solid enough for our liking. Most of the really quick disconnects leave too much play in them. So that is why we call them "trick connect" As it is a trick way to disconnect them although a little more than just pulling a pin. So still pretty quick. Mike's idea of having a tiny drill with the allen tool would work well and speed things up a bit.

Jeff, our PRO 80 and PRO 485 come with the Trick Connect 2 clamps. And the PRO 60 and MB-8 can be upgraded to these clamps. So all the speakers either come from the factory with this feature or it can be added.

Tim
Wet Sounds

Thx tim, let me start by saying your speakers are incredible. Now, don't get me wrong man you make great mounts, i'm just being lazy and looking to cut time. You're right on that if it was a quicker disconnect there prob would be an annoying amount of play. But if you eventually do think up a rigid AND even quicker dismount, you sell it, i'll buy it. Keep up the good work.

I take mine off when the boat gets loaded on the trailer. I have a 45 minute drive to my camper so they're off until the boat's in the water. That's just a lotta money to be hanging up there to sit in the weather. My boat stays in the garage all the time, so I'm not worried about that, but it's also easier to fold the tower down without them hanging.

Cody, how do the Wetsounds XS-650s sound on the tower?

Tim, is the trick connect basically the clamps with 2 allen bolts per clamp?

Jeff, the 650's sound really good on a tower. I replaced the OEM Kenwood 6.5's on my Supra last year with the 650's and it was a huge improvement.

The TC2 is a clamp with 2 allen bolts per clamp. As I said above, I remove my 3-Some everytime my boat is transported. I got an extra 3/8" ratchet and 8mm allen head socket to keep in the boat just for mounting and removing the speakers. It takes about 5 minutes either way.

this is how i protected my wetsounds...$165 at the local boat cover shop...Fits like a bimini cover

Nice! Jason, That cover is money. I haven't seen one that is not "custom" and doesn't cost a ton of money.

Yah! It works great, They just put a heavy duty zipper underneath like the bimini covers have

Tim from Wetsounds, I found a secured storage garage to keep my boat in. The guy that owns it told me even on the hottest days that it won't get above 95 degrees in there due to the ventilation system. Will I be okay leaving my speakers on the tower in there? I'm assuming it should be fine as they prob get up to 95/100 during a day on the lake, but just want to be 100% sure from the guy who makes them. Thanks in advance Tim

Lance,

You will be fine. You are correct, out on the water, temps can get much higher in direct sun.

Jeff,

The TC-2 clamp has a removable section. There is fixed cog with teeth on top of the speaker. You remove the side part and the cog and speaker slides out. Or you rotate the speaker and re install this part to keep the speaker tight. So the clamp stays on the tower where you have them mounted. So 2 allen bolts and remove the side plate, slide the speaker out and re install the side plate. It is super fast on the 80's or if you add this clamp to the 60's or MB-8's. It is a little more time on the 485 since there are two clamps

Tim
Wet Sounds

Awesome. Thanks once again Tim.