Bass Speaker Box Project (PICS) Looking for help.

(loonytik) · (loonytik) **Join Date: Apr 2008** 12-23-2008, 3:17 PM

I will be posting a few of my winter projects over the next couple of months but I wanted to start with a question about the location of my speaker box under the steering column.

This is a 2003 Moomba Mobius LSV. I bought the boat last March and have never had the speaker box out. During the summer I had an issue of where to put my feet to feel comfortable while driving. Im not super tall but im not short either and it feels uncomfortable driving with my feet to the side.

Upload

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3264/3131178031_a889421a4e.jpg?v=0

I want to remove some of the fiberglass that runs under the steering column and move my speaker box back further. Here is a picture with the box removed and the area I want to cut out:

Upload

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3294/3131167003_3ede961297.jpg?v=0

I am wondering what cutting this area out will do to the boats integrity? This section doesn't appear to have any structural properties. It only houses some wires (which I will move out of the way) so I dont think there is an issue there.

(grant_west) · (grant_west) **Join Date: Jun 2005** 12-23-2008, 4:05 PM

(disclamer) "I have no idea if cutting out the foot rest in you boat will cause it to crack in 1/2 and sink to the bottom of the lake"

With that said I say cut that hump out! Most likely That foot rest is fiberglass with foam. Cutting it out will expose the raw floor and the foam. Your gonna have to seal ithat hole up. If your handy with fiberglass you can re-glass the floor yourself its not a big job just dusty. Mabey someone with direct first hand exp can chime in about the removal of foot rest.
Here are some Pick's of the foot rest I chopped out of Jason's MasterCraft.
Upload

(malibuboats4) · (malibuboats4) **Join Date: Sep 2008** 12-23-2008, 4:15 PM

why risk ruining your boat/making the value go down on your boat/it will probably look like crap once done/ risk the safety of your passengers if you can just move the sub to the passenger side?

(grant_west) · (grant_west) **Join Date: Jun 2005** 12-23-2008, 4:29 PM

Malibu:

(loonytik) · (loonytik) **Join Date: Apr 2008** 12-23-2008, 4:52 PM

You have to take a look at a 2003 Moomba, Malibu. The passenger side is not open, there is a storage area behind the seat and the box will not fit. I wont be cutting out the entire foot rest anyway. Only enough area to "slide" my speaker box in...it will all be finished off with no exposed area like in "G's" pics above.

(Message edited by loonytik on December 23, 2008)

(malibuboats4) · (malibuboats4) **Join Date: Sep 2008** 12-24-2008, 7:37 PM

haha... g, i didnt mean to come of a d-bag if i did. i was just voicing my opinion... but is there no other place to put the sub?

(loonytik) · (loonytik) **Join Date: Apr 2008** 12-24-2008, 7:56 PM

I could use the storage area but, I am trying to get everything out of the storage area so I can use it for just that....storage. My battery is in the storage area and I plan to move it to the back and use the Blue Sea "add a battery" on another project.

I guess the best thing to do is contact Skiers Choice and ask.

(grant_west) · (grant_west) **Join Date: Jun 2005** 12-25-2008, 12:08 PM

Malibu: Its cool. When I did Jason's sub install a few years back. I was unsure about cutting the footrest out so I asked around if it was ok. I got a bunch of responses much like yours all from people that have no expericance but plenty of advice Lots of Arm Chair engineers here LOL. That's why in my first post I said, "Maybe someone with direct first hand exp can chime in about the removal of the footrest"

I don't know how this boat is constructed but I’m pretty sure it is like others. IMO if done correctly cutting out the footrest is not going to do anything to degrade the value or comprise the structural integrity of the boat. IMO If a boat maker is using a footrest to hold the boat together then there should be bigger problems looming

(collin) · (collin) **Join Date: May 2002** 12-25-2008, 9:42 PM

Can you cut only half out? That might help with keeping the structural integrity in place. In my Malibu I have a foot rest so I put the box on top. I was able to keep all of the steering cables and wiring above it. Upload

(loonytik) · (loonytik) **Join Date: Apr 2008** 12-26-2008, 6:02 AM

Collin----Yeah....as you can see by the red marks on the picture above I plan to only cut out exactly what I need to. The sub box isn't very big so it wont take up the entire area.

(david_e_m) · (david_e_m) **Join Date: Jul 2008** 12-29-2008, 9:36 AM

Jason,

It's just like "G" said, there is very thin fiberglass backed by expansion foam. The face of the hump serves no structural purpose. But don't cut through the thicker top cap of the hump.

Just for reference, we normally install a side-firing 0.675 internal gross displacement sealed 10" sub box that mounts to the bow mold. The '09 Moombas are a little tighter under the dash but it still fits. You won't see the sub, there are no modifications and the sub output loads nicely into the helm cavity for lots of bass.

David E.M.

(buguru) · (buguru) **Join Date: Feb 2006** 12-29-2008, 11:41 AM

(echo_parker) · (echo_parker) **Join Date: Feb 2008** 12-30-2008, 11:19 AM

1- L7 15"
6- L7 8"

(loonytik) · (loonytik) **Join Date: Apr 2008** 12-30-2008, 7:35 PM

I spoke with Skiers Choice and although they cant officially tell you that you can cut the hump out the guy said he has done it many times. On the 2003 Mobius the hump you see actually carries air from the intakes in front of the windshield back to the engine compartment for venting.

Wake---I appreciate the ideas. That install looks great! It sortof defeats the purpose of what I am trying to do however since I am looking to maximize my foot room.

How are you getting the higher quality pictures? When I posted it limited me to 150KB for some reason, hence the poor quality photos.