I’m looking to put some entertainment features on my boat. I wanted to have something there so that I could attract some of my non-sailing companions on-board for a few leisurely hours and slowly get them into sailing subconsciously! I shall stop digressing and get to the point:

Due to space issues I have opted for a small projector and pull down screen, as this requires less space than a normal screen and can be easily packed away. This means I have the movie pictures, but not such good sound. I have looked at a few waterproof speakers and they just don’t seem to be able to match the same quality as normal ones. Do I have to use waterproof speakers on the boat and if so does anyone have any suggestions?

Hi Sophie, you only need waterproof speakers if you want to use them outside. I wouldn't go for very expensive speakers because the salt atmosphere will get to them eventually, just buy car stereo ones. Also keep them as far away from your compass as possible, they have huge magnets in them.

Bit puzzeled though, I only have to mention the word; boat and my mates are queing up. Perhaps your friends really would rather go to the cinema.

Well, when it comes to the friends, they are more use to their luxury motor cruisers, so it’s not so much the boating, rather the sailing in which they need to be enticed into.

When it comes to the speaker, thanks for the advice. If I go for car ones how easy do you think they would be to fit? Could I do it myself (my knowledge is very basic) or get someone else to do it?

What will they do to the compass, I thought it was just magnets that affect them?

Where is your friend's spirit of adventure? I would of thought that all you would have needed to have done was said something like "fancy coming sailing?"

I believe you can get car (or maybe van) speakers that are already mounted in small cabinets (boxes) with mounting brackets. But one thought, has your projector got a built in amplifier? because it may not be able to drive extension speakers, you need to check this first. If you dont know, if you tell me the make and model I could probably check it out on the web.

You probably could install them yourself but if in doubt get one of your friends with the luxury motor cruisers to do it just to prove they're not completely bloody useless.

Speakers basically consist of a chassis, a cone, a copper voice coil and a very large magnet.

Quite fancy a go in your ultra ‘cool’ cinema boat Sophie. Have you mounted the screen or is it on a stand, would have thought it was quite unstable if you for the stand option.

I do think built in speakers are better than the boxed ones that you fit with brackets. Will be able to take the rough and tumble of the sea a lot better.