Running new wire to led speakers.

[Jimwhall]

I have a '`16 Four Winns H190. The speakers were all blown (it came with car stereo speakers, so it honestly looks like they just were damaged by the sun). I am replacing them with kicker marine speakers. I'd like to hook up two of them with LED's. The wiring is fairly simple... I thought maybe hooking the LED's up to the unassigned aux switch. But... I have *zero* idea how to run the wire. The hull looks like it doesn't have wire channels in it, and I can't find any access points. Has anyone done this? I'd like to avoid cutting holes if I can.

 

[Scott Danforth]

wiring is usually done when the cap of the boat is upside down in the assembly line next to the hull.

some times its done prior to the deck being installed

look under the gunwale caps to see if the wiring is running above the cap seam

if not, its under the deck

 

[Jimwhall]

Ugh. So that sounds like drilling. That doesn’t compromise the integrity of the boat does it? These things seem like monocoque structures

 

[Scott Danforth]

Don't know if you need to drill

Look first

Boats are glued and screwed together

 

[ESGWheel]

Depending on what you find you may be faced with a challenge to run the power for the LED lights from the helm directly to the port side under the deck or around the bow. There is another solution: go aft to go forward. Like this: from the helm back to the engine compartment along the starboard side gunwale cavity (where there is lots of wires already) and then over to the port side and finally forward along the port gunwale cavity. While a long run of wire if you are determined having the lights switchable at the helm it may be the best alternative. Another option is to forgo the switch but still power the port side lights fm the engine compartment where you can tap into power and minimize the wires needed to run.

 

[Jimwhall]

I ended up with a clean looking kluge. At least for now. I want aft and wired them to a switch right by the engine. It’s workable. I’d prefer to have them on the helm, and might one day, but this gets me the functionality.

 

[ESGWheel]

Gald it worked out. And I find a lot my projects run in phases. The key is not to get use to the setup, else you will find yourself 5 years later not concerned about phase 2.
It also occurs to me now that you can replace the engine compartment switch with a relay that is triggered by your helm switch > so additional wiring vs redoing some of it. May be some good looking kludge as well