Boat Stereo Wiring?

I know this isn't a boating electronics forum, but Im having trouble nailing down the simple info I need. Im looking to take out all the original stereo wiring from my boat and replacing it b/c it has been a problem since day one. Im totally capable to doing the work without zapping myself, Im just curious if anyone has a dummy-proof method to help me along my way?  I know RED / yellow are supposed to go to the + batt. post and black = negative...but Id rather not wire DIRECTLY to the battery, rather like a car where everything runs through the ignition. Let me know if I just confused everyone :).  Any help/links/diagrams would be appreciated.

Boats radio is much the same as car. It's very easy. Get yourself a meter and you will not mess up. Three important wire to look for. One will read. +12V constant. One will read +12V only when you turn the key or switch. One will be ground. The rest of the wire is most likely be speaker wire, but do test them all first and find all the +12V wire. There is only 2 X +12V, but again without testing each wire you will not know if there are more, so test them all. Anyways, I hope this helps.

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Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it.

*nods* isolate teh wires, make notes. use solder and shrink wrap to protect the connections. neatness counts. so forth and so on.

... ah... you said you'd not like to wire directly to the battery. i'd say -

add a small fuse block - 5 bucks at autozone. run a lead from teh battery to this, and then install fuses and run the wiring, do it near your radio to have it all in one spot. Fuse the constant line and the key on line. Most stereos have their own fuses built in, i just add my own little fuse box anyways, it... neatens things up.

for wire identification, you COULD take hte speakers out, and look at wire color there, which would help you id the wires near the HU.

~~Vinn