Horn on 96 330

Steve OD

Member
Oct 26, 2017
70
West Yarmouth, MA
Boat Info
Sol Searchin'
1996 330 Sundancer
Engines
7.4 L V Drives
I just purchased a 96 330 that is in great shape. I've read through the entire 330 Forum and have gained a lot of valuable information, but nothing about my problem.

The PO told me the horn doesn't work and he just used a hand held.
I'd like to replace it with trumpet horns on the arch, but that is low on the list of projects so I'd like to just replace the existing horn for now.......if I could only find it!
I hope it's not somewhere ridiculously easy to spot, but I cannot locate it!!!
Thanks
 
I hope it's not somewhere ridiculously easy to spot, but I cannot locate it!!!
Thanks

Easier than you think. Right next to your stbd side bow cleat. Remove that grille/cover and... Ta-dah!!! :)
 
The Sea Ray oem horn is anemic. Check Amazon, I think they sell a replacement that sounds much better and is cheaper.
 
It's actually a bit of a long-standing fallacy that the Sea Ray horn is no good. Granted, the digital-sounding horn is, from the captain's perspective, kinda funny sounding and doesn't appear to be very loud. But the frequency was specifically designed to carry further on the water... towards other boaters... which is the primary recipient of the noise, not the person pressing the button.

That said, it won't compare (neither will ANYTHING of this size) to a true air horn setup.

Sea Choice, if memory serves, is one of the aftermarket manufacturer's that makes replacement horns and should be a drop-in replacement. Sometimes you have to just splice the wires, though - no big deal. For $30, though, you should be able to get something that serves the purpose for the time being.
 
Is there a replacement horn that can be installed at same location / fit as the OEM horn near stbd bow cleat, but that gives a sound closer to an air horn? Or is the only way to achieve that sound with an actual air horn.
 
I have a 77 weekender that the horn has been disconnected at the horn and I can't seem to get it to work anyone know how their wired.
 
I have a 77 weekender that the horn has been disconnected at the horn and I can't seem to get it to work anyone know how their wired.

Start by reconnecting the wires at the horn? ;)

Dirt simple wiring... power from the fuse, through the switch, to the horn. Check for power at switch and horn. Verify that the ground is good. There may be a wiring schematic in the owner's manual, though.
 
I reconnected the wiring but it didn't fix the problem what I understand the horn works by grounding it thru the switch. I will have to try and find all the wires and where their routed, it is all hidden under carpet and such. The horn itself did honk when I ran a hot and ground wire to it but it was very weak and only once. It is a triple horn setup but I think only two horns operate. No power at the switch or horn and can't see a relay anywhere, will have to check and see if I can find the ground from the horn. As for a owners manual the boat is a 1977 240 srv weekender so any manual is long gone and not on the searay website as I have tried. I appreciate the help.
 
Owner's manual... you could try a few years newer or a different model. Should be pretty much the same when it come to the horn.

Power should come from a fuse or breaker panel, then to the switch )the switch might have a breaker right below it), then to the horn. It really is pretty simple. If you have power at/after the switch, the problem is downstream. If you don't have power at the switch, the issue is the switch or upstream. There are things you can do like ohming the power wire from switch to horn, as well, but... we're dealing with 40-year wiring on a boat and who-knows-how-many previous owners. Most likely, unless you find an issue right away, it's going to be more efficient to just start fresh and replace all the wiring.

If it was me, I wouldn't even be messing with the existing wiring. Just replace it. It's not a huge boat so it should be pretty straight forward. Follow the wiring from the horn till it disappears - wires usually run behind something on the starboard side of the cabin and those things are usually not too hard to remove.
 
Your right about the wiring I have removed alot of lamp cord that the previous people have installed, well looks like I will be pulling carpet off the ceiling and tracing wires and replacing. Oh well another project to put on the sheet.
 
Are you sure it goes under the ceiling carpet? Regardless of where it currently goes, can you just leave it there and run the new stuff a different way?
 
I just purchased a 96 330 that is in great shape. I've read through the entire 330 Forum and have gained a lot of valuable information, but nothing about my problem.

The PO told me the horn doesn't work and he just used a hand held.
I'd like to replace it with trumpet horns on the arch, but that is low on the list of projects so I'd like to just replace the existing horn for now.......if I could only find it!
I hope it's not somewhere ridiculously easy to spot, but I cannot locate it!!!
Thanks
I have a 2003 320 and mine is just starboard of the bow tip. They don't last long as they take on water. I had trumpets put on the arch and it is LOUD & AWESOME.
 
If the horn does work at all I will run new wires to it, need to find where the others run so as I am now having exposed wires or tearing out carpet, really want to keep this boat original as much as possiable, and I do not want to drill a bunch of new holes.
 

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