Carver 530 Voyager Pilothouse
Click on any of the pictures below to see a larger version.

The objective was to upgrade this yacht with more contemporary electronics and provide entertainment for the entire family. Every effort was made to integrate new components in a manner that was factory-like or better.

The cost of full modernization of a previously-owned yacht is a mere fraction of the initial depreciation. Plus, we add features and conviences that you won’t find as factory equipped.
AUDIO/VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT
 

We installed a KVH Tracvision to provide constant satellite TV access from anywhere on the lake. Since the radar arch was full we designed a custom tower to elevate the KVH over the rear sundeck. The powdercoated aluminum tower is angled away from the deck surface and away from the overhead arch obstructions.

The 3/8-inch thick aluminum bottom plate is mounted through the deck using a second aluminum bulkhead plate concealed underneath. This serves to spread the support over a greater surface area of the 1-inch thick deck.
SALON AUDIO/VIDEO
Over the galley and facing the salon we installed a Philips 32-inch LCD TV. We constructed a custom cabinet covered in vinyl and dyed to match the existing interior appointments. The cabinet closely follows the contours of
the ceiling.

The backside of the cabinet, from the pilothouse perspective, with a matching woodgrain insert.

Cooling vents are placed at the bottom of the face and at the top of the rear.

Concealed behind cabinet doors we installed the KVH control panel, ship-to-shore antenna switching, a Clarion DVD player, a DirectTV satellite receiver and an audio/video junction panel. We built a custom trim panel in the top cabinet to neatly mount multiple components.

A high isolation 75-ohm AB switcher selects between the KVH when out on the lake and the boathouse dish antenna when parked in the slip. A second switch was built in and dual cable runs are routed to both the transom and KVH in the event a second satellite TV receiver is added. Note the KVH is dual LNB.

In the lower cabinet a junction panel provides an AC power outlet, an antenna connection and composite A/V jacks. This provides for quick and easy insertion of a temporary TiVo from home or any other video source. The system is also ready for a second and permanent satellite TV receiver so that independent satellite channels can be viewed simultaneously.

An infrared target is mounted just under the 32-inch LCD that forwards remote control commands to the concealed satellite TV receiver and DVD player. IR emitters are also added to the stereo receiver and CD changer for consistent, reliable IR operation. Although they are exposed the stereo components are positioned at a right angle from the salon seating arrangements.
Typical of our installations we label everything as to its function, mode selection and access channel. These labels can be removed once the users become more familiar with the operation.
 A two-channel stereo receiver drives four salon speakers and two pilothouse speakers. A and B switching provides independent zone selection.

Four Boston Acoustics speakers deliver the theater sound in the salon.

The B.A. grills are dyed to match the interior’s vinyl appointments.
A pair of Boston Acoustics speakers are added to the pilothouse overhead control console. The B.A. anti-magnetic design is ideal for this location in close proximity to instrumentation.

We added an impedance–matching ten-step volume control just behind the pilothouse seating group.

This allows the pilothouse occupants to adjust the sound level independent from the salon or turn off the pilothouse speakers.
MASTER STATEROOM AUDIO/VIDEO
This “before” photo shows the original tube TV and VCR.
We flushed in a SharpVision 20-inch LCD plus a Clarion DVD player. An IR target, just over the DVD player, allows for control of the satellite TV receiver that is located in the salon.
We injected the audio output of the LCD into the master stateroom stereo system to deliver a ‘big sound’ on DVD and satellite TV sources. This provision is defeatable if the LCD speakers are preferred..
GUEST BERTH AUDIO/VIDEO

This “before” photo shows the original TV/VCR combo.
A SharpVision 15-inch LCD was flushed in to the guest berth.
We added a game port next to the bed on the opposite side of the cabin.
COCKPIT AUDIO
The existing cockpit stereo was replaced with Clarion marine product.
A Clarion CD player at the helm also controls a concealed Sirius satellite radio tuner.
Dual line-level zone controls are mounted in the helm instrument panel. In conjunction with the source unit fader individual levels are achieved for two lower cockpit speakers, four speakers located within the bridge and two brow speakers projecting out over the bow deck.
A hardwired remote control was added to the lower aft deck.
The front channels of a four-channel amplifier drive a pair of Boston Acoustics Voyager speakers on the brow. An independent level control at the helm provides dedicated settings for the bow deck area.
A pair of Clarion marine coaxils was added under the helm console.
We replaced the factory speakers with a pair of matching coaxils under the radar arch using polymer depth reducers.
The four speakers on the bridge are driven by the rear channels of a four-channel amplifier and have an independent level control on the helm.
A pair of Clarion marine coaxils under the overhead sundeck disperse sound onto the lower aft deck. These two speakers are driven off the source unit power and are attenuated or accentuated via the source unit fader.
The Sirius antenna atop the radar arch.
SECURITY
A 12-volt Clifford security system remains operational at all times with immunity to AC power outages.
Within the DC panel we installed a plain view valet switch (just to the left of the generator start & stop switch). Whenever the cabinet door is opened ignition is simulated without the use of a key. The coded valet switch is totally secure. The valet switch is used to manually disarm the system and add or delete programming options.

Within the salon we added a matching brass trim plate and almond toggle insert. Within the insert we installed a status LED above and a microphone below.

The microphone delivers stimuli to a sonic discriminator that identifies glass breakage or the attempt to break glass. This device is used primarily to protect the sliding door leading from the aft deck to the salon.
On each side of the rear vision camera we installed an ultra-bright blue LED. These two LED’s provide an instant status beacon to anyone approaching the transom of the boat. Vandals know that the security system is armed.
Upon disarming by remote control the overhead DC lamps at the stern are illuminated for 30 seconds. This provides a well lit and safe path when boarding the boat at night.

The alarm brain is concealed in a secure, dry location along with the sonic discriminator and domelight supervision relay. A diagnostic port allows our technicians to plug in their laptop for in-depth programming, system diagnosis and retrieval of event history.

Dual starter bypass relays keep the port and starboard diesel engines from being started while the alarm is armed.

A flasher relay pulses the navigation and stern lights whenever the alarm is triggered.

A super loud multi-tone siren combined with the boat’s air horns on a pulsed circuit provide a significant deterrent. The air horns are on a short delay so they do not respond to normal arming and disarming audible confirmations.

Each of the three exterior sliding doors and hatches are protected against physical entry via a combination of specialized switches.
CHILD ALARM
Concealed beneath the staircase a radar field sensor detects a child attempting to leave the sleeping quarters. Upon the field sensor being triggered miniature piezo sirens alert both the master stateroom and guest berth cabins.

A recess atop the LCD TVs in each of two larger sleeping quarters contain dual child alarm control switches. In each case the right switch powers on & off the system. The redundant switches allow independent control identical to dual hallway light switches. When the system is activated the piezo siren confirms its operational mode with a soft chirp.

A second switch in each stateroom defeats the siren in that particular cabin without defeating the status of the other cabin.
Typical of our security system installations barrier strips are used to organize wiring and aid service diagnostics.
RECONDITIONING
The hailers and GPS antenna atop the arch were yellowed due to long term exposure to ultraviolet light. We removed these components for cleaning and alcohol bathing. These components were then dyed to their original white with a very UV stable product and remounted. We have performed this restoration process on many boats with lasting results.
Earmark Car Audio

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