"The Great Horn Debate"

Escapade

Escapade

Well-Known Member
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Jan 10, 2007
1,252
Lake Michigan
Boat Info
44 Sundancer
Engines
QSC500
I'm sure many of you have noticed the Horn or lack there of on the new Searays. Our 320 has an electric sound producing device that is far short on the pardime of a real boat horn.

Before I ventue into the world of adding more holes into my preciuos gel coat Has any one changed this out and added a decent compressor and trumpets. You know the kind that make the joker in front of you skip a beat or two when you want his attention?

It looks like we have enough room for a compressor by the rope locker and use the existing horn power supply.

Any one?

Mike
 
There's no debate here - SeaRay horns suck.

You probably won't be able to use the existing horn power supply as the compressor requires much more current. I added an AFI air horn and had to run all new wiring as well as installing a new switch. IIRC, the existing horn circuit (switch, wire, breaker) was 10 amp and the air horn needed 20 amp. You could use existing switch/wire to trigger a relay (solenoid), but you'd still have to run another circuit to supply the higher current. Perhaps you could draw from a windlass circuit, depending on the location of your windlass solenoid - but that's getting a little too messy for me.

My horn is mounted on the front next to the windlass and the compressor is located high in the anchor locker. I was a little concerned about moisture but in 5 years it has not been an issue. You want the air hose to be as short as possible.
 
Yes I did it on my previous boat. If I were to look into this again I would go back to Kahlenberg and check out Buell at the same time. I was fortunate to get two K. horns at the Fort Lauderdale show for something like $700. That is a lot of money for horns and, as I recall that included a $400 discount. Don't hold me to that, it was 5 years or so ago. There are accessories that have some practicality beyond their designed use. I believe that the buyer of my boat fell in love with certain features and benefits on my boat. I cleaned the wax out of his ears w/ the K. horns and he smiled. The boat was his very soon afterwards.
I now have a smaller boat and will probably carry one of the "shaving cream can" horns.
 
Yes, when looking at air horns of some size you most be sure to be wired and breakered to take a sudden big amp draw when the compressor is running. Also, the compressor has to be matched to the tank size. If the tank is too large the compressor runs longer and generates more heat and they get hot anyway.
 
appears horns are SR weakest link....
I replaced mine with horns from Seige Engineering (150.00) added an air tank and compressor...total approx 230.00

I hooked the compressor leads to the windlass wiring...handles the amp draw well....used existing horn button for the air valve...the only problem was running the air hose to the horns....came through the forward closet on the S side.....
New horns bellow.....did have a minor pitting problem with the trumpets....called Seige and they were replaced in 4 days.....
Overall very happy with the swtich and their service
Pete
 
The Horn is done and works beyond my expectations. It wont wake the dead but close to it.
The only immediate drawback was sharing the windlass power. The windlass power must be on prior to hitting the horn. Once it gets a bit warmer I'll try to run a new circuit and still utilize the horn switch on the dash. Here are some photos.

Mike
 
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Very nice Mike...

A while back, someone suggested "Freeway Blaster" horns, which are electric.

Does anyone know of an electric horn that will fit right into the Sea Ray bezel as direct replacements, that actually work?
And if so, how are the existing horns removed from the bezel?
 
this shold get some jet-skier's attenton....... a freight train system with 5 gal air tank.

tc85.20050525.193757.0b1_l.jpg
 
Alex- Great videos. I tried to blame this one on my kids. During our splash a gentlemen was walking around our boat taking notes in a small note book. Once the boat was in he walked up to the bow and was about to take more. As part of our shake down and saftey check. I signaled my ( Evel ) 11 Year old daughter to hit the new air horn switch. ( A full three seconds.) Upon this guy landing back to earth he came over and said, he was from the marina checing our boat in. Lucky the rest rooms were close. Of coarse now when some one walks by our boat the evel 11 year old gives a smile and readies at gaurd.
Mike
 
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