Installing Sirius XM Radio on a Boat

Installing Sirius XM Radio on a BoatEntertainment on a boat is an absolute necessity.  Some like the serene quietness on the water but not me.  Turn up the music.  Hence, our article on installing Sirius XM Radio on a boat.

Installing Sirius XM Radio on a boat has unique challenges versus an everyday car installation.  The mount also needs to remain stable and remain unaffected by extreme vibrations and bumps.  It’s easy to install the antenna on a car.  Just pop it on your roof and let the wire in through your side window.  That’s not going to work well on a boat.  Same concern with power.  So let’s take a look at what’s out there for getting the job done.

The magnetic antenna will not work well in a marine environment.  The bottom is magnetic and needs to stick some metal.  That’s going to be hard to find on the outside of a boat.  Sirius XM marine antennas are typically made of fiberglass and has a mount similar to what you would find for a marine radio.

I am very familiar with the Tram Marine Radio Antenna.  You might be familiar with Tram as they make a lot of other antennas for shortwave radio.  An antenna like this is a necessity for installing Sirius XM Radio on a boat.  It’s made of fiberglass and uses a standard ratchet on a 1″ x 14-threaded marine pole mount.  All the included metal components are made of stainless steel.  This antenna works with the Sirius and XM satellites.  This is important as there are still some antennas out there that only support XM or Sirius.

Any Sirius XM Radio can be used in a marine environment as long as it does not get it wet.  You can certainly use an inexpensive car kit but the mounts aren’t going to make it in a marine environment.  The back of most Sirius XM Radio docks and cradles have the standard 4-hole AMPS pattern.

The RAM Long Arm Flat Surface Mount with AMPS Adapter is a good choice for marine environments.  The mount is made of marine grade powder coated metal.  There is a six-inch arm in the middle that pivots at the base and adapter.  The mount is weather resistant so you don’t need to be concerned about removing it.  The radio and dock should be removed as they aren’t weather resistant like the mount.  The mount carries a lifetime manufacturer warranty.

Hopefully there is a DC power outlet available.  Most boats have one.  If not, consider using the EDO Tech Direct Hardwire Power Adapter Kit for Sirius XM Radio.  These get hardwired onto a battery or into a fuse box.  There is a 4.5 foot cable with the round barrel adapter to fit most Sirius XM cradles.

These are the parts needed to install Sirius XM Radio on a boat.  You can get an idea of what’s required from the article.  There are other mounts and antennas available.  The two recommended are brands and models that I am personally familiar with and work well from good manufacturers.  If you are comfortable working on your boat, installing Sirius XM on a boat is an easy task.  If not accustomed to doing this sort of work, bring it to a boat customization or repair shop and ask them to do the work.