Need help installing an Ipod on a boat

[ncsufan81]

I am new to this kind of stuff so any help you all can give me would be great!

Basically I want to install an Ipod docking station onto a boat and be able to play it through some standard boat speakers. The boat doesn’t have any type of a CD player or radio on it so I am guessing I will need some type of amplifier? Would I just run the Ipod to an amplifier and then to the speakers? If this is correct what would be a good basic amplifier that would do the job?

Thanks for your help
Matt

[iwhaler]

good subject, I have discussed this several times and have heard this is possible without a head unit. I have a 25' Boston Whaler and only listen to music from my ipod (so why do i want to spend $ on a head unit?) . I would rather use my shuffle on my boat instead of my ipod video. It would be great to rig a headphone jack to the dash with the shuffle mounted securely. I am assuming I can run a line out from the headphone jack of the shuffle to the RCA inputs on the AMP (specific cable for this) then have the amp run it's power from the battery via a toggle switch on the fuse panel. I could run a sub and speakers from the amp and should be all set! These are assumptions based on what people have told me is possible - Let me know if anyone has heard different ,has tried this, or I am way off from how this works?

[pickle311]

It can be done many ways. I always use my iPod on my boat and love it. You can run it directly into an amp and it works fine. I actually did that while I was waiting on my iPod cable to come in for my head unit. It sounds just as good too. Any amp will work. I'm partial to Kicker amps, but everyone will tell you something different.